Thread: Does Anyone have a Devonshire Oil Stone?

Progress is now non-existant, I thought I was finally getting somewhere with this stone but alas, leads never panned out and many emails went unanswered.

However, during the course of my investigations I came across some odds and ends of information concerning other types of British Hones and thought I'd share these before finally throwing in the towel.

Number 1: Whittle Hill may not have been the source of the best Charnley Forest Hones after all. There is an article which describes how the hones were processed as a cottage-industry in the area of Cole Orton, and according to those who worked there, Charnwood Hones from a quarry near Thringstone village were superior to all others. However, the material was apparently difficult to extract and consequently this particular stone was never widely appreciated.

Also, I have found reference to an area known as Whittle's Warren that yielded Charnwood hones that were used specifically as razor hones. This area is mentioned in an 1800's work, and thus predates the Whittle Hill Quarry by 37 years, although it is possible that the stone was exploited before the quarry was officially opened and Whittle's Warren and Whittle Hill may be one and the same; although I've never seen another reference to Charnwood Hones being used specifically for razors so it may be something different.

Number 2: Another area producing a Whetstone in the UK is Kilburn. I have seen a reference in a suppler's catalogue naming the Kilburn Whetstone. I don't know if this is Kilburn in London or Kilburn in Yorkshire. If we have member's local to either area they might be able to find out some more for us.

Number 3: Ironstones from Codnor and Woodthorpe in Derbyshire are used as hones. These may be the same Ironstones that were used to smooth out an edge mentioned in earlier works. Apparently these were so hard that only a couple of strokes were used, otherwise an edge became too smooth.

Number 4: Richard Williams & Co's Works at Portmadoc mined slate from the Corris area in Wales which was used to make curved Safety Razor Blade Hones for the UK market as well as Flat Hones for export.

Number 5: I've found hones from Wales, Scotland and England but had never heard of hones coming from Ireland. Well our Gaelic friends need no longer feel left out in the cold as I've found a type of Razor Hone that hails from the Emerald Isle. And I quote, " On the mountains of Mangerton, near the lake called The Devil's Punch Bowl, is a species of Whetstone, the grit of which is as fine as that of many common hones, and being shaped properly and afterwards boiled in oil, it serves the country people for whetting razors." It is described as being a bright Olive Green colour, darkening after being boiled.

Well, that's it for me. It's been fun playing detective, but after months of heartbreak, hard work and ultimately, failure I'm forced to concede and admit that it will take a better man than me to find any, if not all, of these hones.

Regards,
Alex