sharpening stones

[oomcurt]

It seems that in my neck of the woods it is no longer possible to buy those "carborundum" or oil stone sharpening stones. Well...one can, but the ones available are downright tiny.

Any one know of a source for what I am looking for?

Thanking those who reply,
Curt

[Three Hawks]

Garret Wade or WoodCraft would be good places to start.

I've never been a fan of carborundum stones, far too coarse in even the finest grit and soft enough that they go hollow way too soon.   Your mileage may vary.

The best overall utility stone I've ever had is the medium grit India stone.  Man made, meant to be oil lubricated, hard enough to remain flat for eons and available in dozens of shapes and sizes.  Cheap, too.  

The best  oilstone oil is good ol' pharmaceutical grade mineral oil from the drug store.  Two buck's worth will last you and your descendents well into the twenty seventh century.   All the stone manufacurers sell it under their own names for ten or so times what it will cost you at your friendly local Sav-On.  

Also if you should get bound up, a pull on your stone oil bottle will have your inward workings free and running in short order, as well.

Stay away from the Japanese water stones, they are far too soft for utility work, it's like using chalk.  Some of the ceramics are good.  I've not had good luck with diamond embedded sharpening stones.

Three Hawks

[BEAVERMAN]

You may check with a machine shop supply if you have one local.

[ridjrunr]

One place that I have seen quite a few was at flea markets.Just last month I cherry picked through a box of them and kept 3 for 5 bucks.One is a Norton dual grit razor hone in the original box.If ya really cant find any,give a holler.   ridjrunr

[BIG SKY TRAPPER]

my local "dollar store" has a shelf of 'em  and for only a dollar ea.  about 2 x6 inches.....

[Bigsmoke]

Rockler sells good quality oil stones.
Typical for Rockler, they ain't cheap!!

[Three Hawks]

Vaya aqui.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisear ... ning+stone

Useable stones at Kleenex prices.  If you have an HF store nearby they will honor the website prices.

or here:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/158122/ ... ning-Stone

Three Hawks

[snake eyes]

We have a local store that I visit at least once a month,looking
for nothing....but always leave with a basket full of something

[Mike R]

I have used many different types of stones over the years--my uses have evolved with the changeover to speciall alloy stainless steels with high Rockwell H's.  But for the old timey high C non-stainless steels like most of us use in buckskinning/reenacting it is hard to beat the old Arkansas Novaculite whetstones--and they are period correct [identical to the "turkey oil stones" of the 18th cent].  Different types of stones have different hardnesses and so do different alloys of steels [differently heat treated]. I found that the Ark stones did not do so well with the ultra-hard stainless steels used in some custom and some modern factory blades.  The old Norton carborundum stones do well with the new alloys and so do the India stones--which are Al2O3 [corundum--sapphire] and Moh's H = 9 [Ark stones H=7].  Another option is the diamond dust impregnated "stones" [plastic with metal tops], diamond being alot harder than the other stones in use.  But for a typical C steel skinner, butcher or scalper, the good ol' Ark stones work well.  I keep all three 'grades' handy[washita, soft & hard], but the so-called "soft" ARK stone is an all-around pick [all three grades are H=7, they differ mainly in porosity/texture on a microscopic level].

[Gambia]

To get a really good edge on a knife,chisel, plane blade or similar tool,stick a sheet of cloth backed abrasive, as used in the auto body shops,onto a sheet of plate glass and sharpen using water lube. The glass provides a flat surface for the abrasive.The abrasives come in a wide range of choices depending on how fine an edge you want.

[LRB]

I'm with Mike R on this one, but I like a medium Arkansas stone, then stropped with green chrome rouge embedded in the strop. If I am away from my strop, the medium Arkansas does well by itself.

[Mike R]

I'm with Mike R on this one, but I like a medium Arkansas stone, then stropped with green chrome rouge embedded in the strop. If I am away from my strop, the medium Arkansas does well by itself.

I'm guessing that your "medium" Ark stone = what I call "soft" Ark stones [the old quarryman's whetstone designation].  It is H=7, smooth to the touch but not glassy or translucent like some "hard" Ark stones.  The Washita grade Ark stones feel a little gritty to the touch [due to tiny rough little pores in the rock].

[Hank in WV]

For my chisels and gouges I've been using 2.5x 11.5 in diamond stones (1200 and 2000 grit) followed by a ceramic and then strop on leather with jewlers rouge.

[LRB]

Yeah, probably the same Mike. Sometimes I will use a hard one before stropping, but it doesn't seem to make any appreciable difference.

[fractureforge]

just an idea onea th old school red clay unglazed flower pots works fine for finishing an edge and the 5" i have found gives a good angle when turned upside down and the blade used as you would a crock stick. i have over the years absconded with several of th wifes pot's .