Lansky hone help

S

Squashfan

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Jun 6, 2012
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I have the guided diamond system and use the fine stone with oil on it. Today I got the Lansky 1000 grit and 2000 hones. Should I use them with oil as well? Or should I keep them dry?

Thanks,
Squashfan
 
If you're referring to the ceramics (white stone in yellow holder, and the blue 'Super Sapphire'), you shouldn't need oil on these. BUT, it doesn't necessarily hurt to try it. Most people use ceramics dry, or sometimes with water (I have). Lubricating the hones can help in keeping swarf from embedding, and can also create more desireable 'feedback' to the hands, in feeling how the hone is working on the steel. It's more a preference issue than anything. Oiling will usually slow down the cutting speed (aggressiveness) of most hones a little bit, so keep that in mind. But, the flipside of that is, a dry hone will collect and embed more metal swarf, and more quickly. That will usually have the greater negative impact on cutting speed, if the hone gets too clogged.

Bottom line, if you want to use the oil, give it a go. Try it dry as well, and with water (I'd do these first, before using the oil). Use whichever method you like the best.


David
 
Squashfan said:
I am going to try dry first then water. I can clean a hone used dry with water right?
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If you clean after each session, usually some dish detergent like Dawn/Ivory Liquid/etc with water works well, scrubbed with a paper towel, or even better, with a green Scotch-Brite pad. If the hones are more embedded with swarf, some Comet/Ajax powder cleanser with water works better. And most effective of all, some Bar Keepers Friend powder with water will leave them almost like new again. The Bar Keepers Friend uses oxalic acid, which will literally dissolve the steel swarf. Obviously, one needs to be careful with that stuff (;)). Read the label's directions and heed them. Don't let the stuff sit on any metal for more than maybe ~30 seconds or so (etching). Makes an excellent rust-remover, by the way.


David
 
I have NEVER held a knife this sharp! WOOT! Thanks for your help, OwE. The Bar Keeper's friend works great.
 
I am not sure which gives a better polish between wet and dry. The sharpness is about the same though I had used this poor SAK to make 7 cuts in cardboard before trying to sharpen dry. Overall, I have been pleased with these two hones plus the plain leather strop. I am looking forward to sharpening some other knives.
 
Squashfan said:
I am not sure which gives a better polish between wet and dry. The sharpness is about the same though I had used this poor SAK to make 7 cuts in cardboard before trying to sharpen dry. Overall, I have been pleased with these two hones plus the plain leather strop. I am looking forward to sharpening some other knives.
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I'm not sure if wet vs. dry guarantees a difference in edge quality all by itself, although it does help to keep the hone a bit cleaner, by floating some of the swarf away. If anything, that speeds the honing a little, and might also lend to a more consistent finish, by keeping stray inconsistent particles out of the way. I do think there's a secondary or indirect effect, in that using the hones wet improves the feedback (for me) to my hands/fingers. And that, in turn usually benefits the process as a whole, and my edges always seem to be better for it. For really fine polishing, the lubrication makes the hone a little less agressive (doesn't cut quite as deeply), and that usually helps me with the very final, finishing touches. Shallower scratches bring a higher shine, in the end, assuming all of the deeper scratches are removed, of course.

I still go back & forth between using hones dry or using them with some sort of lubrication (mineral oil, water, Windex, etc.). Sometimes it comes down to how it 'feels' on a particular blade, on a particular hone, on a particular day. It can sometimes make the difference between it feeling a little 'off' or feeling 'in the zone', so to speak. And that's enough for me. :)


David
 
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