How to Clean a Sharpening Stone

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 27, 2021 References Tested

Cleaning your sharpening stone regularly will ensure that it works well and doesn’t get clogged. You can easily flush out any metal fillings that embed themselves in the stone with honing oil. You can also remove oil and dirt from an older sharpening stone with WD-40 and steel wool. Make sure to flatten your sharpening stone at least every 10 sharpening sessions to keep it even and to remove stubborn, embedded metal fillings.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Flushing out Mineral Filings

1
Rub a quarter-size amount of honing oil onto your stone. Honing oil is a mineral oil that is commonly used in machine shops to carry away metal flecks from stone.^{[1]
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Research source} Apply honing oil to your sharpening stone with your finger or a soft toothbrush in small, circular motions. Continue rubbing until you see metal flecks rise up from the pores of the stone.^{[2]
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- Honing oil can also be used to provide lubrication during the sharpening process.
- Purchase honing oil in hardware stores or online.
- Use honing oil to flush out your sharpening stone whenever you see metal flecks embedded in the surface, as they may reduce its effectiveness.
2
Wipe away the metal flecks with a damp cloth or paper towel. Wet a clean cloth or paper towel and wring it out. Gently wipe the surface of the sharpening stone with it. Be sure to remove all the metal filings that emerged from the stone.^{[3]
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3
Rinse the stone thoroughly under running water and dry it. Washing the sharpening stone will remove any remaining metal filings and debris from your stone. Run the stone under warm water for 1-2 minutes to ensure that it is clean. Dry the stone with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel. ^{[4]
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- Do not use soap or anything other than water to clean it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Dirt and Grime

1
Coat your sharpening stone with a layer of WD-40. WD-40 is a specially-formulated oil spray with numerous uses, such as penetrating tough surfaces. Spray WD-40 onto the surface of your sharpening stone. Make sure that the surface is entirely coated.^{[5]
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- Be sure to use this spray in a well-ventilated area.
2
Scour the surface gently with a piece of fine steel wool to remove grime. To break up tough, caked on oil or debris, you will need to use an abrasive tool like steel wool. Rub a piece of 0000 grade steel wool over the surface of your stone. Continue until you see oil and debris start to come off of the surface.^{[6]
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- This method will apply mostly to older sharpening stones that have not been used frequently.
3
Wipe the surface of your sharpening stone with a damp cloth or paper towel. After scouring the stone, remove the remaining dirt, oil, and WD-40. Wet a clean cloth or paper towel and wring it out. Wipe down the stone thoroughly.^{[7]
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- Repeat the process if any dirt or grease remains on the stone.
- Scour your sharpening stone whenever oil, grease, or dirt begin to build up on the surface and dull its effectiveness.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Flattening Your Sharpening Stone

1
Rub the stone over a flattening plate to remove metal filings. Some sharpening stones will come with their own flattening plate, a tool used to even out their surface. Moisten your sharpening stone thoroughly with water or oil. Gently drag the flattening plate back and forth over the surface of the stone until it looks even and no embedded metal filings are visible.^{[8]
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- If you are flattening a synthetic sharpening stone, which is usually grittier and coarser than natural stones, wet it with honing oil rather than water.^{[9]
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- If your sharpening stone did not come with a flattening plate, you can purchase a silicon-carbide flattening plate at a hardware store or online.
2
Sand away metal filings if you don't have a flattening plate. Adhere a self-adhesive piece of 100-grit wet-dry sandpaper to a flat surface like a small, thick piece of glass. Wet your sharpening stone with oil or water and rub it over the sandpaper. Sand the stone until it looks flat and you see no sign of metal filings embedded in it.^{[10]
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- To hold the stone in place while you flatten it, consider placing a rubber mat underneath the small, flat surface you are sanding on.
- You will not be able to flatten your stone properly if you sand it while it is dry.
3
Use 400-grit sandpaper to remove any large scratches that may collect debris. Wet your sharpening stone with oil or water. Run a piece of 400-grit sandpaper over it firmly to remove large grooves or scratches. This should in turn remove any filings or debris lodged in the grooves and prevent any other buildup.^{[11]
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4
Flatten your sharpening stone at least every 10 uses. After prolonged use, sharpening stones will begin to hollow out in the middle. This may result in rounding the edges of your tools when you sharpen them. Avoid this by flattening your sharpening stone after 10 sharpening sessions, or more often if you wish.^{[12]
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- To avoid any dishing out of your sharpening stone, flatten it for 15 seconds before each use.