Miineral Oil

[Marc Adamchek]

I went to Lowes last night to pick up some mineral oil. After asking 2 or 3 young "workers" there who looked at me like I was from Neptune I finally found a guy around the right age to know that you can use it for sharpening blades.

The closest he could find was a "honing solution" that I don't cotton to at all. The stuff dries up in 3 seconds and you just can't get a good feel from it.

So where do you guys pick up your mineral oil when you need to sharpen up some steel?

 

[Naphtali]

I have bought mine at super markets and pharmacies.

Hope this helps.

 

[lonehunter]

Drug stores still carry it. :v

 

[DNICK]

ACE hardware sells it by the quart or gallon.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

Many Thanks to all!

I've got to go to CVS later. If for any reason they don't have it there's an ACE hardware store 100 yards away from them, so I've got a pretty good shot of getting some.

 

[Fred_Dwyer]

I bet CVS will have that's where I got some. It was somewhere I normally wouldn't have looked, maybe in 'laxatives' section or possibly 'skin care.'

An aside: light mineral seems to be what is referred to as 'synthetic whale oil' and is what is in Ballistol (with Eau de Lepew added).

 

[S.Kenton]

the Lowes in my area has Mineral oil..

 

[ric]

Marc, TSC ,tractor supply co. it should be in the animal care section. it is used as a carrier in sprays. good luck, ric.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Jojoba oil, derived from the wax of the beans from the Jojoba plant, is the substitute for Sperm Whale Oil, not mineral oil.

 

[Fred_Dwyer]

wax of the beans from the Jojoba plant, is the substitute for Sperm Whale Oil

I drew the conclusion from a blog that stated "Nyoil" was synthetic whale oil and the msds for Nyoil said it was mineral oil.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I would not be surprised to find several products being sold as " synthetic" whale oil. I found out about JoJoba oil from a Slug Gun shooter who has a small supply of actual Sperm Whale Oil, that he hoarded back when it was still legal to buy. He told me he has tested any number of products and that Jojoba oil is the closest oil he has found to his samples of Sperm Whale oil in using it to lube paper patches. He claims it has the same parameters in temperature, and viscosity, as Sperm Whale Oil. What that means in English, as that the oil works well in a wide range of temperatures, and maintains its lubricating qualities over that range.

Unlike Petroleum based oils, Jojoba oil does Not congeal until you get it down to temperatures were no human is likely to be out shooting.

Mineral Oil is a highly Processed Petroleum product. Its the basis for Ballistol, which contains other additives intended to help break down by-products of the old Mercury based primers. It was invented for this purpose more than 100 years ago, and was RELEVANT until after WWII, when the priming compounds were changed to remove the mercury.

Ballistol, and Mineral Oil are still very good lubricants- Mineral oil is used for human consumption as a laxative. The Additives in Ballistol make it toxic to humans, and you should not ingest it in any amount. The Smell in Ballistol is Anise- think Licorice. I don't care for the smell, but people who drink Greek Ouzo, or Danish Aquavit, must like the odor, as both liquors are "flavored" with anise. :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[David W.]

You may try using Simple Green on your stones instead of mineral oil. If you don't like it as a sharpening medium, at least use it to clean your stones afterwards so the pores don't get clogged.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I recommend using a penetrating oil on honing stones, and carborundum products( ceramic stones, too) rather than any kind of thicker oil. The penetrating oils have kerosene in them, and that tends to help dissolve the oils so that they, and the metal bits and broken off grit can float to the top and be wiped away. I use paper towels, so I can soak up the penetrating oil along with the debris. Liquid Wrench, Break Free, and Kroil are just some of the penetrating oils out on the market for you to buy. When I have used a stone, Hard, I will finish by using an old tooth brush and lots of penetrating oil to scrub the surface of the stones. The fine stones are the hardest to clean well, as any grit that sticks to those surfaces is darn near microscopic, and difficult to reach with any tool I own.

When cleaning a stone, with the brush and oil, I run my strokes with the brush all "around the dial of a clock", to reach into ever angle and crevice. A brash bristled brush will work as well. BTW.

I have also used Liquid dish soap and water to remove the oils from the surfaces of stones, and that has actually pulled a lot of metal out of the stones with the oil.

On my hard, black, Arkansas stone, it takes several repetitions to clean ALL the fine bits out of that surface. However, you can feel the difference in how the stone cuts steel the next time you use it.

When working with penetrating oils, do so in a well ventilated place. You really don't need to be inhaling any of those fumes. :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[2ELK]

For lubricating my sharpening or honing stones, I have always kept them in a coffee can filled with K1 (kerosine). You need to keep the lid on, as the kerosine will disipate over many months. With a lid, it keeps for years, and I always have a stone well saturated with a light oil when I need it.

 

[BillinOregon]

Think I found mine in the Walmart pharmacy section.