Yet another please identify my hone-thread

[Gsssson]

I'll do some cleaning and lapping when I have an opportunity, and get back to you with fresh pictures then!

[Euclid440]

Yea, clean it first. Can’t tell you how many black stones, I have bought hoping they were arks, only to find out they were something else. Fortunately for just a couple bucks.

As said start with a good hosing of oven cleaner, wait a few minutes and hose it again and scrub. Then wash in soapy water, that should at least reveal the color and any pattern.

If you want to get all the oil off it, you must soak in water and degreaser, I use Simple Green and or, Awesome from the dollar store. Some hard stones can take months to release all the oil.

[Steel]

I have lapped many an Arkansas with sandpaper 400/600/800/1000 grits and they have all raised a slurry so not sure how helpful that would be. Maybe the color of the slurry?

[Gsssson]

I've got a little degreaser left over from the good old days before everything went environment friendly. That stuff takes rattlecan paint off and goes thorugh the bottom of plastic soda bottles given a few weeks ( had alot more before I figured that out). To my eyes the stone looks like its showing the natural color, but if you think it's colored by oil I'll hit it with that degreaser and we'll know for sure.

[Vasilis]

I've got a little degreaser left over from the good old days before everything went environment friendly. That stuff takes rattlecan paint off and goes thorugh the bottom of plastic soda bottles given a few weeks ( had alot more before I figured that out). To my eyes the stone looks like its showing the natural color, but if you think it's colored by oil I'll hit it with that degreaser and we'll know for sure.

You might damage the stone. SiO2 acts as an acid, and they might react. Better safe than sorry, use something milder like soap instead.

[Magpie]

You might damage the stone. SiO2 acts as an acid, and they might react. Better safe than sorry, use something milder like soap instead.

I've got a little degreaser left over from the good old days before everything went environment friendly. That stuff takes rattlecan paint off and goes thorugh the bottom of plastic soda bottles given a few weeks ( had alot more before I figured that out). To my eyes the stone looks like its showing the natural color, but if you think it's colored by oil I'll hit it with that degreaser and we'll know for sure.

If I'm not mistaken, Gsssson is talking about Carbon Tetrachloride or maybe Trichlorethylene Shouldnt damage the stone at all, but will certainly damage the lungs, liver, and braincells!

[Vasilis]

Sorry Gsssson, and thanks Magpie, you're right.
When I read it, I thought it melted the metal can, thinking that it was a strong base. An organic solvent like this could work, as long as it has a relatively low boiling point; high enough to clean the stone and not evaporate before finishing it's job but not too high ending up with a stone saturated on that instead of the oil. In that case, give it a try on the stone, I can't imagine something serious going wrong for the stone. Just be careful for your own good; organohalogens/halocarbon and other organic substances have an expiration date, and sometimes the reason is a serious one; you don't want to open a bottle with the inside liquid having the smell of freshly cut grass (phosgene) or other poisons, and there is also the category of organic peroxides that kind of... explode. I exaggerate but do be careful and at least wear gloves and gas mask.

[Marshal]

Unless that mag lite is LED and pushing some serious power it may not tell you much. I've got a translucent Arkansas, and anything less than 250 Lumens won't show at all through the stone - and that doesn't show much at all.

I'd throw my vote on it being slate, but it's hard to be certain until you've got the oil off the stone.