How do you store your Synthetic Whetstones?
- Thread starter MikeAllen
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When done I freshen up the surface with a diamond plate and keep them out to dry. Then store in box or whatever container they came in.
There's maintenance, but not that much. There are certain soakers that have to be dried slowly so that they don't craze. You want to keep your stones flat. Some stones that tend to glaze may need refreshing of the surface from time to time.
For storage, anything that doesn't disturb the flat surface of the dry stone ought to do fine. A lot of people's storage is very informal, just a big plastic tub or something. Others have beautiful cabinets they made with their own hands. I envy those people.
I keep most of mine in vertical file folders. They're mesh, so I can put the stones away wet and they will dry just fine. The big ones like the Gesshin 1K that won't fit in the file folder, I keep on a shelf lined with thick wool felt for drainage and a bit of air circulation.
For storage, anything that doesn't disturb the flat surface of the dry stone ought to do fine. A lot of people's storage is very informal, just a big plastic tub or something. Others have beautiful cabinets they made with their own hands. I envy those people.
I keep most of mine in vertical file folders. They're mesh, so I can put the stones away wet and they will dry just fine. The big ones like the Gesshin 1K that won't fit in the file folder, I keep on a shelf lined with thick wool felt for drainage and a bit of air circulation.
Mine are stored in a bin under my bed. I don’t do anything special to store them.
I keep my stones in boxes (some original boxes) under the sink in my bathroom.
Big thing is only soak stones designed to be soaked (ask the manufacturer/trusted retailer). Magnesia stones are the primary example of “don’t soak this ever” since they crack and crumble. The binder is water soluble, or something like that.
There’s a few big classes of stone based on how they’re manufactured - magnesia, resinoid, vitrified, sintered, a few others. Don’t get hung up on the types too much, but realize the types exist, and follow instructions on how to use them.
Finally, almost every stone over 4-6k grit is probably best not soaked, unless you’re told you should. These stones can be so dense that soaking can cause expansion at different rates through the stone and blow pieces off. These are also best to dry slowly when you’re finished honing. Covered with a light towel, out of the sun, something like that. Like a loaf of bread (but not in a proofing drawer).
There’s a few big classes of stone based on how they’re manufactured - magnesia, resinoid, vitrified, sintered, a few others. Don’t get hung up on the types too much, but realize the types exist, and follow instructions on how to use them.
Finally, almost every stone over 4-6k grit is probably best not soaked, unless you’re told you should. These stones can be so dense that soaking can cause expansion at different rates through the stone and blow pieces off. These are also best to dry slowly when you’re finished honing. Covered with a light towel, out of the sun, something like that. Like a loaf of bread (but not in a proofing drawer).
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Magnesia oxide is a type of binder, not a type of manufacturing, stones with MO binders can be manufactured via cold set or baked. Resin binders can also be cold set or baked. Vitrification is a method of manufacturing, so is sintering.
As for storage of synths, I keep them on their sides in a wood box. I have one box at my bench and another in the kitchen.
I dry them thoroughly before putting them away - I have a wood tray with a silicone mat in the bottom where they can drip/dry.
I dry them on their long sides. I do not fuss past that for any of them 120x - 30k.
If a manufacturer has not said soaking their stone is ok, then assume it is not ok, even if someone with 10 bizillion posts on a forum says it's ok to soak it because they do it and 'never had a problem'. That guy isn't going to buy you a new stone when/if yours dissolves or cracks.
Always check with the manufacturer, not the loudest voice on the internet.
As for storage of synths, I keep them on their sides in a wood box. I have one box at my bench and another in the kitchen.
I dry them thoroughly before putting them away - I have a wood tray with a silicone mat in the bottom where they can drip/dry.
I dry them on their long sides. I do not fuss past that for any of them 120x - 30k.
If a manufacturer has not said soaking their stone is ok, then assume it is not ok, even if someone with 10 bizillion posts on a forum says it's ok to soak it because they do it and 'never had a problem'. That guy isn't going to buy you a new stone when/if yours dissolves or cracks.
Always check with the manufacturer, not the loudest voice on the internet.
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I keep them in the plastic boxes they came in.
Soaking stones stay in a bucket of water with a little borax in it to keep the scum away which is changed every month or two. Splash and go stones theoretically live in the general whetstone storage drawer in a dresser but usually a few of them end up stacked on the lid of the soaker bucket for easy transport. Oilstones of carborundum or india type live in heaps scattered around the workshop, but I very rarely use those for razors. Usually I lap the soakers before putting them away to keep the bucket's water from getting rusty.
If you use a soaking type water stone, especially a coarse one, then decide to dry it out again, make sure you have enough air flow around all surfaces, as I've carelessly set one down wet before and lifted it up again a few days later only to discover that the back side had molded foully.
If you use a soaking type water stone, especially a coarse one, then decide to dry it out again, make sure you have enough air flow around all surfaces, as I've carelessly set one down wet before and lifted it up again a few days later only to discover that the back side had molded foully.
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