Thread: Does Anyone have a Devonshire Oil Stone?

Alex, best of luck!
There are no hones in siberia! Only swamp and it will liquify when unfrozen!

Alex if you will want a pair of hands let me know. I could get there over a weekend.

Originally Posted by adrspach

Alex if you will want a pair of hands let me know. I could get there over a weekend.

Thanks for the offer. I'll wait and see what information I get from the Institute of Quarrying, but if they can't help I'll try and arrange a time with you. It would be good to have a second pair of hands, even if it's just to make sure I don't fall down a mine unnoticed.

Also found yet another English razor hone, this one was quarried in the town of Bilston in Staffordshire; and I quote, "Plot also mentions that the grindstones dug at Bilston are much finer than those obtained in Derbyshire ; they are used in sharpening thin-edged tools, as knives, razors, &c."

Regards,
Alex

It does not take so much to be finer than grit stones in Derbyshire. I was there yesterday. I will be off for hols first two weeks in September arround that it should be ok.
At present I am lapping a hone which reminds me too much the one i had from Cwm Idwal in N. Wales.

Hello.
Excuse the intrusion (and the username-the remaining 3 brain cells aren't over-inventive).
The Moughton whetstone outcrops above Austwick in the Yorkshire Dales.
I'm not aware that it was quarried but it can be found in the stream bed at the foot of Moughton Scar (SD784719). I was there yesterday and needed to check on some facts which is why I happened upon this site. Isn't the web wonderful?
Take Townhead Lane out of Austwick village and park at the first crossroads (Thwaite Lane SD769692). its a 4k/2.5mi walk along the bridleways. You used to be able to park at SD771706 but there's a newish vehicle restriction order (don't know if its enforced).
Take a geological or a brickies hammer. You can pick chunks out of the stream but they tend to be waterworn.
The stripes aren't bedding...check out liesegang rings.
Hope this is helpful.
Rob.

Originally Posted by moughton1

Hello.
Excuse the intrusion (and the username-the remaining 3 brain cells aren't over-inventive).
Hope this is helpful.
Rob.

Welcome to SRP Rob. Thanks for the informative post. If you are a straight razor user already that is fine, if not I hope SRP piques your interest and you'll join in the fun.

Hi Rob,

Welcome to the forum. In relation to Austwick itself, do you know where the cave/ water spring known as the Moughton Whetstone Hole is? The references to Moughton hones I've found thus far give the location of origin as Austwick in Lancashire, but the Whetstone Hole is in Yorkshire. As the two counties are neighbours I don't find it surprising that the stone would occur in both, but I can't find the Whetstone Hole on the AA Route Planner web site, nor is it in the 2009 edition of the AA Road Atlas.

Regards,
Alex

Thanks for the welcome Jimmy and Alex
To respond to Alex's questions: Both locations are in Yorkshire.
Austwick is just off the A65 between Settle and Clapham.
The OS Landranger sheet is 98.
The numbers in my first post are the grid references for that map.
The site is very easy to find but involves some walking.
On the 1:50000 Landranger map the track finishes just below Moughton Scars and is then marked as a footpath. There's a stream to the right at this point which is where you'll find the siltstone. The 1:25000 Yorkshire Dales sheet shows Moughton Whetstone Hole (Spring). The stuffs just lying around on the surface. There are no holes to fall into until you get up onto the overlying limestone. Then there are some b*****y big ones but they're a fair way North of this location!
Never heard of Devonshire Oilstone though!

Hi Alex and Jimmy and all

Ive not been around for a while but I noticed your post on British Blades popped in to SRP and of course came straight to the hone section only to find this interesting thread. I have no further info for you Im afraid other than what youve already read in my various posts dotted about the net :d.

I picked up a couple of interesting old hones at a car boot sale recently, havent yet cleaned them up but they appear to be nondescript blue slate hones from who knows where, probably welsh, Idwal? I would still dearly like to know anything at all about the cutlers green!

I'm nearer to Bilston than Wales as it happens, who'd have thought there would be hones quarried there?! Blimey! Cant imagine there would be any accessible outcrops remaining now though?

Best of luck with your quest Alex, I'll have to check in here more often to see how youre getting on.

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the reply. The representative of the Tavistock History Society said he'd have something more definite for me by the end of this month, so I'm hoping to make some progress in at least identifying the Devonshire Oilstone by then, if that doesn't pan out then I'm not sure where I'll go after that.

The Bilston Hone is described as occurring in a "very small spot of limited extent and thickness" in the 1835 article, so I think finding anything today may not be that easy unfortunately. It is supposed to occur above the coal beds if that's any help to you.

Re. your thread on British Blades, did you ever find out anything about the Black Beauty hone mentioned in the 2nd or 3rd post? Sounds like a very interesting stone, I regret that I never find anything that interesting in Junk Shops.

Regards,
Alex