# How do I figure out what grit an oilstone is?



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

So I have an old Brookstone oilstone; printed on the side is "2799.5 Oil Filled" and "Brookstone Company Peterborough, New Hampshire".

It clearly has a coarser side and a finer side, but I've got no idea where they fall in the spectrum of oil stones. For the moment, I've just been using the fine side to touch up the bevels of my chisels and plane irons, followed by stropping because, well, it's what I've got. But my curiosity remains... is there an easy way to figure it out?


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

I really wish I could help you. I did a few google searches earlier figuring I find that stone listed somewhere but but luck. 

I have no idea of any way to determine that from an end user perspective.

...build n burn - live n learn...


----------



## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I wish I knew too. I have several oil stones from an old gentleman's tool sale but I have no clue what's what.


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I know I've been using it for years (and my father was using it for years before that) for sharpening whatever needed sharpening -- axes, machetes, pruning hooks, pocket knives, whatever -- and it's always worked well. My assumption is that it's the equivalent of a coarse stone and a medium stone. I'm thinking of ordering a mid-range fine stone, just to see what the difference is. 

I've got to say, though, I've been using it to touch up my chisels, and they seem to cut better every time, so I may not spend the money. I haven't quite got the knack of holding a plane blade straight while I sharpen it, though, and the stone isn't big enough for the jig I have. Maybe a box with a "runway" for the jig would solve that problem... hmmm....


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

I'd buy a fine stone instead. If it's finer it answers your question but it also give you a finer stone :smile: 




amckenzie4 said:


> I haven't quite got the knack of holding a plane blade straight while I sharpen it, though, and the stone isn't big enough for the jig I have. Maybe a box with a "runway" for the jig would solve that problem... hmmm....


That might work.

Had you considered trying 800-200x wet sand paper on granite, glass or MDF?

...build n burn - live n learn...


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

firemedic said:


> I'd buy a fine stone instead. If it's finer it answers your question but it also give you a finer stone :smile:


Sorry, mis-typed there -- I meant mid-range as in "not too expensive". Looking around I found oilstones listed as "fine" ranging from $10 to $100. Both of those extremes seem a little, well, extreme.



> That might work.
> 
> Had you considered trying 800-200x wet sand paper on granite, glass or MDF?
> 
> ...build n burn - live n learn...


Yep. That's how I got the planes into usable condition. But I'm finding I like using the stone/strop combination better, and I keep running out of one grit or another of sandpaper anyway. (Organization is not my greatest skill...) I'll probably stick with sandpaper on glass for initial setup of newly acquired used tools, but I like the stone and strop better for mid-project touch-ups.


----------



## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

You might try taking a pce of clean steel and making some figure 8's on the oilstone.........then take another pce of the same steel and checking on different grits of paper.Look at the resulting finishes under strong light and magnification.....comparing them,changin paper grits till you can get equal finishes.

Somehwere in metal world theres a finish chart thats used as a "standard" WRT scratch sizes or finishes.I forget the name.....might google around looking for that.It may be of some help.BW


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

If it works for you and is doing the job you want it to do, then why worry about what is the exact grit size?

George


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

That's a good question, but the answer isn't easy. Oil stones basically have three grits...fine, medium, and coarse. If you are lucky, the packaging may give the grits, by a number equivalent. Some of the two sided stones I have are just fine and coarse, or fine and medium. 

There are several types of oil stones, and their grit equivalency may be graded differently, like as to hardness. Or, they could be extra extra fine, extra fine, fine, medium, coarse, extra coarse, or extra extra coarse. 

I like oil stones as they don't wear like water stones. On tooling like gouges, using stones versus sandpaper works out better for me, as at times, the paper gets torn.










 







.


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

GeorgeC said:


> If it works for you and is doing the job you want it to do, then why worry about what is the exact grit size?
> 
> George


Good question. The answer basically boils down to "I think they're doing what I want, but I'm not sure I want the right thing."

I've never worked with really sharp tools. If it turns out I've got a coarse and a medium, I'd like to pick up a fine. Sure, I'm getting better results with the stone than I was before, but could I be getting even better?

It's also curiosity, but mostly I'd like to know whether I'd benefit from picking up another finer stone.


----------

