India stone lubricant

[Bope]

What should I use for a lubricant with a Norton India oil stone? One person told me to use kerosene. I usually have diesel fuel or mineral spirits around but not kerosene.

[enjuneer]

I use Norton Honing Oil.

[Admiral]

I use a 50-50 mixture of kero and mineral oil, you can get the mineral oil in drugstores.  There's gas stations around that sell kero, I bought a gallon of it 5 years ago and am still using it, maybe got a quart and a half left.

[Timberwolf]

What should I use for a lubricant with a Norton India oil stone? One person told me to use kerosene. I usually have diesel fuel or mineral spirits around but not kerosene.

I prefer mineral spirits...Kerosene and diesel fuel are both light oils...and as such will oxidize and turn to varnish In the pores of the stone over time. This ultimately causes the stone to be much less aggressive { Like paving over a gravel road }....Mineral spirits OTOH doesn't oxidize like light oils, it evaporates and wonT clog the pores...For those who object to the smell, I suggest using WD40. ....Just imagine how "plugged up" the pores in a stone would become if a heavy grease was used instead of a very light liquid...When honing, friction is your friend."Lubrication" is not...The only reason to use it is to prevent swarf from filling the pores of the stone.

[rwe2156]

Any light machine oil will work.  Be sure to wipe off between tools.

[Boatman53]

I used to use Marvel Mystery Oil before I got the water stones, diamond plates, and now CBN honing plates. 
Jim

[Jonathan S]

At Jacks suggestion I have been using WD40 for years

Jonathan

[ZachDillinger]

I use Marvel Mystery Oil on my oil stones. Works great and smells good too.

[Tony Z]

Another Marvel Mystery Oil user. Use it on all my manmade and natural oilstone (india stones are manmade and are "oil impregnated" by the manufacturer, by placing in an airtight vessel, creating a vacuum by pumping out all air and then injecting oil, which fills the porosity of the stone).

I also use Spyderco ceramic stones, and it was recommended by a person on another forum to give those stones a spritz of water, and that seems to make those work better than without.

[Downwindtracker2]

I've found WD-40 didn't seem to work as well as mineral oil. It didn't seem to  lift the swarf, slowing down cutting.   Mineral oil can be found at drug stores a good deal cheaper than honing oil. In large quantities,at farm supply dealers.