Thread: A Charnley? Or something else?

CFs are such pretty stones Surely the OP's stone is a CF. When they're all green and somewhat uniform in colour that's when I start questioning whether they're CF or LI.

LIs are great stones, if you have the time to lap them. I've only tried a couple of those hard LIs, one of them is finer than all the CFs I've tried. Unfortunately it's covered in flaking.

This is my finest CF btw, I'm not sure if I have showed it before.

Nice looking CF, one stone I wish I had kept.

Nice Stone Piet!!

CFs are a problem stone for us in the states here. They are sort of a softer stone compared to a trans ark, and not any finer, but they cost a mint to get in the US. Not that some trans stones don't have a minty sticker price.

When I talk to woodworkers in the UK who have a charnley, they usually say something annoying like "I've got some of them from boot sales, they're usually about 3 quid". they never offer to sell me one for 6.

I'd love to have a dozen of them, but at $150-$250 each for the big ones, it just hasn't happened.

(OP's thing is already solved, but definitely CF)

I'd bet Charnley. The purple mingled with the green/grey being the deciding factor, as well as your description of the performance.

DaveW, you can always try Ebay UK. It might take a few stones to get one you like though.

I might end up doing that. I did have a good one at one point, it finished about like a trans ark, but it was a little softer. I sold it because for lack of a better way to put it, because they were selling well and I was using only jnats at the time.

I kind of wish I hadn't, I might not use it, but they're interesting stones with personality, and like most naturals, they reward the honer who learns to eke the most out of them.

I got mine from the UK, at the time anyone in the US wanted something like $250 (about 5 years ago?), and then they dropped, but it looks like they're back up now.

Prices went down something around 35-65usd shipped depending on size, or you get a cheap score....

It's interesting to see the comments about Arks here. I know they're supposed to be the same sort of rock as the Charnleys, but while I've been able to find CF's now and then (from Piet, for example), I've never bought or tried an Ark.

You guys now have me intrigued - especially as there are different types with different speeds.

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Another question: What do you guys use to raise a slurry on your hones? DMT plates? I've heard that they can release the diamonds, so perhaps there is a better option.

I've only had a couple of cf stones and have to say they were nice but a fine black Arkansas can match the best Charnley I had tried..for me the Arkansas stones were cheaper too.
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