Thread: Turkey Stone Research

According to the source below they came from the interior of Asia Minor (Turkey) and shipped to Smyrna (Izmir).

https://books.google.de/books?id=Nq4...smyrna&f=false

This source has it that they needed a slate or wooden backing:

https://theodora.com/encyclopedia/h2/hone.html

Here's some more:

OldTools Archive

Originally Posted by Gchristyuscg

That's the modern convention, but in the 18th century there tended to be less standardization of terms. One favorite example we ran into recently with a recipe was: add as much flour as necessary to make a cake. They weren't always very specific in their descriptions.

Yeah, people were not moving as much once they settled and they certainly didn't communicate the way we do now so that is understandable.
I guess a lot of the cooking was done by look/feel at the time as well. Everyone probably didn't have nice measuring cups and spoons. Like when you mix pancake batter, you can't always go by the box. That is pretty funny though.

You've gotten me interested in these Turkey stones, but it sounds like the good ones sell for a premium. I'll have to put that in the long list of "like to have" stuff.

Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

FWIW, here are two pictures of a Turkey stone I acquired from a Turkish dealer, before and after the boiled milk treatment I mentioned above. Really a nice stone, with a feel and result similar to a translucent Arkansas. I've only used it with olive oil.

Attachment 278585Attachment 278586

Brontosaurus,

Does the dealer happen to have any other stones available? And thank you for the info! I'd not yet seen a side by side comparison between ones which had been boiled and ones which hadn't, it's amazing the color change that happens.

Originally Posted by Gchristyuscg

Brontosaurus,

Does the dealer happen to have any other stones available? And thank you for the info! I'd not yet seen a side by side comparison between ones which had been boiled and ones which hadn't, it's amazing the color change that happens.

Apparently, yes. Below is a link to the stone as offered. I think it may be from the same source as that offered by Griffith Shaving. In any case, you might contact Ertan (requin on the French forums), who runs the site as linked about the historical evolution of the "Turkey Stone" name, particularly in the 18th century rather than later. His claim as stated on the site, like the others, is that the "Levant" stone comes from Crete, but if there was another similar stone in Anatolia proper, he would certainly know about it. I have used another stone from Anatolia, but it is more of a sandstone. Great with knives at a more rudimentary stage, whereas the stone from Crete is a novaculite type as mentioned.

Pierre du Levant 170 x 70

Originally Posted by Steve56

In my neck of the woods (Southeast US), 'sweet oil' was sweet almond oil. My folks would use warm sweet oil for the kid's earaches. I never heard of any other oil being called that, but who knows?

Cheers, Steve

Thank you for sharing this personal anecdote. Out of curiosity, I just looked up "sweet oil" in the 4th ed. (2005) of the Webster's New World Dictionary (Midwestern US bias), and here is the definition given there: "any mild, edible oil, as olive oil." Also, from the 9th ed. (2003) Chambers Dictionary (Scottish bias): "olive oil; rape-oil [canola oil in the US]; any oil of mild pleasant taste." Now, I wonder what Dr. Johnson might have called it, followed by Noah Webster.

Brontosaurus,

Where did you get the information to boil it in milk? Is there a period source for that treatment?

Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

Olive oil in 18th century Pennsylvania? As an alternative, I would have thought some sort of animal fat or grease. Weren't some of the first petroleum oil fields located in Pennsylvania? But that comes much later...

Oh, I am confused. I purchased mine from an elderly European Gent who said it was a "Turkish oil stone". From Turkey. He said they were treated or soaked in oil, although he didn't say what type. Doesn't smell of mineral oil at all.

Originally Posted by Gchristyuscg

Brontosaurus,

Where did you get the information to boil it in milk? Is there a period source for that treatment?

I learned it from Ertan at Rasoir-Sabre, the Turkish dealer I mentioned. Not saying it was necessarily used in 18th-century Pennsylvania, but that it is a traditional treatment in the eastern Mediterranean, or where the stone comes from. Another way he recommends is to charge the stone with fat or grease taken from a boiled sheep's tail. As the stone apparently has calcite veins as a source of imperfections, I would think that charging it with milk-fat would be more complementary. And like said, I have tried it and it works quite well. PM me if you would like further details on the milk-fat charging process.

Originally Posted by Grazor

Oh, I am confused. I purchased mine from an elderly European Gent who said it was a "Turkish oil stone". From Turkey. He said they were treated or soaked in oil, although he didn't say what type. Doesn't smell of mineral oil at all.

Following his comment, you could soak it in either olive oil or light mineral oil. My impression is that mineral oil itself doesn't have a smell. Rather, it is often kerosene or another petrochemical ingredient as blended that does.