Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

[REALIST L]

I just purchased a basalt hot stone set from massage warehouse. I will add my own stones to this 50-piece set later as I find them in nature.

I have washed and dried the stones, but am wondering whether I should let these porous stones soak in grapeseed oil (or olive oil). After curing in oil, the stones would be dried and used as normal (soaked in hot water for therapeutic use).

First post, I did a search but didn't find any discussion of regarding the topic. Thanks for your expertise.

 

[Ticallion Stallion]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

I don't put any oil on my stones after washing or drying. After they air dry, they get stored away in a canvas basket I have. Depending on how porous the stones are, and how long they sit between sessions, they could get STINKY from the oil going rancid.

I use about 5-10 drops of an essential oil blend in the water my stones heat in (for the aroma, really), and just oil each stone as needed for glide during a session. Some of my stones, such as the facial stones or the the spinal layout, rarely get oil on them aside from what is in the water.

 

[Betsy]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

Leaving oil on the stones is a no-no.
I don't know how this got started.
I have worked in two places where the stones were sticky and smelled rancid. Icky yucky! Totally gross.
They were told by someone that they needed to be coated in oil.

Just keep 'em clean and love 'em!

 

[santobugito]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

Just keep 'em clean and love 'em!

Ditto!!

Angie

 

[Sailor Venus]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

Don't use or coat the stones in an oil that will go rancid - they get sticky and smelly. If your stones do go sticky or smelly soaking in nappy soak over night seems to work wonders.

Use jojoba and you avoid a lot of problems. If the stones are ridiculously porous so that a lot of oil soaks in, I'd say don't use such porous stones - if they are that porous they won't hold the heat well anyway.

 

[Jennifer P]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

I had stones come from the seller like that. I complained and they sent new ones for free which weren't much better.

Anyway, since I had all of these stones to play around with, I found out that straight liquid detergent took off the icky stuff like magic. I quick wipe with the detergent and the rancid oil came right off.

 

[oneof5]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

After hand washing each stone after a treatment, I put a couple drops of oil on each stone and then wipe the oil into the stones. I have noticed that it helps with their glide much better than the times I didn't do it. They haven't ever gotten rancid because you don't soak them in oil, just wipe a little on and rub it into the stones.

 

[Araphel]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

Thank you all for your very helpful comments. I understand the issue with rancidity.

I find it interesting that a lot of cooking clay pots (tangines for instance), are cured by liberal soaking in olive oil and then baking for hours.

Regardless, I was hoping that the oils would help the stones retain heat better. These small stones seem to retain heat quite poorly!

 

[Dre D]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

Regardless, I was hoping that the oils would help the stones retain heat better. These small stones seem to retain heat quite poorly!

Unfortunately, the oil won't really do anything to help your stones retain heat better. A dense stone will retain the heat best. When you add to your set, try to find the green stones. I've noticed they really do retain the heat longer than my grey, brown, or red ones. I don't understand a lot about chemistry, but I think it has something to do with trace elements in the basalt rocks that give it the green color and help with the heat.

Also, if you are truly not happy with it, try to get it replaced. I have never purchased from MW, so I don't know what their policy is like.

BTW, It seems like my spinal layout stones & large belly stone (all different colors, actually) retain the heat well (at least a good 30 mins.) Obviously the toe stones cool rather quickly, while the stones I use in my hands (smaller to medium size) seem to stay rather hot for a good 5+ minutes. So, I am just wondering: How small are they?
&
How long do expect them to stay warm? VS. How long they are actually staying warm?

 

[no1home2day]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

ty vm

My experience is the same as yours - the anchor stones stay warm longer enough because they are large and can store more heat, the medium sized stones stay hot enough to work with for a while before rotating and the toe stones stay hot for about a minute or two. =D

This is my first time working with them, so for some reason I thought they'd work a bit more like an electric blanket - set em and forget em! I think my stone massages will improve as I add more larger stones (>1.5lbs), which do not come in sets.

Anyway, about your green stones - Green can come from either oxidized copper, or more likely but less known, a compound of iron which turns out green rather than red (i.e. rust).

The Green Iron Oxide has these properties: Fe2O3： - Fe3O4： PH Value： 3-7 Density： 0.4-0.8

although I wouldn't be surprised if your green stones had copper in them instead, which store heat quite well too.

Much of the discussion I read is about temperatures, but just as important is thermal conductivity. People feel thermal conductivity more than temperature. A knife in a kitchen will feel cool to the touch, even though it is at the exact same temperature as the air in the room, because the knife transfers your body heat to itself at a faster rate than the air.

Some of the metals in the stones may have a similar property.

 

[ii love youu :)]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

Anyway, about your green stones - Green can come from either oxidized copper, or more likely but less known, a compound of iron which turns out green rather than red (i.e. rust).

The Green Iron Oxide has these properties: Fe2O3： - Fe3O4： PH Value： 3-7 Density： 0.4-0.8

although I wouldn't be surprised if your green stones had copper in them instead, which store heat quite well too.

Much of the discussion I read is about temperatures, but just as important is thermal conductivity. People feel thermal conductivity more than temperature. A knife in a kitchen will feel cool to the touch, even though it is at the exact same temperature as the air in the room, because the knife transfers your body heat to itself at a faster rate than the air.

Some of the metals in the stones may have a similar property.

Thanks for this info. I purchased my stones this year, discussed in this thread, Natures Massage Stones. I was happy with my purchase (quality of the stones), but melb (another MassagePlanetL member) was dissatisfied with her purchase. The discrepancy in our opinions was based on the difference of not only the size of the stones, but also the density.

 

[stallion]

Should I prepare new hot stones with oil?

I just purchased a basalt hot stone set from massage warehouse. I will add my own stones to this 50-piece set later as I find them in nature.

I have washed and dried the stones, but am wondering whether I should let these porous stones soak in grapeseed oil (or olive oil). After curing in oil, the stones would be dried and used as normal (soaked in hot water for therapeutic use).

First post, I did a search but didn't find any discussion of regarding the topic. Thanks for your expertise.

I don't add oil to stones after I clean them. I think it can attract dust. They look great oily and shiny, but I like to keep them dry...and grease 'em up when I get ready to use them.