Black Vermont slate test hone

[kcb5150]

Just did a shave test switching off between the two blades. I can't speak for all of this material by any means, but this particular stone is quite capable as a hone. A BBS result. ATG under nose and chin was not a problem. A very lively edge on each of them. Smooth enough to not be annoying, but I would like it to be smoother still and I am chalking this up to unfamiliarity. I think I can get more smoothness out of this stone and maybe a bit more sharpness with some more experimentation. A very very close shave though, which is nice considering I generally don't like german steel and I don't love paper thin grinds like these blades are, but they for some reason are the most vanilla test platform imaginable.

 

[eKretz]

Sounds like it's not bad. That Kuro slate Gabe mentioned is absolutely one of the best stones I have ever used, bar none. Dead simple to use, can follow a 2k with 30 - 40 laps or a 1k with 60 or so. Gives an absolutely close shave and very smooth and friendly edge. Gotta look for more of that. I'm in contact with a mod now about doing a passaround with one with a giveaway at the end, but I want to wait until the Ice passaround is done.

 

[kcb5150]

Have a photo of it? Where is it from in the world? If it is cutting that aggressively, what do you buffer that with, if anything?

 

[kcb5150]

It was actually one of the closest shaves in awhile.

 

[eKretz]

II found it actually in one of my rock hunting spots. No idea where it came from originally, it was most likely dropped here in Indiana by glacial activity. I'll post a shot of one of the slabs and a hone I cut from it in a few. It doesn't need any buffering, just finish on slurry like a JNat. It cuts very fast at first, then mellows and polishes.

 

[eKretz]

Here we go, here's a couple shots of one of the stone slabs and these are the only two hones I have cut right now. These both need a little further lapping on top.

 

[kcb5150]

What's the hardness like?

 

[HunterBlades]

The Kuro is not overly hard, you can slurry easy enough but it repels plain water like crazy.

I get amazing HHT results off the stone with water only laps. It can improve the edge left by most stones. I haven't done enough slurry testing yet.

It has some of my favorite feedback though of any stone.

 

[eKretz]

I'd echo Gabe's sentiments. It seems to work pretty well as a dry hone for the final few strokes as well. The hardness is about like a medium to soft JNat. An overly steep edge leading stroke with a chisel that catches on a corner can easily gouge it for instance. It doesn't self-slurry though. Kind of a toss-up in hardness indicators.

 

[Gamma]

One of the best slates I ever had was very black through and through and hard as hell.
I believe it came from the Czech republic.

 

[gumbo]

I have a great slate hone that is green/grey and has a look not unlike my Thuringians that I got 100 yards away on the beach in South Boston.
There was a slate mine in Dorchester way back when but I don't know exactly what they quarried or if this is anything indigenous to the area.

 

[Gamma]

Cool stone.

The main 'thing' I believe, is this - due to how slate forms, and the volatile nature of those processes - you can find 'a' stone in a pile of rock that's pure genius while the next piece turns out to be a dud.
There are ways to work with that, in a commercial sense, but at this point in history most companies don't want to deal with those practices. You need to pay talented and very experienced people to 'cull' visually and then test the samples. Even with all of that there will be variations and today's buying public, for the most part, clamors for perfectly homogenous products. Seemingly, they can't get dialed into not having two similar things be perfectly identical and/or both being qualified to the nth degree. For some products, that makes perfect sense, for others - to me - it's often quite ridiculous. Esp when we're talking about a natural thing that came out of the ground.

 

[eKretz]

II agree about the rock pile phenomenon but I think that the same is true of most any natural stone, not just slates. Just look at the variation in coticules.

 

[kcb5150]

I completely agree with that which is why I will only say that you may have a shot at a very decent hone out of this stuff provided the person cutting it for you is taking the intended purpose into consideration when selecting a specimen.

 

[kcb5150]

I have a mysterious slate that I have posted about on here that performs above thuringian level. A bit more top end sharpness, smooth, and predictable honing manners. It is harder than thuris are, in general, and you don't need to buffer the edge with anything beyond water.

 

[Gamma]

Although it's hard to prove, I'd expect greater variations in a seam from stones with mostly sedimentary origins, like slates.

 

[Alum of Potash]

As requested, here are some quick shots of my red and purple-green Vermont slate, under the small incandescent desk-lamp on my honing station. They are glued back to back, forming a ~2-1/2" x ~6" x ~1/2" combo stone. Color balance here, as I see it on my monitor, seems quite close to what I see on my honing station. My understanding is that the red stone pictured here is from Vermont, not New York. They do not seem particularly hard in lapping. Used as oil-stones, I've been able to shave off the purple-green stone; but alas, the edge could have born some improvement. Oil also lingers on the surfaces after honing, so they do not appear to be all that porous.

 

[eKretz]

Although it's hard to prove, I'd expect greater variations in a seam from stones with mostly sedimentary origins, like slates.

Aren't pretty much all natural stones sedimentary in origin? Coticules, Thuris, JNats, Arks, etc.

 

[eKretz]

I have a mysterious slate that I have posted about on here that performs above thuringian level. A bit more top end sharpness, smooth, and predictable honing manners. It is harder than thuris are, in general and you don't need to buffer the edge with anything beyond water.

Sounds just like the one I posted the shots of. Your turn for pics!

 

[kcb5150]

I need to have him pick me a piece of the purple green. The red slate that comes out of new york is quite hard for slate afaik, and more costly in general. I think there is another green vermont slate as well but IDk what is up with that one. Shave held up very well fwiw, I think it has been 24hrs or so. I still need to try a blade without having any slurry in play. One on water only and one buffered.