Thread: Unknown Stones

Saw these at a shop, but I didn't see anything familiar about them. The light colored stone must have been softer because it had a good groove worn into it.
The black stone just had scratches and saw marks still visible on at least one of the edges. The bottom still looked rough like it had not been completely finished after it was mined.

If you do a finger nail scratch test and cannot feel a grit, they are good hones. From 8K and upward.
Scratched good on the dark hone. Other I cannot say for sure.
Remember the pace for a trial of the hones.
Good Luck!
~Richard

The large dark one looks pretty interesting

I have an ark colored like the one on the left. It was in a Washita labeled box.

Originally Posted by Geezer

If you do a finger nail scratch test and cannot feel a grit, they are good hones. From 8K and upward.
Scratched good on the dark hone. Other I cannot say for sure.
Remember the pace for a trial of the hones.
Good Luck!
~Richard

A lot of folks seem to get hung up on what to call a stone rather than one its performance. I also have come to the conclusion that any stone that does not remove any residue from the edge of my fingernail constitutes a potential finishing hone.

I have a full set of Naniwa superstones. The 10K will remove slight residue, but the 12K will not. Thus, I would call the 10K a pre-finisher and the 12K a finisher. I have one Chinese Guangxi hone that passes the fingernail test (finisher) and one that will not (pre-finisher). Other hones I have that pass the fingernail scratch test are a Greek Vermio, an Imperia La Roccia, a Dan's surgical black ark, and a rare Anchor hone made from Cumberlandite I got from Griffith Shaving. All the stones that pass the fingernail scratch test will finish a razor to my satisfaction for my tough beard and sensitive face. I also have a Tsushima "ocean blue" stone that responds similar to a 10K, but not quite to the 12K+ level.

I do not own a Thuringian, purple Welsh slate, or Zulu Grey, but from what I have read, I suspect they will pass the fingernail scratch test.

Can anyone tell me how a Coticule responds to the fingernail scratch test??

Originally Posted by RayClem

Can anyone tell me how a Coticule responds to the fingernail scratch test??

Like trying to find a particular black cat in a dark alley during a rain storm.

Jesting aside, I have various Coticules ranging from chalk soft to Arky hard. Each will finish a razor to my satisfaction...if...I do it with the lessons that stone has taught me.
So there is no blanket statement about any natural type of stone, like the PHUG some is and some is not!
Good Question!
~Richard

Originally Posted by RayClem

A lot of folks seem to get hung up on what to call a stone rather than one its performance. I also have come to the conclusion that any stone that does not remove any residue from the edge of my fingernail constitutes a potential finishing hone.

I have a full set of Naniwa superstones. The 10K will remove slight residue, but the 12K will not. Thus, I would call the 10K a pre-finisher and the 12K a finisher. I have one Chinese Guangxi hone that passes the fingernail test (finisher) and one that will not (pre-finisher). Other hones I have that pass the fingernail scratch test are a Greek Vermio, an Imperia La Roccia, a Dan's surgical black ark, and a rare Anchor hone made from Cumberlandite I got from Griffith Shaving. All the stones that pass the fingernail scratch test will finish a razor to my satisfaction for my tough beard and sensitive face. I also have a Tsushima "ocean blue" stone that responds similar to a 10K, but not quite to the 12K+ level.

I do not own a Thuringian, purple Welsh slate, or Zulu Grey, but from what I have read, I suspect they will pass the fingernail scratch test.

Can anyone tell me how a Coticule responds to the fingernail scratch test??

Well, if you don't know how to classify or test the stone (fingernail test was a good tip), a name can be very helpful to someone less knowledgeable about stones and honing. I have a couple stones I've found a few stones cheap, but not a set up with a really good progression yet.

Trying to find stones that will help me the most. Since I can't try out the stone, input from you guys is really helpful.

On this monitor, it looks like the one on the right is a slate of some sort.

Those two stones could do you well with razors. Both would probably need to be lapped flat.

Originally Posted by kelbro

On this monitor, it looks like the one on the right is a slate of some sort.

Those two stones could do you well with razors. Both would probably need to be lapped flat.

Slate. I think someone said the base of my Coti was slate so I'll have to take a second look at it and see how it can be utilized.
The black stone was pretty flat on top except for the scratches, but you can actually see in the pic how convexed the left stone was. After lapping I'm not sure if there would be enough left to bother with.