Oilstone

Description

A fine-graind whetstone that is treated with mineral oil and used for sharpening cutting tools. The oil provides lubrication while the stone abrades the metal. High quality, pure chalcedony is preferred as oilstone. Natural oilstones are obtained from Turkey and Arkansas. A synthetic aluminum oxide oilstone, called India oilstone, is also available.

Synonyms and Related Terms

white Arkansas stone (novaculite); India oilstone

Comparisons

Properties of Common Abrasives

Authority

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 559

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• George Savage, Art and Antique Restorer's Handbook, Rockliff Publishing Corp, London, 1954

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998