I got away from using honing oil on my broadheads and hunting knives years ago because I heard that it is not food safe. I've been since touching up my broadheads using a ceramic stone with water on it and a honing steel. Lately started refining the edge on a dry Arkansas soft stone (vs. the honing steel), and occasionally now use the ceramic stone dry as well. Am I making a big mistake? The heads get shaving sharp for me.

The last sentence should answer the question.

Thanks George. Would you have an opinion on water vs. dry on the ceramic stone? I've just started experimenting with it dry.

I use my ceramic stones dry. They eventually load up with metal residue. When that happens, I clean them with either Bar Keepers Friend, or Comet cleanser, then they are as good as new.

It depends on the type of stone you have. Generally, If you use them dry, they will eventually load up with debris and it will take longer and longer to get the same results and you may have to eventually replace the stone if it cannot be cleaned well. I wouldn't worry about honing oil (light oil) because you can take a bit of alcohol on a rag and wipe it off the head. Water is good if you keep it wet. The idea there is to help flush the debris away from the grit of the stone to keep the stone fresh. The oil is meant to keep the debris in suspension and help keep it from being ground into the stone. Usually, water works best on fine grit natural stones and oil works better on man made stones. Check out the Japanese water stones.

I have some round ceramic sticks, used dry. Eventually they get loaded up and get "slippery" and need to be cleaned. I use Comet on a wet rag and just scrub them clean.

Depends on the stone.

There are water stones and oil stones. If you don't use something on a stone you will eventually clog the pores and it will be less effective over time.

Diamonds and ceramic don't need oil, but water doesn't hurt.

You don't have to use "honing oil" only oil to hone with and nearly any light to medium weight oil, including various oils used in cooking, will work just peachy.

You can clean your hones with a Pumice stone and lather or soap. It'll clean out the steel in the pores. There are wet hones which are natural hones and synthetic hones which can be used wet or dry. Retired Barber Teacher. : )

Use water, The stone needs a liquid to keep the metal particles in suspension so they don't build up and clog the pores of the stone. After sharpening coat the blades with PAM or a vegetable oil.

Butcher block oil is food safe. I use that on my walnut kitchen knife handles. Ive always just used honing oil. Blades can be washed, it hasnt killed me yet, I`m 65. I dont think its a concern.

Try mineral oil. It’s light and cheap.

To me, it's elementary. Broadheads need to be sharp enough to do the job, but I'm not shaving my face with them before church on Sunday. Therefore, I don't spend time in great detail to have a face-shaving edge. I don't begrudge those that do, and I suppose it does make a difference in the edge itself. What that equates too in the woods is anyone's guess. My only criteria for broadheads is that they shave arm hair in one pass, and I can do that with a mill file with by belt as a strop to remove burrs. Something I can do in the woods if I need to and takes little time.

Second the mineral oil. And it also can be used to wipe down any cutting edge, like knives and broadheads.

olive oil also works, and it is edible.

As a side bar...I did some digging into ceramic rods and learned from one manufacture that they will not only clog up but actually wear with use. For cleaning they recommended Barkeepers Friend due to its ability to help dissolve and loosen metal particles in the rod. The other thing they recommended it creating a new working surface to them by rubbing them with a medium Dimond stone. The diamonds can abrade the surface of the ceramic and create new cutting edges in the ceramic. I tried it out with an old set of croc sticks and it made a world of difference in the way they put that final edge on a knife...If you have some old ones you just might want to give it a try.

As Dennis says, I use extra virgin olive oil---------really

Used to use honing oil on my stones all the time but about 20 years ago eliminated the the use of my hard Arkansas stone and went to a ceramic stick coated with jewelry rouge for final stropping.

Once you’ve used oil on a stone, continue to use oil or nothing but don’t use water, or so I’ve been told not to mix.

Anyway, these days I use neither. Use a file and/or diamond stones and the ceramic sticks with jewelry rouge.

Used to use honing oil on my stones all the time but about 20 years ago eliminated the the use of my hard Arkansas stone and went to a ceramic stick coated with jewelry rouge for final stropping.

