Apex water hone

[Empire straights]

Does anyone have any knowledge/ experience with these? Sometimes it feels like there are large chunks of quartz that want to roll around and it feels like I'm honing on gravel. Does anyone know what these stones actually are? If guess it's a thuringian but it's the only radiometric l example I've held in my hands. I am not a fan of this stone but I'd like to unlock it's secrets. It's there a surface finish or technique I need to know about. I just recently got an actual interest in slates so I want to learn more.

 

[FarmerTan]

I'm no help, but just had to mention that is a beautiful box.

 

[Empire straights]

I'm no help, but just had to mention that is a beautiful box.

It seems to be, at minimum, a centennial(emaculately preserved label at that, unless it's a fake) but the stone is weird. It's black(slurry dries blueish-grey) with a couple mooted spots of a darker black. The box has a water ring on top of it from someone using it as a coaster, which I find hilarious. I'll try to take a picture of the top tomorrow. It could have been a knot in the wood, just sanded until that ring was all that showed. The lid comes off and the dado joint was never glued. It is glued, legit glued, like I've gotten tons of stone and God know what else out of tight spots but this one is stuck. Usually in extreme cases I feel like I got to pick if I will destroy the box or the stone. This one feels like if they were to separate it would break both. Kinda like prying old, glued, pike no. 1 washitas out of the box. They always end up with a clam shell chunk taken out of the bottom. I think this stone will break in half or splinterand I know the box will fall to pieces..soo..... I got this rock..

 

[cotedupy]

Very strange. It must be a Thuri I'd have thought, but your description of how it feels is almost the complete opposite of how they should be. I'd try lapping it down a bit more, and hope it sorts out. But yeah - they're usually silky smooth.

 

[cotedupy]

The other option is...

I understand Thuris have a relatively high content of absolutely tiny micas. If you have a stone with more developed, larger micas then that could give the impression of the stone being 'gritty' in terms of feedback. Though this wouldn't really affect its honing abilities negatively as micas are considerably less hard than steel.

 

[*stefan*]

A zoomed in picture on the hone would be nice.

It looks rather gray in the current picture.

 

[Empire straights]

A zoomed in picture on the hone would be nice.

It looks rather gray in the current picture.

I'll try tonight, that's a really old picture from when I first got it. It's a charcoal grey color on the lapped face and it's got a couple molted spots on it. I've never did really vibe with that rock, even with a pocket knife is gravely.

 

[Empire straights]

The other option is...

I understand Thuris have a relatively high content of absolutely tiny micas. If you have a stone with more developed, larger micas then that could give the impression of the stone being 'gritty' in terms of feedback. Though this wouldn't really affect its honing abilities negatively as micas are considerably less hard than steel.

I can't see the particles that feel big. Initially I just though I was getting pieces of sand or hair on it, which is common with my black ark.

 

[RayClem]

In the photo of the stone, I am noticing some along the edges of the hone. This might be the source of some of the "grit" you are feeling. Try chamfering the edges of the stone with a diamond plate or Silicon Carbide paper on glass. That might help.

 

[Empire straights]

In the photo of the stone, I am noticing some along the edges of the hone. This might be the source of some of the "grit" you are feeling. Try chamfering the edges of the stone with a diamond plate or Silicon Carbide paper on glass. That might help.

I have and have redone it recently, the pictures are old. I'll try to take better ones tonight when I'm home. I bought this about 6 months ago and it has almost completely turned me off from further research into honing with thuringians.