Thread: Mystery Hone - Anybody Know What It Is?

I was given this hone but sadly I know nothing about it except that it works well as a finisher. It it completely non porous as far as water is concerned and cuts very slowly, although with circa 30 laps, it yields a fantastic edge. Not being entirely knowledgeable about natural stones, I wondered whether anybody could point me in the right direction. I’ve included some photos in the hope that they are of help in this endeavour. Please ignore the somewhat McGuyver way I’ve secured the stone - it came to me as a shard from a larger stone and this solution works well enough, even if it isn’t hugely pretty.

Thank you!

Seems to look like a Arkansas Stone, like a translucent one....in the first guess....
lets wait for some further more replies....

What did the text say? Translucent Arkie seems likely.

Yes Piet looks that this could be the letters....

Originally Posted by Piet

What did the text say? Translucent Arkie seems likely.

I was thinking that too by the look of it, but his saying it was fast made me wonder.

I read "Cuts very slowly" my money is on Translucent Arkansas.

Originally Posted by Martin103

I read "Cuts very slowly" my money is on Translucent Arkansas.

I see that now. it was the 30 laps to a fantastic edge that had me thinking fast ....... at least that is fast for me in general.

Originally Posted by Christel

and cuts very slowly, although with circa 30 laps, it yields a fantastic edge.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I see that now. it was the 30 laps to a fantastic edge that had me thinking fast ....... at least that is fast for me in general.

I omitted to say that it required 30 laps after a session on the yellow coticule - the edge comes off it very good already and likely doesn’t need too much to finish - hence why it seems to be a fast worker. In reality the stone feels seriously hard and I wonder whether it’s doing anything at all until I test the edge and find that it definitely is polished.

I’m not sure what the letters are, they’re too faded to make anything out - although the person who gave the stone to me seemed surprised at its presence and it seemed like ink from something else had seeped through into the stone and become ingrained. I did some research and it’s apparently an oilstone but I’ve been using it with water - will oil make a noticeable difference?

Thank you all, that helps out hugely! I really like this stone and the edge it gives but it does seem to be a slow cutter!

@martin:
*Lol* any other ideas on the text ?...really funny which ideas come up...just because this blurred letters....i dont want to say your guess is wrong :-)

@christel
If this is an translucent Ark oil would be the right choice....