Looky what I got...

[cotedupy]

I'm sure various people saw this listed recently on UK ebay as a possible Glanrafon or Fiddich River Stone. From the pics it looked probably like one of the two, a maybe a bit more like a Fiddich. But you couldn't really say for certain and it wasn't that cheap for a gamble, I got it a bit below the list price at something that was pretty good for a FR, but only ok for a GR. Seller's picture:

Though I was trying to box clever too, by asking for the exact dimensions and weight of the stone. The first thing that turned up was that the seller had made a mistake and the stone was actually 2" wide, not 1.5" as he put in the listing. The second thing it allowed was to make an estimation of the specific gravity. The stone was slightly dished on one side, but taking that into account I put the SG probably around 2.73 - 2.75; very much Fiddich territory rather than Glanrafon, which come in around 2.78 - 2.80. But that kind of estimation is a pretty imprecise science tbh, so I'd have to wait and see...

And today I'm rather a happy bunny. Because my guess had proved surprisingly accurate; measuring with water displacement the stone comes in at 2.741, and this is exactly how a Fiddich River Stone laps, with a thick, creamy, almost Coticule-like mud:

So there we go. Big stone too at 9.5 x 2" and a little over an inch thick. Here she is, plus a gratuitous pic with my other Fiddich:

 

[David]

Nice stone. I almost went for it but didn't want to sleep on the couch for another week. That guy really comes up with some neat stuff.

 

[cotedupy]

Nice stone. I almost went for it but didn't want to sleep on the couch for another week. That guy really comes up with some neat stuff.

Yeah - from talking to Tom I think that shipping and taxes to the US probably put it beyond ‘reasonable gamble’ territory. I definitely wasn’t certain on what it was until I received earlier today.

 

[cotedupy]

Another couple of pics of slurry and use for reference. These two stones are very similar indeed.

 

[kcb5150]

It would have been something like $170usd

 

[cotedupy]

It would have been something like $170usd

Bit more actually... list price was £150 ($185), before shipping / fees.

I think Tom reckoned $240+ to the US.

 

[alex1921]

Sounds about right. Shipping is usually around 50 and then eBay adds sales tax, Minnesota is 7%.

 

[rideon66]

Bit more actually... list price was £150 ($185), before shipping / fees.

I think Tom reckoned $240+ to the US.

Yup To the US it was 190GBP after shipping, but before taxes and fees. So $240+ for US for sure. You got a great deal on that one Oli and glad my guess was right. It looked it just that sellers pics always worry me since he makes things look shinier than they are usually. After seeing the pics you sent me though I knew it was and the SG along with that slurry just seals the deal. If you liked the other one I traded you wait till you hone on that stick of butter. You got an 1" more length and .25" more width than my fiddich. Mine is crazier looking though.

 

[cotedupy]

Yup To the US it was 190GBP after shipping, but before taxes and fees. So $240+ for US for sure. You got a great deal on that one Oli and glad my guess was right. It looked it just that sellers pics always worry me since he makes things look shinier than they are usually. After seeing the pics you sent me though I knew it was and the SG along with that slurry just seals the deal. If you liked the other one I traded you wait till you hone on that stick of butter. You got an 1" more length and .25" more width than my fiddich. Mine is crazier looking though.
View attachment 1594777View attachment 1594778View attachment 1594779View attachment 1594780

Yeah I think yours definitely still wins the beauty pageant!

Looks like Ralph Steadman drew a whetstone. Whaddya reckon @Darth Scandalous...?

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Looks like Ralph Steadman drew a whetstone. Whaddya reckon @Darth Scandalous...?

We had J-nats, coticules of diverse veins and sizes, five fast washitas, a couple Thuris, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored Charnleys, Idwals, Glenrafons, Tams, and Fiddich Rivers... Also, trans ark, a Moughton, a bunch of Hindos, a glassy Belgian Blue, and two dozen Swaty hones. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into locked a serious rock collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.

 

[cotedupy]

We had J-nats, coticules of diverse veins and sizes, five fast washitas, a couple Thuris, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored Charnleys, Idwals, Glenrafons, Tams, and Fiddich Rivers... Also, trans ark, a Moughton, a bunch of Hindos, a glassy Belgian Blue, and two dozen Swaty hones. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into locked a serious rock collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.

Whatever you do - don't bet against Freak Power candidate Matt Scandalous in the race for B&B MVP in '23. He's come out the blocks like a whippet on Dex, and a few more posts like this during primary season could see him wipe the floor with 'Establishment' nominees at the August convention.

 

[Empire straights]

We had J-nats, coticules of diverse veins and sizes, five fast washitas, a couple Thuris, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored Charnleys, Idwals, Glenrafons, Tams, and Fiddich Rivers... Also, trans ark, a Moughton, a bunch of Hindos, a glassy Belgian Blue, and two dozen Swaty hones. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into locked a serious rock collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.

You win the internet today friend. Congratulations.

 

[rideon66]

Nice stone. I almost went for it but didn't want to sleep on the couch for another week. That guy really comes up with some neat stuff.

What put you on the couch for the first week?

 

[David]

What put you on the couch for the first week?

The ambicut, the 9” thuri, and the India/soft ark combo all in a weeks time, plus a couple new pew pew items didn’t help. Oh and a new flashlight. Matt probably saved my marriage by buying that big coti.

 

[David]

Whatever you do - don't bet against Freak Power candidate Matt Scandalous in the race for B&B MVP in '23. He's come out the blocks like a whippet on Dex, and a few more posts like this during primary season could see him wipe the floor with 'Establishment' nominees at the August convention.

There was a guy here years ago that bought something like 29 stones in 31 days. Then his wife got mad at him, threatened to divorce him, and we never heard from him again! True story.

 

[rideon66]

These are great. This is why I try and fund everything through the paypal and when it is empty I just have to wait till I can replenish funds either from selling items or other means. The wife doesn't care so much if it doesn't come out of the common funds.

 

[timwcic]

The Fiddich is a beauty of a stone. I have a few stones in my collection that I consider beautiful. I am hoping one day to run across one

Congrats on a looker

 

[cotedupy]

We had J-nats, coticules of diverse veins and sizes, five fast washitas, a couple Thuris, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored Charnleys, Idwals, Glenrafons, Tams, and Fiddich Rivers... Also, trans ark, a Moughton, a bunch of Hindos, a glassy Belgian Blue, and two dozen Swaty hones. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into locked a serious rock collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.

There was a guy here years ago that bought something like 29 stones in 31 days. Then his wife got mad at him, threatened to divorce him, and we never heard from him again! True story.

There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of a whetstone binge...

 

[Steve56]

There was a guy here years ago that bought something like 29 stones in 31 days.

It wasn’t me ….

 

[Icculus]

There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of a whetstone binge...

A savage journey to the heart of the American Dream!