Thread: Bavarian-Frankonian Hones

This thread is about some very special hones from Germany, originating from the frankonian area of Bavaria.
The name Frankonian is known in regard of hones and from time to time appear some new examples called that name in different forums. But in fact, I have not seen one example of these hones that is really proven from the frankonian region. There are no labeled ancient hones with that provenience and from the hones sold by a certain german seller some years ago, the true origin is also unknown (at least to me).

Since about two years ago I began to investigate the real known old frankonian quarries together with some local historians. I visited the old mines, tried to find written records of the hones and informations from family members of the old miners and traders. Of course I took samples from all quarries and made sharpening and honing tests.

The frankonian whetstone layers are found in the geological formation of the Ordovician age. The quarries are in direct neighborhood to the Bavarian – Thuringian border and the Thuringian whetstone quarries.

It is not known, when the hones in this frankonian area were first exploited. There had been some investigations in the past that tried to establish a relationship of whetstones found in old castles and trading places of the early middle ages or even before with the frankonian deposits – that is possible, but not proven. There is a high probability that some of the old mines could be dated at least in the late middle ages, but the first written proofs I found so far are some mine claim requests that are dated in the early 19^th century. The last mines had been in operation until 1945.

Sale and distribution of the frankonian hones in the 20^th century was done by the thuringian whetstone trading companies in Sonneberg. Therefore they might have been sold as thuringian whetstones without declaration of their frankonian origin.

Like with all whetstones I have seen so far in natural, the raw rocks of whetstone material distinguish from the stones surrounding them in color and appearance. Seeing these rocks you immediately think they must be something special. Here are some pics of how these whetstones appear as natural rocks:




The performance of the frankonian hones is a very special one. On the one side they could be used in a very wide range of honing, somehow like coticules. With a thick slurry they can be used from bevel setting all through the whole progression, diluting the slurry with water more and more, finally the endfinishing with water only and this all much faster than a normal coticule.
Additionally the endfinishing itself gives a very fine, sharp and smooth edge – comparable or even better than a thuringian waterhone.




Unfortunately and like most of the old quarries in the thuringian area, the ancient mines were filled with waste and are not accessible any more.

Most of the hones therefore only appear as small handstones. Larger pieces from which benchstones could be cut, are very rare.