Hindostan Info/Photos/ID Thread

[ables]

Question for the brain trust.... does this look like the layers are delaminating? Or did this previously belong to a fisherman with very dull hooks? The hard/ fine washita I sold(suspected llw) had some pretty deep grooves in one side(why not move around the stone) and I know for them to get there it took lots of time and someone using lots of pressure. That stone was harder than the ½" smith's "hard arkansas"(I'd call it a true medium, dead between a pike washita and norton hard) and I know it didn't wear quickly because I've sharpened plane irons, axes and lots of chisels on it regularly. This Hindo doesn't really have many visible layers, it seems like a pretty pure stone, but those grooves are on both sides. Seem kind close to the top though to effectively hone hooks on without eventually wearing one in your hand or belly.
View attachment 1674185View attachment 1674186View attachment 1674187

Those look like marks I associate with digging a stone out of a wood base. I have a few stones with scrapes around the bottom that have similar such marks and even made some myself trying to get cemented stones out. I don't know if I've ever see a hindo delaminate, all of mine seem very sound.

 

[Empire straights]

Those look like marks I associate with digging a stone out of a wood base. I have a few stones with scrapes around the bottom that have similar such marks and even made some myself trying to get cemented stones out. I don't know if I've ever see a hindo delaminate, all of mine seem very sound.

This one seems sound as a Washita but it kinda looks and feels like there's a 1/32" layer on top that wants to peel off. I'll glue it to a piece of wood if it comes off and is s little thicker than that. It's a really good stone and it cuts fast. Lots of sandstone is grainy, slow, crumbly garbage most people don't want but Dalmore blues, queer creeks, and this hindostan (at least this one) are fantastic stones. I think saurat is a schist but I'd throw it into that party. Fantastic stones for knives(they do good on razors too but most people won't try them for fear of ruining a razor, I get it). I always treat new stones on knives so they get the business and i can get a read on them before i lay a razor on them.

 

[Empire straights]

With actual effort this hindostan is really fine. It smoked this rusty looking washita(very nice strip top) that is a very good stone. I edge up the hair on the back of my neck with it pretty easily and those are fine hairs. I think I like it.

 

[Empire straights]

I think I might rough up the bottom side of this hindostan and try to set the bevel on a pretty old draw knife I bout a couple months ago. I bet I could do the whole thing on that one stone.