Hone with freckles? Help identify please...

I found these two today at the antiques market sticking out of an old coffee can on one of the tables. They seemed pretty smooth and were only a few bucks so I grabbed them. One had orange paint on three sides. I think the dark one is probably slate of some sort and the other I don't know. It's lighter grey with what look like freckles to me. It's very smooth and has a great feel. Thanks for any identification and knowledge/insight you might be able to share!

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Here they are cleaned and lapped. This one is maybe slate? It measures 7 inches long by 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick.
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This is the one with freckles. It measures 5-3/4 inches long, 2 inches wide and 7/8 inch thick.
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Looks like a Tam-O-Shanter (grey with spots) and the other (dark blue) could be a Water of Ayr. Very nice find!

Thanks, Brontosaurus. I did a few searches for Tam-O-Shanter and, yes that looks like it. In fact, now I remember reading a few threads about these but I didn't remember the name or exactly what they looked like. I'm thrilled to have found one! The other one that might be a Water of Ayr is a little harder to tell. I did a search of that too and it looks like it could be it... maybe?

You're welcome. I have a labelled ToA/WoA combo stone, and I'm inclined to think that the blue stone may indeed be an Ayrshire, especially from the wet picture. They will have loosely interspersed, elliptical ovoid inclusions, sort of like small coma, or comet-like streaks...

This is definitely Salamander Slate pulled from the creek bottoms of streams in the Eastern United States. A very slick stone, hard to hold on to. :beer2:


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Originally Posted by Hirlau

This is definitely Salamander Slate pulled from the creek bottoms of streams in the Eastern United States. A very slick stone, hard to hold on to. :beer2:

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Also hard to find, they like to hide and will get away if you don't grab 'em quick! :rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

You're welcome. I have a labelled ToA/WoA combo stone, and I'm inclined to think that the blue stone may indeed be an Ayrshire, especially from the wet picture. They will have loosely interspersed, elliptical ovoid inclusions, sort of like small coma, or comet-like streaks...

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Thank you, yes I see what might be comet-like streaks as you are describing. Here are a few better pictures, dry and wet. Though it appears "wavy" it is actually lapped completely flat.
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Try a couple of razors on them and let us know how they perform. Nice finds.😎

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Here are more Pics of the Water of Ayr and Tam o Shanter Hone works:

https://canmore.org.uk/site/90106/da...?display=image

Here are more of the red stones ;-)

https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1352060

Thanks, doorsch. Those are great links!

Doorsch, the hone with the "rippled" appearance looks like a dead ringer for the Blais Natural Razor Hone you posted here http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...ml#post1321633

I read through the following posts and looked at the label posted on the next page. I found this one in New Hampshire and Blais Razor Hones were out of Berlin, NH. What do you think?

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Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

Doorsch, the hone with the "rippled" appearance looks like a dead ringer for the Blais Natural Razor Hone you posted here http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...ml#post1321633

I read through the following posts and looked at the label posted on the next page. I found this one in New Hampshire and Blais Razor Hones were out of Berlin, NH. What do you think?

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Yeah i can agree that it really looks like the Blais Natural Water Hone....

Here is another Video of that stone:
https://youtu.be/WmNX9gVhsSI

Haha see i posted it already in the other post....

Thanks, yes the pattern is quite distinctive!

In the other thread you said "My findings are that the stones are in a finisher league, but the shaving quality is beyond a razor finished with a vintage thuringian stone....but they really look aweful with their clouded inclusions and the glittering..."

Does you mean the shave is better than the shave off a vintage Thuri? I think I need to start using my Blais more!!!

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Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

Thanks, yes the pattern is quite distinctive!

In the other thread you said "My findings are that the stones are in a finisher league, but the shaving quality is beyond a razor finished with a vintage thuringian stone....but they really look aweful with their clouded inclusions and the glittering..."

Does you mean the shave is better than the shave off a vintage Thuri? I think I need to start using my Blais more!!!

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Oh well probably some missuse of the correct englisch Term, i experienced the shave was below a Thuringian Hone, in many cases its hard to beat Thuringian stones....well feel free to report back what you experienced with youre stone..

You should change "beyond" to "a bit below" Sebastian, then you'll be all set.

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Originally Posted by doorsch

Oh well probably some missuse of the correct englisch Term, i experienced the shave was below a Thuringian Hone, in many cases its hard to beat Thuringian stones....well feel free to report back what you experienced with youre stone..

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OK, yes I understand. Thanks, I am in awe of anyone who can speak more than one language, even more so that you are able to write so well in English too. Also, many thanks to you for sharing your knowledge of this and other hones, it helps a lot.

Yes, I found the finish from the Blais to be a bit below that of a thuringian also. I was afraid that maybe I was using it incorrectly if the finish was supposed to be beyond that of a thuringian. Now I understand and it is consistent with the results I've had in the few times I've used it. It is a great stone though! Thanks for the help! :chapeau