Help with identifying hone

[kayvee]

Hello B&B

Could you help me identify and use this hone?
I got this two-sided stone in India - (Adarsh Pathri No. 1) is stamped on the side. It's 8x2x1, one side is grey, second is brown.

Are these typically oil stones? The grey side seems to generate scarf on it's own. I had initially thought the brown side was more coarse, but after flattening, that seems to be the smoother side.

I also dropped some water on both sides, it just pools without being absorbed, but doesn't bead up.

Thank you

 

[Empire straights]

Yep, they're oil stones and they will drink oil. The grey/ black side is coarse(about 150-200#), the other tan/ orange side is fine(about 350-400#). I wouldn't use them for razors except maybe bevel setting on the fine side(lots of oil, no pressure at all). Combination India stones are some of the best tool and knife stones that exist though. They wear very slowly and cut very quickly.

 

[Empire straights]

Take a picture from the side. It may not be an *India stone*(like norton India stones) but it looks like one in the picture.

 

[kayvee]

Here are the side pics

 

[Empire straights]

Here are the side picsView attachment 1652277View attachment 1652279

Yep, looks like an "India stone"(vitrified aluminum oxide synthetic stone). Find the dullest knife you can around the house and give it a try. You'll be surprised at how fast it'll get a knife tuned up.

 

[kayvee]

I was hopeful to use it with my straight razor based on the picture of a razor on the cover. But seems like I shouldn't do that based on your feedback.

Thank you!

 

[Empire straights]

I was hopeful to use it with my straight razor based on the picture of a razor on the cover. But seems like I shouldn't do that based on your feedback.

Thank you!

View attachment 1652298

If it's comparable to most India stones you can use the fine side to get a razor a decent amount of the way there with a really light touch and lots of oil but I can almost guarantee you won't enjoy a shave off of it. That being said, if it's some type of barber hone I've never seen(possibility) you might be able to get a shave off of it.

 

[kayvee]

Thanks again for all your insight. I do have play razor that I practice honing on. I'll try to use the stone (with plenty of oil) on that razor and post results.

 

[Empire straights]

Sounds like a solid plan. Best of luck, and welcome to the forum!

 

[SliceOfLife]

My guess is some of the hindi written on it says if it should be used with oil or water.

Looks somewhere between an "India" oilstone and a barbers synthetic waterstone, so I wouldn't be confident I could say how it should be used.

My guess would be that it is a very very cheap, fairly modern synthetic stone marketed as a "razor" hone, but really more for pocket knives... and likely in the 600/2000 range for the sides... but that's pure guesswork.

 

[kayvee]

With my limited knowledge of hindi, I can't see any words that resemble "oil" or "water". I suppose I should just try it out

My hunch is that it's an oil stone - what would be the harm if I try oil on a water stone? Is it repairable if it doesn't work out?

 

[Empire straights]

With my limited knowledge of hindi, I can't see any words that resemble "oil" or "water". I suppose I should just try it out

My hunch is that it's an oil stone - what would be the harm if I try oil on a water stone? Is it repairable if it doesn't work out?

Yeah you can get it out. If you wash it with dish soap really well after you use it you should be good. If you put water on it and it soaks in really quickly it's probably an oil stone.

 

[kayvee]

Did I read that right? "If it soaks the water quickly, it's an oil stone" - that's non-intuitive to me. Of course, I'm a beginner and a novice.

 

[Empire straights]

Put water on top of it and if it just seems to pass through like a sponge is probably an oil stone. That's the case with India stones. You can put oil on lots of waterstones as long as you clean them really well afterwards.. dish soap and really hot water will usually do the trick.