Hard to tell. I think my WOA is a touch softer than my YL. Neither is what I’d describe as being hard.
Yellow Lake Oilstones
- Thread starter cotedupy
- Start date
In my experience the WoA slurry stones I have are very eager to give up slurry. Unless the stone is soft you are rubbing it on, they are usually giving 80%+ contributions. Harder to tell when the stones are both grey/black but if the YL you have is even a bit hard, I would bet the WoA will be doing most of the slurry distribution. Just as well, the WoA are awesome.
The yl is pretty hard. It doesn't scratch any when I do circles on it with a pocket knife.
Yeah, I would expect the WoA to generate most of the slurry. They also look different on the finger, so you can generate slurry and then see how it looks.
Slurry shots are attached as requested. They look grey to me. I cannot pick out any other colour.
Attachments
Seems quite light grey!
- Thread starter
- #87
Yep I think the acid test plus slurry plus your description is pretty conclusive there. First time I've seen one of the grey type in a red box. Nice one!
I’ve been pretty impressed with these Yellow Lakes so I picked up a few more. This modern box example arrived yesterday (details below).
I played around with it last night. The finish seems to be highly dependent on the surface prep. At 400 grit is was very much a pre finisher. It felt gritty under the blade. The surface did not bed in quickly with use. At 1200 grit it was a different story altogether. The surface was glassy smooth and the finish was much higher. The shave test this morning was really good. Sharp and smooth after honing on oil.
8 x 1.75 x 0.5”
SG 2.79
No reaction to vinegar
I played around with it last night. The finish seems to be highly dependent on the surface prep. At 400 grit is was very much a pre finisher. It felt gritty under the blade. The surface did not bed in quickly with use. At 1200 grit it was a different story altogether. The surface was glassy smooth and the finish was much higher. The shave test this morning was really good. Sharp and smooth after honing on oil.
8 x 1.75 x 0.5”
SG 2.79
No reaction to vinegar
Attachments
I didn't know they sold them new.
I’m not sure if they are still available. This is a vintage, second hand, stone. The box appears to be newer than the typical red and yellow boxes. Still a nice slice of slate though.
Another fizzer! I’m starting to get my eye in now. I was 50:50 on this stone from the photos but suspected a Yellow Lake. The scrap of label on the back was no use at all. I know that they sometimes came with a label attached but this was the exception rather than the rule. This stone is also cut a little wider than usual at a full 2” rather than usual 1.75”. In the hand there’s no doubt about it though. Definitely a YL. Even better it’s the ultra fine variety.
This one has seen a some use and had a slight dish to the good side. White vinegar got it fizzing in ten seconds after cleaning and prior to lapping. While lapping the slurry had the same distinctive freshly dug earth, wet forest smell as the red box version. The new DMT Diaflat 95 made quick work of it. Once flat, it was further refined with 600 and 1200 grit WD sandpaper sheets on a granite surface plate. This combination worked really well. A super consistent surface was revealed.
I didn’t bother with a test razor this time. I went straight in with one of the good Bengalls. As expected, it gave an excellent finish and great shave. The ‘Welsh Thuri’ strikes again! I’d say that these Welsh edges are a bit sharper than those than I get from their German cousins. That could be down to me using oil with the Welshies rather than water.
203 x 51.5 x 13.0mm
364g
SG 2.72
Vinegar reaction: Yes
This one has seen a some use and had a slight dish to the good side. White vinegar got it fizzing in ten seconds after cleaning and prior to lapping. While lapping the slurry had the same distinctive freshly dug earth, wet forest smell as the red box version. The new DMT Diaflat 95 made quick work of it. Once flat, it was further refined with 600 and 1200 grit WD sandpaper sheets on a granite surface plate. This combination worked really well. A super consistent surface was revealed.
I didn’t bother with a test razor this time. I went straight in with one of the good Bengalls. As expected, it gave an excellent finish and great shave. The ‘Welsh Thuri’ strikes again! I’d say that these Welsh edges are a bit sharper than those than I get from their German cousins. That could be down to me using oil with the Welshies rather than water.
203 x 51.5 x 13.0mm
364g
SG 2.72
Vinegar reaction: Yes
Attachments
I thought that I’d pick up one more of these while the getting is good. The yellow box actually turned out to be a faded red one. Unfortunately, the box stinks of old garage and will have to go. The stone itself, on the other hand, is in great shape. I didn’t have any white vinegar but apple cider vinegar got it fizzing too. These stones work so well with oil that I’m really tempted to try it on a Thuri and see what happens.
Lapped flat with a DMT Diaflat 95. Surface prepped with 600 and 1200 WD on a granite surface plate. Strong HHT and a DFS.
198 x 44.4 x 12.9 mm
309g
SG 2.73
Vinegar reaction: Yes
Lapped flat with a DMT Diaflat 95. Surface prepped with 600 and 1200 WD on a granite surface plate. Strong HHT and a DFS.
198 x 44.4 x 12.9 mm
309g
SG 2.73
Vinegar reaction: Yes
Attachments
I did it.
Another suspected Yellow Lake has arrived from the UK. Judging from the colours and pattern, this one appears to be of the Lynn Idwal variety. The stone exhibits some the typical flakiness with several fissures. The fissures have been lapped flat and can not be felt but they do seem to have drawn some oil. This can be seen when the stone is wet and water is pushed away from the fissures. The stone has been cleaned in SG and lapped. The surface has been finished to 800 WD, slurried with an Coti and lightly burnished with a chisel.
The stone is finer than I imagined. On oil it finishes a razor nicely. Not as sharp as its grey cousins though.
204 x 43.3 x 17.5mm
396g
SG 2.71
The stone is finer than I imagined. On oil it finishes a razor nicely. Not as sharp as its grey cousins though.
204 x 43.3 x 17.5mm
396g
SG 2.71
Attachments
New to me Yellow Lake. I tested with vinegar, and it does indeed react. Lapped, chamfered and then dressed with 1k W&D. Any tips for using it?
Personally, I use them with oil to finish. Try about fifty light laps to end or touch up, and see how that goes.
I’m also a fan of oil on slates. You’ll find your sweet spot.
Mineral oil or thin lather. I need to bust mine out again.
