Sharpening stones-when to use oil?

Best thing i can advise you to do is to ask another old barber…maybe he knows the stone and how to do

-- Boatbuilder&blacksmith

Try this.. Put a bit of water on the stones. If it beads up then they were used as oil stones, if it soaks in.. Water..

I picked up a couple of those stones a few years ago, one had been used with water, the other oil. Go figure !

-- Glen, Vernon B.C. Canada

Racerglen you are totaly right,but if there is a new stone in between you cant see it that way.

-- Boatbuilder&blacksmith

Thanks for the advice. I will give the oil/water test and let you know. I will also look for an older barber but nowadays these barbers don’t use straight razors they just trim with sheers. Thanks again, El

-- Elvin, Southern California, "How great would life be if we lived a little of it everyday"

Gee.. I guess I’m “lucky”..My barber probably could have retired a decade or more ago, he’s still got the cut throat razors and has taught the younger guys in the shop how to do them right, including the leather strop hanging
by the side. They actualy use them to crispin up the bottom of sideburns and clean the stubble atthe back of the neck !

-- Glen, Vernon B.C. Canada