Thread: Neatsfoot Oil as an Oilstone Lubricant

I'm not sure whether honing oil contained neatsfoot oil, but i can't see why it wouldn't work, by accident i stumbled across oil from a transformer? from some old metal halide lights, very thin oil maybe emu oil? anyhow works the best for me on the oil stone.

WD40, works a treat, helps get a good edge and the only stone I have ever had is barely worn after 45 yrs of constant use

Hey,

I just found on the thread titled "What oil to use on an oilstone?" that Ubeaut recommends neatsfoot oil as the BEST oil for oilstones.

Hopefully Ubeaut will join the chat here...if notmi suppose there's always PM.

Baby oil works well and smells nice, but I'll be interested to find some of this stuff and see what it's like.

Paul

Yes, I've used 50/50 neatsfoot oil and kero. Worked well but neatsfoot oil isn't as easy to get as sewing machine oil.

A lot of thin oils can be used. At present I am using a bottle of singer sewing machine oil that is so old it is a bit discoloured. in the past I have used 3 in one, WD40 when I cant find anything else handy, engine oil thinned with kerro and even cooking oil. The oils job is to carry away the swarf so what oil is not important as long is it does the job. If too thick then dilute with kerro. While I would use most oils that suit I would be thinking again about oil from a transformer as I think they contain PCBs.
Regards
John

Neatsfoot oil is the ideal oil to use on oilstones

Hi Russell

It sounds as if you are going to use oilstones. Please be aware (I posted this earlier) that the Mujingfang planes you are (or were) interested in use HSS blades. Oilstones and HSS blades are not a good match.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Cheers for the heads-up, Derek.

What kind of blades would go well with oilstones?

Thanks Orraloon, had no idea, darn it worked so well

Oilstones have been used very successfully for centuries. They do not cut as quickly as natural waterstones, the equivalent medium. Their strength lies only in that they remain flat longer. (But, if you want them to cut faster, you have to surface them regularly with a diamond stone - which seems to defeat this advantage).

Unless you are using steel from a vintage era, or its modern equivalent, oilstones can become out of their depth. These steels are generally referred to as "high carbon" and avoid the addition of chrome. A modern version is O1. Steels with chrome in them are toughened by this, but the grain is also made coarser, and so the edge achieved is not as fine. The most common are A2 and HSS (M2). A2 is doable on an oilstone (just) but HSS is going to frustrate you no end.

Bottom line for me: if I only used vintage steel, I would be very tempted to use oilstones. It has a nice traditional feel to it. However I would have to have modern waterstones for the rest of the steel types.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Just one addition to what Derek has said. If you have ever had the opportunity to see an old craftsman using an oilstone you would have noticed that he would cover as much of the surface as possible when sharpening to minimise the need for flattening. I presume that back then stones were relatively more expensive than to today. I don't think the technique lends itself very well to honing guides though.

Originally Posted by shedbound

I'm not sure whether honing oil contained neatsfoot oil, but i can't see why it wouldn't work, by accident i stumbled across oil from a transformer? from some old metal halide lights, very thin oil maybe emu oil? anyhow works the best for me on the oil stone.

Some transfomers are filled with some pretty nasty stuff, PCBs I believe, might want to be sure, or not take the risk. I use lamp oil cheap and easy to get. Remember that the oil is to keep the swarf from clogging the stone, you don't want a lubricant, that would be counter productive.

Originally Posted by shedbound

by accident i stumbled across oil from a transformer? from some old metal halide lights, very thin oil maybe emu oil? anyhow works the best for me on the oil stone.

I would not use any oil from electrical equipment.

Up until the 70s or 80s, the insulating oil was Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), its very dangerous, and a known carcinogen.

Polychlorinated biphenyl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Regards Steve.