Thread: Rating mystery stones

Originally Posted by DaveW

They were referred to by some people over here as "turkey stones". I've seen antiques dealers (who are knowledgeable, but not necessarily specializing in stones) call them turkey stones many times. That creates confusion with the mediterranean black novaculite stones that are friable and finer, and mentioned in holtzapffel's volumes as being favored for their friability.

Figure if you hear an english speaking person say something is a "turkey stone", you'll probably see and washita pop out.

You can finish a razor with them, but not the same way you would an escher, and I'd consider them a spare tire type razor finisher. You can use them if you need to, but conditions apply (most notably, you can't just hone an edge off of a razor).

Hello Dave,

Yes, sometimes people like me whom aren't native speakers get confused a little bit over local names, especially if you tried to convince an old time seller that it ain't a Turkey stone

About finishing a razor on this particular Washita stone (my stone) if you mean by finishing a razor that it will cut hier ? yes, it will. Is it going to be a geart shave? No. Good shave? Maybe.... the edge it leaves similar to a normal bbw (the black stuff).

However, I got another Washita stone that You can finish razors on it every day a week, very hard very fine and compared to Arkies very Fast. Although it is porous It's still shiny and reflective.





Note the difference between the two stones while they both received the same treatment.

This is one of the best Arkansas stones that I have seen in my life, lapping it was hard work, the turkey one was not that difficult.