Thread: Is this a coticule?

I've picked this hone from a seller that have no clue to the hone origins or type. Can you please try and identify it?
Thank you!

Dunno, a side view would be helpful.

These are the only pics I have so far and they're from the seller's page...I will take a better photos when I'll have it in my hands.

Like Jimmy, It's hard to tell from the pics, but to me, It almost looks like one of those old Norton Oil combo stones, Coarse on one side, fine on the other.

I have huge one at the house, I think it's 14x3 or something like that, and the top pic looks a lot like my fine side.
I don't think it's a Coticule. I could be wrong.

I had my eye on that stone for a week or two, and had the same thoughts as you, but couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger. That end view looked to me looked a little quartzy-ish, and un-coticule like. But -- the price was good even if it turned out to be an Ark. At any rate, it should be an interesting buy, and I'd love to hear how it turns out and I'd like to see better pictures of the stone I let get away.

No idea what it is but it looks like a nice stone to me congrats.

Could it be an Indiana tombstone hone aka. Hindostan stone? My very first "coticule" from the bay turned out to be a porous Hindostan stone in the 3k range. Great for knives, great for lapping other stones. However, not really ideal for razors. Good luck!

Can you please tell me what do I need to look for when examing the stone to determine if it's a coticule or not?

A good photo of the side of the stone will reveal a lot more. Coticules come in varying shades. Mostly yellow or beige. Some have pinkish hues, or greenish. Most are either natural hewn along with Belgian blue (BBW) on one side or have BBW or slate glued on one side to reinforce the delicate coticule. You'll be able to see photos of guys coticules with slurry. If you study the pix you can judge whether the color of the slurry is similar.