Thread: Info about Nova Scotia hone

I am trying to find information about Nova Scotia hone as I have two of them however I do not have full labels for them as they got damaged badly.
It looks like this hone was marketed by company or individual In Sheffield calle somehow like J... How....th.
Anybody has more info or even picture of the whole sticker for these hones?
Thank you

Check here my friend:

James Howarth + Sons, Sheffield
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wo...tury-toolmaker

http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUK/Howar...er%202014).pdf

As far as i remember they sold mainly stones for tools as it was a Tooling producer...

They offered Llyn Idwal (LI), Turkey/Crecian Stones, Charnley and Canadian Stones

Here is an Genuine Crecian Hone (Idwal Stone) i own with the label:

Thank you Sebastian. I do have information about the toolmaking. I am after the information about the hones. The ones I have they look very simmilar to Canadian Oilstone I have with good label. Unfortunately the labels on these hones are badly damaged as the previous owner embedded the hones in boxes with them and after removal from the box part is on the hone as well as other parts are still in the box. Additionally even when you try to put thosse two together there are still big chunks missing. Hopefully I will be able somehow to put it all together or find one intact.

Originally Posted by adrspach

Thank you Sebastian. I do have information about the toolmaking. I am after the information about the hones. The ones I have they look very simmilar to Canadian Oilstone I have with good label. Unfortunately the labels on these hones are badly damaged as the previous owner embedded the hones in boxes with them and after removal from the box part is on the hone as well as other parts are still in the box. Additionally even when you try to put thosse two together there are still big chunks missing. Hopefully I will be able somehow to put it all together or find one intact.

Do we talk about Candian Oilstone / Magog Oilstone ?
Actually i never heard of the term "Nova Scotia" Hone. I do unterstand that we talk about a canadian Stone.

The Term Nova Scotia founds the following:

James Lukin - The Young Mechanic 1872:
"Nothing can probably surpass a turkey oil stone, if good, but this varies considerably in hardness and other qualities. There is a very quick-cutting, slightly coarse stone from Nova Scotia, which is very serviceable, as it does this tendious work with great rapidity, not, however, putting on the tools a very fine edge, but one that admirably suits for such as are to be used on metal. With the rest, a rub or two on Turkey, or Arkansas, or Chorley Forest Stone, will impart a finish"

United States Commission - International Exhibition, 1876
"Nova Scotia - Blue or yellowish-gray color, and of all grits, from the finest to the hardest from the coarsest to the softest; the largest ones for grinding sad-irons and hinges, springs and edge toots..."

The mechanic's workshop handybook - by Paul N. Hasluck, 1854-1931

"A Cheap and Excellent stone for general purpose is called Nova Scotia Oilstone, and nearly resembles
the Washita or Ouachita stone already spoken of, the price being about one third"

Sebastian we could be talking about the same stone as Canadian oilstone but there is also additional confusion with Magog.
I have labeled Canadian Oilstone in my collection and it is somehow in apearance very simillar to it. I did not yet have time to test them but i am pretty sure they are not finishers. Colour is hard to say as it is porous and full of oil.

Originally Posted by doorsch

the largest ones for grinding edge toots..."[/I]

When you can bevel a fart, you're a true master at honing...

In all seriousness, adrspach, do you have pictures of the stones and what is left of the labels? More pairs of eyes usually results in less things missed, no matter how long you look at something.

A present I am trying to cleam them as best as I can without doing more damage. I will try to take some pics with phone once I am back home.