Thread: Mystery hone incoming

Ok the last chapter:
Here is the hone, dry, wet, with slurry. I lapped this hone and looked around for a razor to run on it...I really wanted to see what the hone felt like. I picked a blade that I do not tape for maximum feel of steel and hone.
The blade I chose was a blade that I would have probably touched up on a SG 20K before stropping. So it was close to being shave ready and in fact might have been with some stropping. I don't think this is the protocol for estimating a grit size but this is what I did. So the hone felt very close to a barber hone in feedback. In other words, practically none.
The razor after 40 trips on this hone with water, was stropped and put to work. The shave: fine. Would I do that again? Possibly, just to keep up the inquiry.
Anyway, here are the pics.




The last pic is of the chipping which I hope might lead to and identification of this hone.

At least it is not an oily India, Bill!

So is that slurry purplish?

Looks like a BBW to me

Very well could be a BBW, but my BBW doesn't slurry in such a dramatic purple. However, my 15k Welsh slate DOES.

My money is on Welsh slate.

Regardless, both are outstanding.

Sandycrack

Here's my bbw slurried.

Hopefully that helps a bit?

Originally Posted by sharptonn

At least it is not an oily India, Bill!

So is that slurry purplish?

Yep, the colors in the pic are true...on my monitor anyway...

Looks to be a BBW stone, Bill. Just like the backside of natural coticules. If it is, personally, I never had much use for it, but 12k it ain't.
By a long shot!

Now the Welsh slate sounds likely as well, but I have no experience with them.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Looks to be a BBW stone, Bill. Just like the backside of natural coticules. If it is, personally, I never had much use for it, but 12k it ain't.
By a long shot!

Now the Welsh slate sounds likely as well, but I have no experience with them.

I don't need a BBW.
And if this is one, it is kind of pricey. Nice box though But not nice enough to make the deal ok. If the seller didn't proclaim that this was a 12K hone, I would just forget it. But he did.
To be continued, maybe....

Looks like a Vosegine stone or La Lorraine, one of the French stones and once cause a near revolution as the “Brown Escher.”

I have a few and they can look like a dark chocolate bar and a bit more purple after lapping. Many have blue/green verdigris colored dots or veins. They do have distinctive cloudy, marbled wavy veining, visible in photos 2 &3, and the slurry is also a bit milkier than a BBW. Like any natural they can range in fineness and some are great finishers.

They work well with Smith Honing solution and water or mineral oil and lite slurry. I use a hard ark slip to make fine slurry, but a high grit Diamond plate will work. Finish on oil or 2-3 drops of Smith and water. If it is a finisher it will be a fine finisher, some say Escher like or better…

Here is a great thread with good photos and lots of information. Nice find. Enjoy…

Originally Posted by WW243

I don't need a BBW.
And if this is one, it is kind of pricey. Nice box though But not nice enough to make the deal ok. If the seller didn't proclaim that this was a 12K hone, I would just forget it. But he did.
To be continued, maybe....

I would be packing it back up if it doesn't do what it's supposed to do. I'm sure ebay would take your side.