Thread: Grandads hone. Help with ID

Quite a few years ago I received my grandads hone after he passed away. I was much younger and knew little about different stones. My mum had said that it was a metal stone so when I used it and a whitish patch appered through the silver grey of the rest of the stone I had foolishly assumed that it was worn through the metal surface and had stored it away to be looked at in the future.

Well recently came across it again and taking 1 look at it realized that it was caked in oil and swarf and needed a good clean and was actually a whitish stone. Was in a wooden box covered in possibly tar and had a leather hone on top although long ago ruined.

I am not sure if this was originally my grandads or possibly from the generation before from what little my mum could offer on information. Apparently great grandad used a lot of saws etc and may have been his.

Have lapped the stone and seems like a natural. Quite hard with a white slurry. Natural stones aren't really seen much here so will be interesting to see what you think.

Any way here are some before and after photos and any help with Id would be appreciated.



Wet



Dry

Looks like a dead ringer for a translucent Arkansas to me. IMO a sleeper and one of the best finishers there is.

I did think of that but doesn't seem translucent. With a very bright torch held right at the edge the light just penetrates slightly. Maybe 5mm and only exactly where the light is.

Yeah, and "slurry" is not a word used much with Arkansas hones...

Have you ever used or lapped an Arkansas hone? I'm just wondering if when you say it is "quite hard" if you mean that it is as hard as that.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Yeah, and "slurry" is not a word used much with Arkansas hones...

Have you ever used or lapped an Arkansas hone? I'm just wondering if when you say it is "quite hard" if you mean that it is as hard as that.

That is true, but if by chance you DO kick up a slurry with them it does tend to be white.

Well, the fact that it doesn't transmit light doesn't preclude it being an Arkansas stone. Could be a Hard or Soft stone too. I'm not sure if either of those options would've come with what I'm assuming is a leather strop on the back of the box though.

Originally Posted by Marshal

That is true, but if by chance you DO kick up a slurry with them it does tend to be white.

Well, the fact that it doesn't transmit light doesn't preclude it being an Arkansas stone. Could be a Hard or Soft stone too. I'm not sure if either of those options would've come with what I'm assuming is a leather strop on the back of the box though.

Yes. I tend to agree with this. The slight translucence seems to suggest novaculite. The dimensions appear to be in line with that also but I am just judging based on a picture not actuall measurements. Also the buildup of oil would also point in the direction of a...... wait for it.........."oil stone"

Congratulations Ed, thank you for showing your Grand fathers stone. It may be nephrite white jade, very hard. Let us know how it works.
Mike

Looks like a Lilly White, Hard Ark. Some can finish, but is more of a pre-finish stone for razors.

They are great knife and tool finish stones.

Nice work cleaning up that stone.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Yeah, and "slurry" is not a word used much with Arkansas hones...

Have you ever used or lapped an Arkansas hone? I'm just wondering if when you say it is "quite hard" if you mean that it is as hard as that.

Have 2 black translucent Arkansas that I have lapped. Probably not that hard but much harder than coti or thuri. Most of the lapping was done at 80 grit and ran a good few sheets and it only had a shallow dish. Slurry with 320 grit w&d was white but not really thick. Probably because it killed the paper reasonably quickly

Some more photos. Hopefully it may show the colour better. Is kind of a very light tan