Question for other stoners.. Pics Added..

Dakotas Dad said:

I just received my Hearthstone steamer today. In it's "instructions" it has you cure it, by wiping it down with veggie oil and then filling with water, place in cold oven, heat to 350, bake for 2 hours, cool.

Let me say, once wiped down with oil, it's freaking gorgeous. I now hate that I took no before/after pics.

I am wondering.. has anyone done it with a stove? I think mineral oil might be better, but not sure. I am a little worried about the "smoke point" of veggie oils.. and I am sure if I didn't like it I could just sand it out/off, but maybe someone else has gone before...?

Thoughts? Fears? Experience?

Click to expand...

I don't know if it would make a difference since the Hearthstone stones are already polished.

I would guess... since I do not have this steamer... that you are simply seasoning it like a cast iron pan. If that is the case I would follow the instructions and use an oven.. Not worry much about smoke, don't go above the 350. That is my take, I have a porcelain coated steamer, so no seasoning for me.

Why would you not simply follow the instructions that came with the thing? :roll: Rick

Far out man----oops wrong kind of stoner.

Gee whiz, sorry, I guess I misread just what it was you were asking. You want to know whether or not anyone has ever wiped their soapstone stove down with anything other than water...taking the instructions for the steamer as a sort of cue for the question. Let me know if I'm still not getting it...and no need to shout. Rick

ETA: If it were me, I'd take my question straight to Hearthstone, FWIW.

Dakotas Dad said:

fossil said:

Why would you not simply follow the instructions that came with the thing? :roll: Rick

Click to expand...

1) I have no problem with the instructions for the steamer..


2) OK, so I guess I didn't make my post clear enough..

I AM ASKING HAS ANYONE DONE SUCH A THING WITH A STONE STOVE.

When you wipe the STOVE down with water when cleaning or dusting, it has much the same effect while damp as the steamer has once oiled. And I wondering if anyone has tried it. My brother oils his soapstone counter tops, and they look great also.. but they don't heat up to 600 degrees.

Click to expand...

I was following you the whole time, DD. I still think it wouldn't matter much since the stone is polished.

BrowningBAR said:

Dakotas Dad said:

fossil said:

Why would you not simply follow the instructions that came with the thing? :roll: Rick

Click to expand...

1) I have no problem with the instructions for the steamer..


2) OK, so I guess I didn't make my post clear enough..

I AM ASKING HAS ANYONE DONE SUCH A THING WITH A STONE STOVE.

When you wipe the STOVE down with water when cleaning or dusting, it has much the same effect while damp as the steamer has once oiled. And I wondering if anyone has tried it. My brother oils his soapstone counter tops, and they look great also.. but they don't heat up to 600 degrees.

Click to expand...

I was following you the whole time, DD. I still think it wouldn't matter much since the stone is polished.

Click to expand...

But the polished stone takes on a deeper hue when wiped with damp cloth - I think the OP is wondering if wiping with the oil would produce the same, but extended effect. I have not idea! Cheers!

Good question, I've pondered the idea as well. Woodstock doesn't have the polished stone like Hearthstone and it would be cool to darken up the lightly colored stones on my stoves. You go first! ;-)

Can you get hold of a piece or two of soapstone similar to that used in your stove and do your own experimenting? Rick

oldspark said:

Far out man----oops wrong kind of stoner.

Click to expand...

My first thought, too Dave's not here


Seasoning a pan keeps a "transfer" down of pan materials to food cooked in it. I dunno if you want to season the outside of your stove.

That being said, I got the happy idea to to spray the PE with a product called "Leather New" after I dusted it off this fall. Made the metal look awesome, but smelled like a clean horse for 2-3 hot fires ;-P

Dakotas Dad said:

fossil said:

Can you get hold of a piece or two of soapstone similar to that used in your stove and do your own experimenting? Rick

Click to expand...

Well..... there is this steamer pot... ;-)

I will post up a picture in the AM of what it looks like oiled and baked.. it's done, and on top the stove now, but I don't want to wake the dogs up with turning on the lights and such..

Click to expand...

Excellent! After trudging through many a post to figure out what is going on, I'm excited to see some pictures!!

Most definitely want to see some pics.....

Sorry I mis-understood the question.

Hmmm...well...

I get that the steamer is cured at 350, but if you are putting it directly on the stove (I'm not sure if it requires a trivet or not), it would stand to reason that it will get about as hot as the stove, at least on the bottom where there is direct contact. So, you could probably do the same with the stove if you could keep it at about 350 to cure the oil.

Of course I don't have a soapstone stove and have never tried this, so it's just my best guess.

DD - What's going on there with your stove top temp gauge? Is it in, on or under the glass?

I asked about putting oil on the stone when I was at Woodstock buying my stove.
He said the oil would just burn off.

Ah... I see.... I think.

I also understood your original question. I have exeperience with the stone kettle too.

So you may have noticed that your kettle is not polished like your stone. It is rough like a woodstock. I thought I could polish the kettle to a shine with super fine steel wool, you can't. My kettle did not come with directions either.

I believe it was Tom Oyen, the chimneysweep guy, Hearthstone dealer and a member here who tells us that oil will just burn off. You will soon notice it burning off from your kettle too. Oil doesn't work with heat.

Here's the bad news. That seam that you can see in your kettle, a white line. I had one too and it was fine for the last few years. This year it started leaking. An ooze at first, and then a drip. You sure wouldn't want to dump a whole kettle full of water on to hot stones. Keep an eye out. My kettle is now trash.

The surface of the stove is polished. This has nothing to do with the stones ability to absorb oil or water. It does look really cool when wetted. I have no idea why hearthstone would go the other way and offer a stone stove in the rough, or unpolished.

I've never owned a stone-sided stove, but I've carved and sculpted soapstone (steatite) extensively. You can polish it with any abrasive and 600 wet/dry emory cloth and water will put a mirror finish on it. Any kind of oil or wax will make the grain and figure "pop", as you've discovered. If you oil it, it will slowly absorb and "drink" it up until it is saturated. No idea what effect the high temps of a stove will do to it though. I have seen calumet style Native American pipes that have been heavily used, and the oil applied oils/animal fats don't seem to be any worse for it.

I can also give you a tip about repairing it when it cracks (which it almost always does) it takes liquid adhesives extremely well. If you have a piece that is not subject to heat/moisture, ordinary white glue will pretty much weld it together. For a heat proof/waterproof bond, uses something suitable like epoxy maybe, or a waterproof wood glue. High temp silicone might just the best best thing to try, although I've never tested it.

I know what you're talking about. My Hearthstone does shine for a moment better when I wipe off the dust with a wet cloth. My Woodstock at home doesn't have the same polish, but it does look prettier when wet. I just think oil would smoke off when the thing got really hot.