Salmen Master Oil Stone.

[Trafalgar]

Yep, it's about the same viscosity as Norton's honing oil maybe a little thinner but not so much so as to fail to prevent glazing and plugging.

 

[MIGNAL]

Baby oil is mineral oil, perhaps with a scent. What's good for baby must be good for your stones.

 

[memzey]

Yes I knew it was mineral oil but the best thing about it is it's cheap and readily available. You can get half a litre at Wilko for about a quid and most pound shops have it too. Seeing as it's not going on my little princess I don't suppose it needs to be a snazzy brand!

 

[Trafalgar]

Yes, mineral oil like Norton stuff. Norton's is completely food safe (no perfumes) so it's suitable in a culinary environment as well.

 

[D_W]

It's interesting that even the 100% mineral oils have a different feel. I got norton oil because it came with my IM 313, but if bought separately, it cost the same for a pint as a gallon of 100% food grade mineral oil cost from a commercial kitchen supply place.

The viscosity is almost identical between the two, but the stuff from the kitchen supply shop is more slick feeling. Both of them are 100% oil, edible and odorless.

I guess there's no guarantee that the next norton can oil wouldn't feel different, but I thought it was interesting. Little practical difference, but there's enough there to notice.

 

[Trafalgar]

Norton is supposedly "highly refined' (whatever that means) and until I read your post I thought it was bunk. Maybe extra steps, assuming there are some, are efficacious in that they remove some of the 'slickness' you noted, and give a stone more bite while still holding the swarf in suspension is a fairly viscous liquid. In other words, the stuff might have been worth the extra money all along. Sure wish I'd kept using it.

 

[DennisCA]

Has anyone used ballistol for oil stones? I also have mineral oil so there's always that, I think they are similar in viscosity.

 

[DennisCA]

This guy's selling it so take with a pinch of salt, but it seems suitable for the task.
https://www.ragweedforge.com/SharpeningCatalog.html

This has to be the original snake oil. At the turn of the last century the Kaiser's Wehrmacht put out bids for a military multi-purpose oil. It was to clean and lubricate firearms and other machinery, prevent rust, dissolve residue from corrosive primers, nitro powder and black powder, remove copper, zinc and lead fouling from rifle bores, preserve both wood and leather, prevent mold and mildew, and be suitable for treating minor wounds and abrasions on the soldiers themselves. By all accounts Ballistol met the requirements, and then some. It was adopted by the German military in 1905 and served until 1945. It’s still in use by the German Special Forces, as well as the US Coast Guard and some of the Navy Seal teams. Of course a multitude of European hunters and other sportsmen have used it for generations..

Ballistol is slightly alkaline, so it neutralizes the amino acids in human sweat. It emulsifies with water, so it will protect wet surfaces as well as dry surfaces. The mixture prevents rust, and when it dries it leaves a protective film. As a lubricant it never thickens or gums up. Mixed half and half with water it makes a black powder cleaner. Mixed 1:20 with water it’s a cutting fluid. On unfinished wood surfaces it helps seal and protect the wood, as well as bringing out the beauty of the grain. It restores old oil finished surfaces. It softens old dried leather and protects from mold and mildew. (Warning; it darkens light leather, and is not for use on suede.)

Ballistol is approved for use on equipment used in food preparation. However it hasn’t been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration, so labeling in the US indicates it’s not for use on animals or humans. In Germany it's often included in first aid kits, and even used internally in some folk medicines.

Balistol is environmentally friendly. It’s non-toxic and biodegradable. There are no carcinogens. It comes packed in either a pump spray can, or aerosol cans which contains no CFCs. The aerosol propellent is flamable, so you shouldn’t use it around a flame. Shelf life is unlimited in the original can.

The downside; (you knew there had to be one). The stuff stinks, literally, at least on first application. The initial smell is between old sweat socks, and something much more vulgar. After a bit however, it just leaves a faint odor resembling black licorice. I’m told that the smell is common to most German gun shops and hunting lodges. I suppose, like the smell of Hoppe’s No. 9, it’s an acquired taste. I’ve gotten quite accustomed to it, although I found it offensive initially.

 

[D_W]

Has anyone used ballistol for oil stones? I also have mineral oil so there's always that, I think they are similar in viscosity.

Ballistol is relatively popular with razor guys, never tried it but never heard anyone with something bad to say about it. The new internet razoring thing (last 15 years) comes with a fascination of keeping stones oil free, and at one point, you could get a ban on some forums for pointing out that some coticules said "can be used with water or oil".

Anyway, give the ballistol a try if you want to be able to remove it easily, vs oiling a stone with mineral oil.

 

[DennisCA]

Good to know since I have ballistol from before (used it for cleaning black powder residue and general cleaning / lubrication, another hobby), I don't really see why people want oil free oil stones though, something I have missed. I saw a video with a guy using olive oil on his arkansas stones, said he had to soak it once or twice a year in cleaning fluid to get it out since it goes rancid. Don't really understand why he used olive oil.