Big mystery one from across the pond. I just got this over 10” x 2 3/4” x 1” from the uk. Only it had a big dip in the middle so probably much thinner now after lapping for about an hour and a half on sic and wet dry. Came oily but all cleaned up now. Found a name on the end of the box under the oil only can’t make it out. Seems finer after lapping and water only. Might be a decent finisher.
Mystery hones... Let's see what you have
- Thread starter kcb5150
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timwcic
"Look what I found"
This is a good looking mystery stone. Has a layered structure, measures 6x2x1, with a molted and swirled surface. Composed mostly of the colors, blue gray, purple, mauve, and green. Lapped like any average slate but on the fragile side. I got a piece of cleavage easily while lapping when it got close to the edge of the diamond plate. Has a nice ring when tapped with steel. It is on the finer side of grit. Last picture wet to get the colors to pop
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- #143
That reads to me vermont mottled
Purple green Vermont slate is what the guy selling them on etsy calls them but I agree with kcb5150.
Looks like the Welch Razor Hone I had many years ago. It was low-mid range...though the label claimed it was for everything from scissors to scythes to razors.
timwcic
"Look what I found"
Thanks guys. I gotten green hones and purple hones but this is my first purple/green hone. It was on the “everything is a dollar” table and it looked to good to leave behind. Was sold as a paperweight. It does have finishing capabilities, just playing with it, I get a edge equal to around 8K on oil. Might try to squeeze out some more. It is a heavy, dense, and a solid rock. I would like these wild stone to come with paper work, just to much to ask after years of abuse
A fairly pricey eBay pickup. Probably because sawmarks resemble la lune. It’s in a box with “Dry Hone” handwritten on it, but works best with water. Finish is a bit like a Thuri, but hone requires a little break in after lapping, unlike Thuris.
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- #148
Still lapping this. Gave it a try with a buck on slurry and it ate steel.
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- #149
What the hell??
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- #151
I am still lapping it. It's not even particularly hard or really out anymore. I just want to pull one corner up and I may as well leave the other end as it isn't honing track anyway. Whatever it is, it has so much cutting power it slaughters the wet dry. It's like lapping a hard coticule that murders wet dry as fast as a trans ark would...
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- #152
Finally lapped. No clue. Never encountered anything similar.
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- #153
Been experimenting with this off a the dmt as a finishing point for knives. It's really competent in this capacity. It's a nice lazy way to get a good quality edge on a kitchen knife without any drama. I think it is finer than a queer creek by a couple of steps. It really lacks feel which is odd, esp under a knife.
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- #154
Still been stripping this. Trying to get rid of any odor cross contamination so I can get a good read on the slurry. Stone has accepted water from the get go. Not a hindo, not a coti. Kind of feels like a coti and a jnat had a baby.
If I were taking a blind guess, I'd just say it's a mystery stone that could be a Jnat. I've got a few stones that fall in that camp.
For the post just above. Like I said, I've had many stones that look like that and act like what you describe. They're fairly common mixed in with wood worker collections but when oiled up are easily mistaken for a QC (which they're similar to) or very fine carbo. They're pretty heavy/dense, but act like a QC, Dalmore, or less effective cutting carbo. I've got one labeled. It's labeled as a "Washita Finish Canada Oilstone" and a "Mikado".
This labeled one is 1/2" thick, but they're usually 1".
Doesn't see much use because I'm no fan of Dalmore/QC/etc "sandpaper/synthetic" feeling oilstones. I much prefer to use a Washita in this range. (A pore cutter vs a sandstone/grit cutter). The pictures show the difference between worn and lapped surface dry and wet, and also that the sawmarks are typically eliminated on them (I suspect this was done at the mine/seller, because I've never found one with noticeable sawmarks). I usually flip the unlabeled ones for cheap.
Like I said though, quite dense and hard. More so that QC and Dalmore in my experience.
For the post just above. Like I said, I've had many stones that look like that and act like what you describe. They're fairly common mixed in with wood worker collections but when oiled up are easily mistaken for a QC (which they're similar to) or very fine carbo. They're pretty heavy/dense, but act like a QC, Dalmore, or less effective cutting carbo. I've got one labeled. It's labeled as a "Washita Finish Canada Oilstone" and a "Mikado".
This labeled one is 1/2" thick, but they're usually 1".
Doesn't see much use because I'm no fan of Dalmore/QC/etc "sandpaper/synthetic" feeling oilstones. I much prefer to use a Washita in this range. (A pore cutter vs a sandstone/grit cutter). The pictures show the difference between worn and lapped surface dry and wet, and also that the sawmarks are typically eliminated on them (I suspect this was done at the mine/seller, because I've never found one with noticeable sawmarks). I usually flip the unlabeled ones for cheap.
Like I said though, quite dense and hard. More so that QC and Dalmore in my experience.
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Mystery Green Hone -
I like green ones, can’t resist. Still looking for a fiddich, but came across this one. About barber size at 5-¾” x 2-¼”. Lapped OK but really didn’t like giving up slurry when messing around with it. Whitish what it did make and actually pretty quick to darken with swarf when used. Quite fine. Surprised me how fine. Doesn’t feel super hard but not soft or clay like either. Looks like light blue crayon on one end? Interesting stone. Anyone recognize this pattern/coloration?
I like green ones, can’t resist. Still looking for a fiddich, but came across this one. About barber size at 5-¾” x 2-¼”. Lapped OK but really didn’t like giving up slurry when messing around with it. Whitish what it did make and actually pretty quick to darken with swarf when used. Quite fine. Surprised me how fine. Doesn’t feel super hard but not soft or clay like either. Looks like light blue crayon on one end? Interesting stone. Anyone recognize this pattern/coloration?
I’d vote JNAT for sure.
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- #159
May be a green vermont slate which isn't a bad thing
Thanks for that! Certainly one I considered. It is a strange one for me and I am having a good time playing with it. Very different but I’m liking what it can do. I’m normally disappointed but this one surprised me.
I saw some old posts I think of Vermont slates you had locally cut. Don’t know how they perform but they looked very nice I remember. Made me try and search out some
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