Slipstones

[cotedupy]

[A thread that may prove of interest to no one apart from myself, but feck it....]

Aren't slipstones just great?!

Their sheer efficacy and fitness-for-purpose is off the chart. I sharpen a lot of edged instruments for other people, and sometimes they bring some pretty 'out there' stuff, slipstones are completely invaluable if you do this kind of nonsense for a living.

They're also great because most slipstones have flat sides, and come in razor-convenient sizes like 4x2" or 5x2", whilst being massively cheaper than benchstone equivalents in the same size. You don't often see people talk much about this here (though a shout out to @H Brad Boonshaft who I know is a fellow enthusiast), but you could easily assemble a collection five or six of the very best finishing stones in the world for under $100.

Here are some of mine, clockwise from top left: Howarth Grecian, Norton Washita, Norton Medium India, Norton Black Ark, Norton Translucent Ark, King 1k, (and I do also have a Norton Soft Ark Slip to complete collection, but don't have on me atm).

The box there is an interesting one too. It came with one of the old Nortons, and someone had made it specifically to hold a 4x2 slipstone dead flat, so it could be used an a benchstone.

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So then, does anyone else have any cool slips to show us...?

 

[cotedupy]

And for the record... my All-Time-No.1-Top-Fave-Sliptone-Style-Ever is this one (again I unfortunately don't have my Med India version on me atm for a pic, so here's one from google):

Not really razor appropriate cos it doesn't have flat sides, but incredibly versatile otherwise.

 

[David]

You don’t need a slip stone until you do, and when you do, you can’t hardly do without it. I agree they are great stones to have around. I’ll see if I can dig a few out.

 

[ROE]

These live on my leather working tool kart.

Washita slip, Hard Ark slip, Washita, Soft Ark that I rounded like a partial slip. Wanted a longer runway for some tools.

 

[Gamma]

got rid of all of mine but I thought I kept what is probably the opposite of a slip stone, like a 4x2" block with grooves polished into it. Was a Norton translucent piece. No idea where it is atm, it's possible it move to another home too. I have a few diamond rods, one is conical and they fit the bill for me.
What I liked most about slip stones were the ones in wood boxes with the tapered inside bottom.

 

[LJS]

What are these little stones you are talking about Could come in handy for a woodturner!

And these are the ones I actually use - you should see the box of extras!

 

[cotedupy]

I thought I kept what is probably the opposite of a slip stone, like a 4x2" block with grooves polished into it. Was a Norton translucent piece.

If it's what I'm thinking of, then I believe those would get called 'slipstones' too, apparently they were for sharpening dental instruments. I think @David has one of the same.

I've also once seen an old Norton stone with just a single small groove cut into it, for sharpening darts, as in the things you throw at a board when you're down the pub. I dunno how popular darts is in the US (?), they may have only made those stones in Welwyn Garden City for the UK market.

 

[cotedupy]

What are these little stones you are talking about Could come in handy for a woodturner!
View attachment 1869190View attachment 1869188View attachment 1869189
And these are the ones I actually use - you should see the box of extras!

It’s still early days, but I think this thread already has a clear ‘front runner’!

 

[David]

Two actually. The translucent has its original box.

 

[David]

Here’s one you don’t see every day.

 

[cotedupy]

Two actually. The translucent has its original box. View attachment 1869217

Given what Rocketman said in my screenshot above, I’d assume that these lot no.s refer to dates of production:

 

[cotedupy]

Here’s one you don’t see every day.
View attachment 1869235

If a slipstone is glued onto a piece of decorative wood, but never used… is it really a slipstone?

This is exactly the kind of Big Question that we’ll be addressing here.

 

[David]

Not all slips, but since I have this box out….

 

[LJS]

If a slipstone is glued onto a piece of decorative wood, but never used… is it really a slipstone?

No for me. I have some as you describe and they are good for watchmakers, jewelers, dentists etc., but if you can’t simply take the stone to the tool then there is no slip. Excellent examples of hones but lack the slip stone utility and purpose - they were glued for bench use.

 

[David]

Excellent examples of hones but lack the slip stone utility and purpose - they were glued for bench use.

That one is glued to an old Pike store display that’s probably 120 years old or more. I’ve only seen two of those in my life. Just can’t justify taking it off and using it, especially since I have other rosy reds and many more slips. But, I get you guys point for sure. I have a bit of a collector in me. Wish I didn’t but it’s there and sometimes I have to feed it.

 

[cotedupy]

No for me. I have some as you describe and they are good for watchmakers, jewelers, dentists etc., but if you can’t simply take the stone to the tool then there is no slip. Excellent examples of hones but lack the slip stone utility and purpose - they were glued for bench use.

Ah I was just having a joke with @David, cos I've seen the amazing Pike display case thing that RR slip is a part of.

You are absolutely right more generally though. Back in the day I epoxied quite a few nice slipstones onto pieces of wood (charns, grecians, idwals &c.) most of which I've swapped or given away. Though I definitely regret it now; I wish I'd left them as intended, and kept for myself. You live and learn eh!

 

[Tanuki]

Slipstones - can take them to the tool. Or some times clamp them solidly and take the tool to them.

>Carborundum 177, 4 1/2" long, fine grit, rounded edges
>Norton / Bear FF724, 4" long, fine grit, flat edges, very handy
>a hard ark pencil point
>hard ark square file in two pieces
>Norton trans ark SP-13, a little too thick to be called a file, but it gets some use that way

 

[LJS]

Ah I was just having a joke with @David, cos I've seen the amazing Pike display case thing that RR slip is a part of.

@David @cotedupy - sorry guys, I wasn’t paying enough attention to catch the joke! Good on ya

 

[Tanuki]

Are diamonds stones? When mounted on metal?

The DMT 600 mesh WAVE Sharpener now does almost all the work the pencil point and rounded slipstone did formerly.

The 1200 mesh has touched a few of my gouges, but for my turning that is overkill.

These EZE Laps have yet to go to work.

 

[Pack line]

Pennsylvania slate. Old picture, they are much more rounded now. The only recent pictures i have are from a microscope. I made 4 of them. I have 2 and the other 2 are with another member here.