Thread: Imperia la Roccia 7 x 2-1/2 x 3/4 Natural Stone 12-15K Review

Originally Posted by IndependenceRazor1

I do not live in Italy and I am not a miner.
However, a google search shows that slate is mined near Imperia.

https://books.google.com/books?id=T4...0italy&f=false

The stone mentioned in the link that you have posted, are not in Imperia areas but are not so far. I know this kind of slate that are used for billiard table or in building construction,I have tested a lot of them ,but.... without fortune.

If they really are Italian then i'm sold. I also assumed c12k when I saw that price on the listings.

Originally Posted by DireStraights

If they really are Italian then i'm sold. I also assumed c12k when I saw that price on the listings.

I wish I could definitively pin down where they are from/mined etc.they work but I do wish I knew more about them.I've been googling but no joy so far.

That guy who posted above saying he's from the region is interesting.

Kinda of a strange lie if the vendor did make it up.

Originally Posted by DireStraights

That guy who posted above saying he's from the region is interesting.

Kinda of a strange lie if the vendor did make it up.

Right or wrong, Italy seems to have a bit more cache than Guangxi, but it had the opposite effect for me. It looked like a Chinese hone and the name came across as an affectation to me. I don't mind cheap hones for experimentation but I didn't want to fan the flames, so to speak, so I did not buy one.

I have both the Imperia La Roccia stones, the one listed 8-10 and the one listed 12-15. I also have a Guangxi.
The Guangxi and high grit Roccia look nothing alike, the former is a medium grey with darker "stretchmarks" running diagonally through the stone, lapped one side only and very roughly sawn, about 1/2 inch thick and no chamfers. The latter is a light greenish grey with slightly darker wavy lines and a dark oval inclusion on one side. It came lapped 2 sides with fine saw marks on the edges and is about 3/4 inch thick, with all edges chamfered. The inclusion doesn't catch the blade at all but I generally use the other side.
I haven't put a lot of blades on the Roccia, but the general feel I get is a slightly chalky, dragging. My stone does not slurry well at all with the supplied rubbing stone and I've been using it with water only.
My Guangxi will lightly slurry and the feel is one of smooth cutting fine grit.
I'll experiment more but so far I prefer the Guangxi.
I also have the La Roccia listed as 8-10 and it is a dark, almost black, grey and has 3 small pyrite inclusions on one side. It came lapped all sides, with nice chamfered edges. This stone slurries well and has a lovely, silky feel. It performs well.

YMMV, but for me, the 8-10 La Roccia was a great bargain(same cost as 12-15) while the jury is still out on the La Roccia 12-15 finisher.

I should have clarified. I have no basis for claiming that the Imperia and Guangxi were the same or even related. That simply was my initial impression from the one time I looked at the ebay listing.

joamo Your experience thus far virtually mirrors mine, sans the inclusions. My stones are very clean but my results are very similar to yours. Chalky feel is an excellent description for this stone. Much more so than the slick hard guangxi.
One difference is that I have been able to get slurry with my "12-15k" but quite honestly I dont like the feel of it. The slurry off of the coarser stone feels much smoother cutting to me.
The jury for me all around is still out as I really only picked up the lower grit stone for kicks and dont need it so my hopes were more for the higher grit stone and im just not there with it yet.