Magog?

[eKretz]

Got another cheap stone that was pretty much unidentifiable - look what came out in the U/S Simple Green bath:



At first I was thinking another Washita but then saw that weird silt deposition ooze looking surface underneath. So Magog, Canadian oil stone? It makes a slightly different noise when tapped than the Washita - the Washita makes more of a ring, this stone is more of a dull thud.

I tried something interesting with this stone after reading about someone using water and slurry on their Ark. Splashed some water on and slurried with an Atoma 400. Son of a gun that cuts fast! Leaves a scratch pattern around the same as my Shapton 1k or 2k. Wonder why more people don't use them that way, seems like it would make an outstanding 1k or 2k natural bevel setter, and raised black swarf within a few strokes, so cut almost as fast as a synth. Tried it out with the Washita and it works well with that too.

 

[Doorsch]

Eric, If its one of those flaked variant stones with a more yellowish/brown/orange colors....very fast cutting...probably ten laps dark swarf is created....

I still dont know what these are, mostly these sell for quite high prizes in concerns beeing a Washita Stone....

The one i own leaves quite fine scratch patterns, so it seems to be higher in grit, i would tend to say around 4k but very fast cutting...a have to say i used it with oil...

I used this one back the past 4 razors in the honing progression and i actually well appreciate it!!

Actually there is no proper example of a labelled Magog oil stone so i still do not know what i have in my hands ;-)

 

[eKretz]

Hi buddy, was hoping you'd see this. I saw yours and Mike's stones at RNS and that's what led me to wonder about this one. Yes I think it's the same as your stone - it cuts very very fast, really a nice stone. Oh, and my comment regarding a 1k - 2k scratch pattern was only with water on a DMT slurry BTW...I tried it before it was cleaned up more with some oil after running a chisel on it for a good bit and that resulted in a much finer scratch pattern more like your 4kish result. Also, as regards the color, when I first cleaned it up a bit with about an hour Simple Green soak it looked just like yours. After about 4 more hours in a 60°C ultrasonic Simple Green bath it has whitened considerably, still showing some slight brownish/orange/tan speckling. I think these old stones that have this coloration are just showing the old rancid oil's color. I'll post up a new shot after its completely done being cleaned. I like to give them about a day or two in the bath.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Sebastian, is there a little bit of translucency to your stone when you hold it up to a lamp?

As for what is or is not a Magog stone, I'm not prepared to say.

 

[eKretz]

Yeah I suppose we will never know for sure just what exactly a Magog stone is, since there hasn't been s single one with a label discovered yet. I am starting to think maybe they never labeled the stones.

 

[Alum of Potash]

It all took place ca. 1820-1850. Mining stopped due to hostilities between the US and the then British authorities. Original accounts describe them as being a whitish stone, that's about all. There is the labelled "Canada stone" which looks like a Hindostan and from the label looks like it was marketed late 19th century-early 20th century. Back in June, and thanks to Sebastian's help, I was able to visit Lake Memphremagog and the island where the quarrying took place. Water level is now higher than it was during the era, and the island is privately owned by folks who just want to use it as a vacation retreat.

Washitas come in many colors and flavors. So the density may vary there regarding the "ring."

 

[Doorsch]

After searching hours of hours, also today (yeah on Christmas) i find it very Interesting that nothing more specific can be found on Roman Fylers Company itself, probably due to the timeframe that all took part...

No Info on the Company itself....thats really a hard nut...

Searching for Roman Fyler in Person i could find some pictures of his grave, as he died on the 2. April 1828 with a Age of 58. He was burried in the Grave with his wife Sally Fyler (born Lyman).

More here from:
http://www.rockvillemama.com/caledonia/fylerroman.txt

"FYLER, Roman

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 307 (extracted from a section on the history of Burke, Caledonia County, Vermont)

Roman FYLER was born in 1768 in Winstead [Winsted, Litchfield County], Connecticut; and married to Sally LYMAN in --- [no date is given]. In 1799, moved with his family, consisting of his wife and four children, to Burke [Caledonia County, Vermont], and located on what is now called Burke Green, a ridge of land running north and south through the town, dividing it nearly in the centre. Here he built a log house, and commenced the laborious work of a pioneer. There was at that time no grist mill nearer than Lyndon [also in Caledonia County, roughly ten miles south of Burke], and he as well as other settlers, was often under the necessity of going to Barnet to purchase grain and bringing it to Lyndon to be ground, and from thence home, his path guided by marked trees. In 1801 he built the first grist mill in town, and subsequently added two grist mills and two saw mills. In 1803 he met with a serious accident in one of his mills, having his foot and ankle severely crushed, which troubled him more or less to the close of his life. He was one of the company that, about 1806, built the road through the Notch of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. He was also one of the company that built the turnpike through the town of Barnet. He was one of the "early few" who represented the town in "olden times." was also town clerk a number of years, besides holding many other offices of trust, always discharging his duty with fidelity and zeal. In religious sentiments he favored the Methodists, of which his wife was a member. In physical proportions he was almost gigantic. It has been asserted, moreover, that he was the strongest man ever in town. He [Roman FYLER] died in 1828. "

 

[SliceOfLife]

My suspicion is that these are just an odd looking washita. I've had one or two pass through my hands and they perform just like washita's for me, down the the feel under the knife. And yes, they sometimes tend a little towards translucence. I've seen them sold as "hard/translucent" arkansas.

 

[Alum of Potash]

My suspicion is that these are just an odd looking washita. I've had one or two pass through my hands and they perform just like washita's for me, down the the feel under the knife. And yes, they sometimes tend a little towards translucence. I've seen them sold as "hard/translucent" arkansas.

I agree. I have a small white piece with the rough bottom face and an ochre colored piece with some translucence. Both feel wonderful "under the knife." Just played with the white piece and it felt like a lily white. Swarf being generated in oil after around six laps and the scratches not being all that aggressive.

Sebastian, thanks for the bio. Roman Fyler's the man who set up the operations. I didn't know that he died as early as 1828. Perhaps his family or a business partner continued the operations afterwards.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Thanks.

I should also mention, these are excellent stones, and whatever they are, I suggest hanging on to them. I like Washita's and these are either similarly good stones or just rare and good performing examples of Washita's. Not a stone you'd want to ever sell (certainly not at what they sell for... if anything, I'd suggest picking these stones up when you find them, because I don't see their value decreasing in the future).

 

[eKretz]

Whatever it is, I don't plan on getting rid of it. The feel on this one seems considerably better than the one I think is a Washita, and that one is pretty darn good too. Here's an updated photo of both after thorough cleaning, new stone on top:

 

[Doorsch]

Sebastian, is there a little bit of translucency to your stone when you hold it up to a lamp?

As for what is or is not a Magog stone, I'm not prepared to say.

I doesnt really have a translucency...if you put a lamp on the working surface there is no light shining thru...not a bit!

 

[Alejandro Salemandro]

I have a very similar looking stone, no label on mine either. I have always thought it was a washita.