Once you’ve used oil on a stone, continue to use oil or nothing but don’t use water, or so I’ve been told not to mix.

Anyway, these days I use neither. Use a file and/or diamond stones and the ceramic sticks with jewelry rouge.

My Grandpa used to hold this Stone under the sink faucet and sharpen knives. His Stones always appeared to be in great shape.

Whats food safe honing oil got to do with anything? You gonna pour it on your salad or something?

Some of this is very helpful information, for which I am grateful. The rest - not so much. Geez.

I would suggest switching to Diamond hones. They have many advantages. No lube needed, they are thin and light weight, they don't change shape after years of use, they will not break if dropped and they don't wear out. When they don't cut as easily as when, new Just wash with soap and brush, rinse with water and dry. Sometimes modern technology is good.

Bob

Thanks Bob. I've looked into them in the past and cost I think was a bit of an issue. Is there a particular one you'd recommend?

I came across a discovery in the garage of an old house I bought. A box of ff pumice stone. I sharpen my knives & broadheads with the paper wheels & do a final hone & touch up with a leather strop. Just for kicks I tried some of the pumice stone dust on my leather strop & oh my as if they were sharp enough already.

Ceramic dry , water stones. Water obviously. Oil stones nothing better than kerosene. I am always amazed that people use all manners of oils on something you don’t want lubricant on. A stone needs friction to cut and a light fluid to wash away the swarf. I like plain water on diamond stones. Sharpening is a daily chore for me in my business, people make voodoo out of it. Two polished planes that meet in the middle.

As for diamond stones, I've used blue, red, and green 6x2 DMT stones on all edges since probably the 1980s. I use water on them to flush off particles. Clean them with Barkeepers Friend.

Zonic if you want to use a food grade oil on your oil stones, use Mineral Oil. You can get it at any Pharmacy. I have been using it on my stones for a number of years and it works well. DANNY

Olive oil. I use it on very old rifle stocks as well ( 1863-1880)

I use 3 in one household oil on mine. That tiny bit left on the head aint going to make any difference. We are over thinking this, outdoorsmen have been using honing oil for years.

zonic:

They are all about the same, I would go on line like e-bay should find the quite reasonable.

Bob

All "honing oil" is, is mineral oil. Cheap and available anywhere.

Thanks again for the responses. It has been enlightening. Until I can procure some diamond stones in medium and fine, I'm gonna clean my ceramic stones with Comet and go back to using water with them. Maybe will search for some light cooking oil for the Arkansas soft stone.

Try Ballistol.

Water works great on my diamond stones. Spit also works, but I find honing on a stone covered with spit about as disgusting as Ron LaClairs greasy buckskin pants. lol

zonic, just this morning I was checking out some diamond stones.

Look at best sharpeningstones.com, they seemed to have some reasonable pricing and some good information, too.

Steve

Harbor Freight actually sells some diamond sharpeners that work very well, and are quite durable.

LOL, Bob. I will check out sharpeningstones.com and our local Harbor Freight. Great tips - thanks!

Stopped by True Value this afternoon and they have odorless, colorless, food grade mineral oil for cutting boards. Seems like it would work perfectly for the AK stone - except is $10 a bottle and fortified with Vitamin E. Don't know how Vit E could help or hurt, but I don't need a 12oz bottle either.

Just found this sitting on the counter next to the meat slicer. Perfect. I think I'm set until next visit to Harbor Freight.

Slicing Machine Oil 4oz. Special Food Grade Lubricating Oil. Colorless - Odorless - Tasteless. Bought by my father-in-law last year when he came to use the slicer.

Probably rebadge mineral oil of which 16oz sells for 4 bucks at grocery, wally, pharm stores. BTW mineral is safe to consume for a laxative but keep it out of your lungs.

The miniscule amount of honing oil left on a wiped off knife I'm not skeered of.

I hear ya Hawk. I think I shelved the White Lightning product when we started having kids. Didn't really want it in anyones lungs, mouth, eyes, on skin, etc. Always trying eliminate contaminants wherever I can.

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