curiousnyc, I hope you get some feedback on this post, as I'm shying away from the AB honed granite (I think you saw my thread on "does anyone LIKE their honed AB granite") at this point. Only another week or so to decide.

I would be all for oiling my AB granite (one of the reasons I wanted soapstone, LOL!)!!!

We used color enhancing sealer on our honed labrador black granite, and it made a huge difference in the visibility of fingerprints, etc. I've never heard of using mineral oil on honed granite, so I can't give you any input on that. Maybe you could get a sample of the granite you're interested in, and try both?

jenny, yes I've noticed that we are both looking for information on the same subject, (and not getting very far!) Also getting down to the wire here.

elljays, that's good advice. I guess I should shlep myself out to the yards tomorrow since I've got the day off.

curious, let me know how it goes....my stone yard is 3 hours away!

I decided to experiment on our honed AB. It is a rock, so I decided I probably won't mess it up.

We used a color enhancer on it, but it shows spots and was already looking worn. I bought some of the mineral oil/beeswax stuff from Williams-Sonoma and put it on the countertop. It does not absorb much because the stone is so dense. It looks a lot better. I just did it yesterday, so I don't know how it will hold up. If it stays looking good and I have to oil/wax it once a month, I would be very satisfied with it.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff for being the guinea pig! I hope it works out for you. I'm thinking that unless I hear otherwise (and really, I haven't) that I will probably do the same.

You cannot use mineral oil on every honed granite, simply because the oil sits on the surface and will get wiped away next time you wash the countertop. I tried it on my honed black pearl granite as an experiment and it came right off with the swipe of a sponge! I suppose the oil would easily come off on any clothing you might be wearing if you happen to lean on the counter. I don't think I'd risk it.

Jeff, thanks so much for experimenting!

Question: my sample of honed AB does not show prints, or much streaking. I've put olive oil, water cup ring, butter, and lemon. So far, nothing has been problematic. Maybe it's just due to the small sample size?

Soapstone is nonporous, so the oil is basically sitting on the surface. So why would it work on soapstone, but not on granite? With some soapstones, the oil washes off rather quickly (but not immediately).

Hmmmm. With soapstone, I keep reading that the color change is caused by oxidation. But exactly what is oxidizing? Is it the stone? The oil?

I wonder what is going on a "rock level" with soapstone, and granite?

Francy

I will attempt to weigh in here for you.

Mineral oil was used on stone 20 to 30 years ago, before the advancements in technology with sealers.

Silicone sealers vs mineral oil are like comparing an Atari to a play station. There isn't a comparison.

Mineral is topical, which means you can feel it, it wears away very quickly and must be replaced just as quick.

But on another note, black absolute is a material that does not require sealing. Because of it's density. I have not heard of anything that will prevent the fingerprints and it is the chief complaint of the Black materials.

Blessings

Thanks everyone for some interesting points and tangents. That is what 's great about this forum. Real experiences by people who are smart about what they say. It still amazes me how much misinformation I get from the "experts" in the field.

As to your post, vrjames: given that it is the oils on one's hands that causes the fingerprints, I am assuming (just theorizing) that coating the stone with mineral oil will simply pre-empt the finger oil. By staining the entire stone, it won't show subsequent stains.

PS I actually like the old Atari games. I mean, I understand that technology is great, and we've made incredible strides just in my lifetime, and we're better off than our grandparents in so many ways, etc., but I'm still kind of partial to simple materials, like wood and stone, and simple solutions like a little bit of oil and some elbow grease.

Update: Picked up a sample of honed cambrian black today. It is silky smooth to the touch, just matte enough to not glare. Very nice. It doesn't seem to show anything in the way of fingerprints so far, but my hands are pretty dry these days. I buffed it with mineral oil, and the surface change was very subtle, but a change nonetheless. It brought out the details in the stone, darkened it slightly, and in fact the couple of small scratches disappeared. It definitely didn't draw the oil the way my soapstone samples do, but the surface is much smoother than ss.

I'll check back on it tomorrow and post results if anyone cares.

curious, would love to hear the results!

@curiousnyc I know this post is 13 years old, but did you end up maintaining your honed granite with mineral oil? I'm considering maintaining my Honed Silver Grey granite with walnut oil/wax - https://www.realmilkpaint.com/shop/waxes/soapstone/ref/CorinneCarmen/