Quote Originally Posted by Suile View Post
I bought a Vintage back a few years ago it's nice a little tiny bit of flatting but it's much finer then the clear black stone I just got that's the newly mined stuff.
Whether it was mined 'old' or 'new', if it is a genuine novaculite than both are around 350 million years old!

There are some that aren't genuine novculites, but they do not belong in this discussion.

The colour alone is not a measure of how fine the stone is.

I think Dan guarantees that his stones are all 100% genuine novaculite.

The purpose of honing oil is to carry away the swarf engendered during honing and keeping the 'pores' of the stone open (unclogged) BUT you have to use the right oil. If it is too thick it will let the stone clog up, if it is too thin it will let the stone clog up. In both cases this undermines the stone and makes it a much less efficient cutter.

Lapping the stone to a finer degree and burnishing it before use makes it a finer cutter and is better and more efficient than letting the stone clog up.

If you find better novaculites in rockpiles than the ones that Dan sells, you either got a really poor hone and should have sent it back or alternatively tell us where those rockpiles are!

Regards,
Neil