One For The Geologists Among Us-My 1st Home Made Hone

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I was lucky enough a while ago to stumble across a piece of stone which I though was some slate that had been cut to a thickness of 8mm. It had previously been used for packing some ceramic tiles so have no idea where it might have come from. It has sat down the cellar for some time until this weekend, I have cut to shape and lapped it on 240 and 320 grit wet a dry. It has a very fine finish, I only have slate to compare it to and it is as fine as maybe finer than the welsh slate I have in my collection. There are still some deeper scratches that I will remove but I have never seen slate with the markings in like this?

What are your thoughts? Slate or something else? Either way I'm looking forward to using it

Looks like a slate - from the color and the sratches seen on the first photo. How hard is the stone?

It doesn't seem too hard, it didn't take too long to flatten it or much effort.

Ok - that also fits for a slate. But of course could still be something entirely else. Without having the stone in hand, we can only guess.

Thanks for your help, I'm happy with slate, it's only an experiment. If it turns out an effective hone I have plenty left down the cellar and could have a lifetime of honing and some ahead of me

Slate is probably the most common rock, there are a few factors that separate a hone from a hone shaped object. As a rock hound I have found and made quite a few hone shaped rocks. The big test is going to be what it does for or to an edge. Take a nice 8K edge and a loupe and see what it can do. I have a hone that does not fit with all the criteria for a hone, it does not really regress and edge with any sort of speed, but if you have a 12K ish edge it will give it a smooth butter shave. So it straddles the hone and hone shaped rock criteria. I am curious what it will do. Like Peter said it certainly looks like slate.

Il let you all know, I have just acquired a cheap ERN from eBay that needs some work, I think that is the 1st edge this stone will see

Congrats - as many stated - looks like a slate - let us know how it performs!

I am anxious to try some local (Kansas City area) slate I have seen in the wild!