The good overall performance and the modest price are the oil stone’s greatest assets. A set of India or Crystolon stones are the least expensive stones to purchase. These stones are also relatively hard, so the stones rarely require flattening.

The main disadvantage of the oil stone is its slower cutting rate. Of the three main stone types, the oil stone is the slowest. The fact that oil is used to remove the swarf is also messier to clean up than water