Mystery hones... Let's see what you have

[PLANofMAN]

Interesting "old" coticule I picked up today. Can't quite figure out what vein it's from. Has coticule 'bleeds' down into the BBW later.

Wet:

The small stone in the picture below left is my la Veinette for comparison. This new stone is not so fine grained, but same cream color.

 

[Steve56]

That’s a nice looking rock Ryan !

 

[Empire straights]

Interesting "old" coticule I picked up today. Can't quite figure out what vein it's from. Has coticule 'bleeds' down into the BBW later.

Wet:
View attachment 1612050View attachment 1612052
The small stone in the picture below left is my la Veinette for comparison. This new stone is not so fine grained, but same cream color.View attachment 1612053

If you decide you hate it let me know. I will take it off your hands.

 

[Empire straights]

Interesting "old" coticule I picked up today. Can't quite figure out what vein it's from. Has coticule 'bleeds' down into the BBW later.

Wet:
View attachment 1612050View attachment 1612052
The small stone in the picture below left is my la Veinette for comparison. This new stone is not so fine grained, but same cream color.View attachment 1612053

Don't be scared to use that bbw. From the looks of the pictures that blue side very well might be a better stone than the yellow but I'd posit that they're both wonderful.

 

[PLANofMAN]

Don't be scared to use that bbw. From the looks of the pictures that blue side very well might be a better stone than the yellow but I'd posit that they're both wonderful.

From the looks of the stone, either the BBW was most used, or was shaped to comfortably fit the hand. Both sides are extremely hard. It does not self slurry. It's right between my BBW and la veinette as far as grain fineness, and harder than both, on all sides.

 

[Empire straights]

From the looks of the stone, either the BBW was most used, or was shaped to comfortably fit the hand. Both sides are extremely hard. It does not self slurry. It's right between my BBW and la veinette as far as grain fineness, and harder than both, on all sides.

I have a stone that looks similar and i bet if you spent a bunch of time on plain water them went with a super light touch on lather for about 10 mins. It would surprise you how fine it is. Flatten the bbw and I bet it's even better than the yellow side. I use water on those bbws. My favorite shave is off a similar one.

 

[Empire straights]

From the looks of the stone, either the BBW was most used, or was shaped to comfortably fit the hand. Both sides are extremely hard. It does not self slurry. It's right between my BBW and la veinette as far as grain fineness, and harder than both, on all sides.

If you don't like it let me know I'll take it off your hands. It's big so probably not the finest coticule but I bet it's amazing for anything you need it for. Take time to get the touch. Put it under your pillow.

 

[cotedupy]

Interesting "old" coticule I picked up today. Can't quite figure out what vein it's from. Has coticule 'bleeds' down into the BBW later.

Wet:
View attachment 1612050View attachment 1612052
The small stone in the picture below left is my la Veinette for comparison. This new stone is not so fine grained, but same cream color.View attachment 1612053

Really gorgeous. Nice one!

Remember that old coticules are unlikely to have been from the same veins mentioned in G&H, which are ones exploited recently at the Old Preu quarry. But there were numerous other quarries operating in the past too, with different names for different layers of rock.

Probably the only thing you could say about yours from how it looks, is that it's likely to be quite fast. There's a significant amount of Manganese / Pyrolusite inclusion there, which usually indicates a high garnet content. Reminds me a little of this one of mine; a really exceptional stone, and one of the fastest cotis I've ever had.

 

[PLANofMAN]

Really gorgeous. Nice one!

Remember that old coticules are unlikely to have been from the same veins mentioned in G&H, which are ones exploited recently at the Old Preu quarry. But there were numerous other quarries operating in the past too, with different names for different layers of rock.

Probably the only thing you could say about yours from how it looks, is that it's likely to be quite fast. There's a significant amount of Manganese / Pyrolusite inclusion there, which usually indicates a high garnet content. Reminds me a little of this one of mine; a really exceptional stone, and one of the fastest cotis I've ever had.

View attachment 1612275

View attachment 1612274

You are right about the manganese/pyrosulite, what I thought was coticule bleeding down into the BBW is, in fact, veins of manganese/pyrosulite. The coticule does bleed down, but only in the center of the stone, and is visible on one end. there's big blobs of manganese/pyrosulite on the bottom BBW.

Kind of a reverse La Dressante au Bleu. I'll recognize stones from this vein in the future, as it's a striking and unusual combination.

 

[twhite]

Here is my submission for identification. A $15 Swap meet find. Size is 3-1/8x2x1-1/2. SG is 2.557. When lapping instantly started a slurry. It lapped flat as fast as a BG Thuringain does. Some before and after.

 

[Toro Blanco]

Looks like a Hindostan. Clean off the sides and that would give a good clue if it is or is not.
My guess right now would be Hindostan.

 

[twhite]

Looks like a Hindostan. Clean off the sides and that would give a good clue if it is or is not.
My guess right now would be Hindostan.

The last picture is a side shot after a bit of lapping. I will do more if it will help identify it.

 

[Toro Blanco]

The last picture is a side shot after a bit of lapping. I will do more if it will help identify it.

Yeah definately a Hindostan. Sorry I missed that at first.

I zoomed in and you can see the layers that is along with the color of the stone, are dead giveaways for Hindostans.

 

[twhite]

Here is a better side shot showing the fine layers you were probably looking for.

 

[twhite]

Yeah definately a Hindostan. Sorry I missed that at first.

I zoomed in and you can see the layers that is along with the color of the stone, are dead giveaways for Hindostans.

Jinks

 

[twhite]

Thanks for the prompt replies. You guys ROCK!

 

[cotedupy]

You are right about the manganese/pyrosulite, what I thought was coticule bleeding down into the BBW is, in fact, veins of manganese/pyrosulite. The coticule does bleed down, but only in the center of the stone, and is visible on one end. there's big blobs of manganese/pyrosulite on the bottom BBW.
View attachment 1612356
Kind of a reverse La Dressante au Bleu. I'll recognize stones from this vein in the future, as it's a striking and unusual combination.

Oh yeah, ton of Manganese through that isn't there! Should be a killer stone I imagine, visually it's ticking all the boxes.

 

[Empire straights]

Here is a better side shot showing the fine layers you were probably looking for.

From what I gather hindostan stones were usually cut pretty thick too, even smaller stones. That one looks to be about 1.5" thick.

 

[twhite]

From what I gather hindostan stones were usually cut pretty thick too, even smaller stones. That one looks to be about 1.5" thick.

It is 1-1/2” thick 3-1/8” long and 2” wide. I tried it on a few carbon blade knives. Worked pretty fast with good feedback. It gave a better finish than my Washita’s. Might be a good mid stone for straights.

 

[Empire straights]

It is 1-1/2” thick 3-1/8” long and 2” wide. I tried it on a few carbon blade knives. Worked pretty fast with good feedback. It gave a better finish than my Washita’s. Might be a good mid stone for straights.

That very well might be one of those norton fast cut Hindos. @cotedupy has one and I think it's in those or similar dimensions. Maybe he will chime in on measurements. I've always been curious about them but I've never tried a Hindo so it hasn't been too pressing.