Help Identifying This Hone Please!

[mjclark]

I know it's difficult from photos, but any ideas about this vintage boot fair hone?
It's 180mmx50mx10mm, and weighs 320g.
It seems to have a grain that runs parallel with its length and it's a soft stone.
It rapidly develops a thick milky slurry which appears to have a yellow/brown tinge to it, but dries to a strong blue-gray.
Is it a bit of slate, and what grit range might I expect?:

 

[gumbo]

Looks like a Thuri to me.

 

[mjclark]

Looks like a Thuri to me.

So that's good, right?
I can use this for finishing?

 

[gumbo]

So that's good, right?
I can use this for finishing?

I would think so. Just make sure it's lapped flat and give it a shot. First use it on a razor that is already shave-ready for 20 strokes and see what it does to the edge. If the bevel stays mirrored and the keenness is not affected or improves, than by all means use it as a finisher.

There are some slates that are better than Thuris for finishing. In fact I have a nice black slate that I swear is finer than my yellow/green Escher. Even if it's not a Thuringian stone, it could be a really nice finisher.

 

[mjclark]

I would think so. Just make sure it's lapped flat and give it a shot. First use it on a razor that is already shave-ready for 20 strokes and see what it does to the edge. If the bevel stays mirrored and the keenness is not affected or improves, than by all means use it as a finisher.

There are some slates that are better than Thuris for finishing. In fact I have a nice black slate that I swear is finer than my yellow/green Escher. Even if it's not a Thuringian stone, it could be a really nice finisher.

That's brilliant! I'll give it a go and report back.
Also with all that slurry, could I use it as a one stone solution, setting a bevel, sharpening and finishing all on that same stone using different concentrations of slurry?

 

[blackhhawk]

That's brilliant! I'll give it a go and report back.
Also with all that slurry, could I use it as a one stone solution, setting a bevel, sharpening and finishing all on that same stone using different concentrations of slurry?

I'm going to guess that you can't. At the very least, I doubt you could set a bevel on that. Someone correct me if I'm wrong though.

 

[GreekGuy]

I'm going to guess that you can't. At the very least, I doubt you could set a bevel on that. Someone correct me if I'm wrong though.

You're correct. Assuming the stone is indeed a Thuri, which is certainly possible although there are a lot of slate stones out there, it really is a "finisher" only type of stone. Even with a heavy slurry it would take you ages to set a bevel on it, and at that, I think you would end up with a wire edge instead of a proper bevel.

It could just be the lighting but some of those photos make the stone look almost black. I'm not saying they don't exist, but that would be the darkest thuringian I've ever seen. My guess is a surgical black arkansas, although I've never held one in person so thats just a guess

 

[oakeshott]

You're correct. Assuming the stone is indeed a Thuri, which is certainly possible although there are a lot of slate stones out there, it really is a "finisher" only type of stone. Even with a heavy slurry it would take you ages to set a bevel on it, and at that, I think you would end up with a wire edge instead of a proper bevel.

It could just be the lighting but some of those photos make the stone look almost black. I'm not saying they don't exist, but that would be the darkest thuringian I've ever seen. My guess is a surgical black arkansas, although I've never held one in person so thats just a guess

Nick,
I've got 4 SB's (and a new one on the way...a vow it only took me a month to break) and the picture of the stone wet looks like an SB, but you'll never get a slurry like that off of an SB. I say no to Arkie.

 

[Krodor]

...but you'll never get a slurry like that off of an SB. I say no to Arkie.

Ain't that the truth. Agree, not an SB ark. Soft is at the other end of the spectrum on the other hand, ive never held a thuri, so I dunno. Cool rock though, 'grats!

 

[Doorsch]

Could also be a Silkstone, mine looks nearly like this one...

 

[GreekGuy]

Nick,
I've got 4 SB's (and a new one on the way...a vow it only took me a month to break) and the picture of the stone wet looks like an SB, but you'll never get a slurry like that off of an SB. I say no to Arkie.

I trust your judgement on that one. The slurry looks kinda like Thuri slurry but the stone is just so dark when wet its throwing me off

 

[Brooksie967]

Looks thuringian to me too, can we see pics of the ends? any saw marks etc?

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

I agree no Black Ark, they are hard and don’t slurry. Lookslike a Thüringen, but photos are not that clear.

Looks like a nice stone. Bevel the corners before you put a razor on the stone.

Recently I lapped a very hard stone I suspect is a Grecian and it produce a very sharp corner that chipped easily, even after beveling chipping of the corner was visible under magnification.

I rounded the corner instead of beveling and that solved the problem, now I round all my stones edges.

A ragged stone’s corner can trash an edge.

 

[Gamma]

It appears to be a slate, but without seeing clearer shots of the stone it's hard to say.
There are lots of slate hones out there - including Thuris, Eschers, Silkstones, Dragon Tongues, the Welsh variety, unnamed Czech Slates, etc.
Telling one from another can be a major exercise in futility.
Some make good finishers, others are better for middle stage work.
Gotta test it - names are irrelevant, performance is everything.

 

[mjclark]

Looks thuringian to me too, can we see pics of the ends? any saw marks etc?

Ok, here's those edges:

 

[Doorsch]

Again looks like mine...yes for shure performance is everything....the name is not really relevant...

How did you create the slurry ? Do you have a slurry stone or a dmt ? Or did you use another stone ?

 

[Brooksie967]

The saw marks on the end of the stone coincide with how vintage thuris were cut as well.

 

[mjclark]

Again looks like mine...yes for shure performance is everything....the name is not really relevant...

How did you create the slurry ? Do you have a slurry stone or a dmt ? Or did you use another stone ?

I've been using a fine Norton India stone to create the slurry.
The other currently available options are an 8k+ barber hone or 0.6k,1.2k,6k,8k polishing papers.
Which would be recommended?

This stone, and you guys!, have now taken my adventures in honing on to the next level.
After getting a half decent edge on an old Essex 5/8 hollow ground (from whetstone, barber hone and CrOx) I then really messed it up (by stropping on uneven chromium oxide acrylic then trying to patch it up on newspaper and destroying the edge completely).
The bevel was ok so I took it to this stone, first with a lot of slurry then just water.
It was a long slow process but I ended up with an edge that I really wanted.
It's a lot softer but also sharper than the result from those synthetics.

So tonight I shaved with that 5/8 and although my shaving technique still needs a lot of work, I ended up with a DFS and no irritation at all.
I also got the first proper experience of an edge that cuts through the hairs effortlessly with no pressure.
Beautiful

 

[Doorsch]

The question was just to get out if the slurry was propably created by the slurry stone you used on this..
..i would recommend a fine DMT to create the slurry out of the stone (and not with particles from the polishing paper or the Norton)

My slurry

 

[ACorazza]

Doorsch does your stone have some metallic particles in it?