Why all the hype on JNat?

[Rangen]

Yes. Some people say they are okay with water, others use soapy water, but mineral oil is the absolute best for Arkansas stones. It will keep the swarf floating and some will soak into the surface to help prevent clogging. Honing oil is the best as it is highly refined mineral oil and has almost no resistance when sharpening.

This is good to know. I've been sitting on a small Arkansas combo stone I got in BST with another stone I wanted. I absolutely intended to sharpen on it, but I got some "honing oil" and I just cannot stand the awful smell of the stuff. I thought I had to use it. Mineral oil is no problem, being odorless. But why would highly refined mineral oil stink, if the less-exalted version does not?

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

This is good to know. I've been sitting on a small Arkansas combo stone I got in BST with another stone I wanted. I absolutely intended to sharpen on it, but I got some "honing oil" and I just cannot stand the awful smell of the stuff. I thought I had to use it. Mineral oil is no problem, being odorless. But why would highly refined mineral oil stink, if the less-exalted version does not?

It shouldn't. I've never had honing oil that had an odor. Try some Norton or Smith brand.

You can also use laxative grade mineral oil from the pharmacy section of the grocery store. It's thicker and alright for courser grits but you do lose feedback as you move up but it will work.

 

[KingShapton]

Really? I haven't had a chance to try Arkansas stones. Do you use them with oil?

I use petroleum

 

[KingShapton]

but I got some "honing oil" and I just cannot stand the awful smell of the stuff.

Honing oil shouldn't have an unpleasant smell. I don't know whether honing oil can go rancid or bad, but I wouldn't use that anymore!

 

[Rangen]

Random thoughts left over from this thread.

- Part of the appeal of JNats, for me is this: When I get a synthetic stone, my feeling is that I need to learn what it is good for. When I get a JNat, my feeling is that I need to live up to it. Could be just me.
- My stinky honing oil, now in a landfill, was "Dan's Honing Oil," bought from Amazon so conceivably suspect. The reason I assumed it was normal was that it was the exact smell of what my Boy Scout mentor used to sharpen his pocketknife. Mineral oil can't go bad, so I assume it's the smell of whatever was used to thin it out.

I remember buying my Boy Scout knife at the store. I decided to get the "best" one, and paid $1 extra for the stainless steel version. At some point, I noticed that the others' carbon steel knives were just better.

I had to learn the lesson over again; stainless steels have gotten much better since then, but I still prefer simple carbon steels for most uses.