Should I bin my old stanley chisels and buy softer steel chisels

[Jacob]

My go-to cleaning/lubricating medium of late has been a mix of 1/2 Simple Green® (or similar) and 1/2 water.

Water causes rust and tends to be messy. I use bicycle oil (3in1 etc) thinned with white spirit

Cheap & works very well; slick, lubes well, and cleans extraordinarily well. It raises embedded metal in both diamond and ceramic with little effort.

I use a magnet to remove swarf and wire edges, on a stone that is, it wouldn't work on a steel/diamond plate

 

[BentonTool]

Water causes rust and tends to be messy. I use bicycle oil (3in1 etc) thinned with white spirit

I use a magnet to remove swarf and wire edges, on a stone that is, it wouldn't work on a steel/diamond plate

Yes... I was very concerned that this mix would cause rust,
but the article that recommended it cited no rust forming,
and I also have had no rust issues.
I have absolutely no idea why... it is entirely counter-intuitive.
I will add that I use some water-based coolants in my machine shop that are diluted with as much as 90% water, and yet do not rust. They (of course) claim to contain rust inhibiting additives.

 

[Chisteve]

I'm not an old wood worker by any means was more of a metal basher and then a keyboard basher in the same trade, but since retiring taught myself sharpening tools for wood working

Firstly by hand on oil stones and leather strop and buffer wheel- but ended up with a convex bevel
Evolving to Secondly diamond stones, oil stones with honing guide leather strop and buffer wheel flat bevel and secondary bevel
Evolving to Thirdly Slow speed water grinder when needed to diamond stones, oil stones with honing guide buffer wheel flat bevel and secondary bevel
And finally evolving to belt grinder and bench grinder flap wheels - when needed then diamond stones, oil stones with honing guide buffer wheel flat bevel and secondary bevel

I use Lidl kitchen cleaner as lubricant on diamond stones, found it works well and will not rust

And generally use bench grinder flap wheels/buffer for carving chisels

The above is generally for chisels and plane irons

I restore old hand tools

Now for axes generally belt sander and bench grinder flap wheels

As others have said there is no right way only a way you want to do it

 

[Jacob]

I'm not an old wood worker by any means was more of a metal basher and then a keyboard basher in the same trade, but since retiring taught myself sharpening tools for wood working

Firstly by hand on oil stones and leather strop and buffer wheel- but ended up with a convex bevel
Evolving to Secondly diamond stones, oil stones with honing guide leather strop and buffer wheel flat bevel and secondary bevel
Evolving to Thirdly Slow speed water grinder when needed to diamond stones, oil stones with honing guide buffer wheel flat bevel and secondary bevel
And finally evolving to belt grinder and bench grinder flap wheels - when needed then diamond stones, oil stones with honing guide buffer wheel flat bevel and secondary bevel

I use Lidl kitchen cleaner as lubricant on diamond stones, found it works well and will not rust

And generally use bench grinder flap wheels/buffer for carving chisels

The above is generally for chisels and plane irons

I restore old hand tools

Now for axes generally belt sander and bench grinder flap wheels

As others have said there is no right way only a way you want to do it

Well yes if you restore, make, repair etc. then it's a different game.
But if you are just doing woodwork itself then touching up, a little at a time, quickly, easily, makes sense. That is; keeping an already sharp blade, sharp.