Thread: *Superior-Fine Grade** Novaculite Sharpening Stone*Royal Flint* {3/5 Point} 825g

Okay, somebody talk me down here. Up too late messing around on Ebay, I found this link to a seller of Canadian Novaculite stones. I had never heard of these, but they claim their "Superior-Fine" Grade is 3.0 or higher on the specific gravity scale; even the finest Arkansas stones are no more than 2.6-2.75 from what I've heard. I love finishing razors on my SB and Trans Arks, and was thinking about trying this one out. Not asking for valuation; I'll either get it (in which case I would report results), or not. I'm just curious if any of you novaculite aficionados knows something I don't.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Superior-Fi...19.m1438.l2649

Thanks-Aaron

I know they have a website if you want to look at some of their other options for a different looking stone. Not sure how good the stones are though

Some of those look more like granite than any Novaculite I'm familiar with. I don't think it's even physically possible, much less naturally possible, to get Novaculite in a tighter, more dense configuration than 2.7x.

Hard to say from a pic if they're good or bad, but to my eye they look like expensive doorstops. I wouldn't take the plunge unless I were fully prepared for that potential outcome.

Then again, I'm sure Canada has decent consumer protection laws and they'd probably be risking some hefty fines if the stuff they're selling isn't Novaculite. Maybe I'm just being paranoid?

Novaculite is novaculite. Though interesting at 3.0 gravity. Wonder how they determine that? Individually measure each? A lot of work. For any technical or scientific descriptions of novaculite, I'd stay with Dan's Whetstones website for the scientific explanations. Novaculite composition doesn't change from location to location. +/- 2.5 gravity seems to be the standard.

Thanks for the input fellas-I remain very skeptical about the whole 3.0 sg claim. I'm just curious if it would even be possible to get an edge sharper than I can get off my SB and Trans Arks. I messaged the seller on Ebay about how they determine that, as well as its flatness and suitability for razors. I haven't heard anything back yet, but he has a 100% rating on nearly 700 transactions, and the stones do appear to be stamped and graded in what I assume is a Canadian proprietary system unlike domestic US sellers like Dan's who have their own systems as you have detailed, LHT.

My intuition tells me this would be a good buy, though I have no real need for it-just a new curiosity to play with. I go back to work officially tomorrow, which is probably a good thing (as I tend to go on acquisition jags with these things given too much free time-last summer it was vintage shell strops lol!). We'll see if the seller can or will try to entice me into a BIN sale. I'll test it and report back if I get it. Stay warm and hone on! Aaron

Please let us know, I was looking at them myself

I was in the same place, curiosity-wise, a couple of months ago. At that time I was set on trying novaculite stones and decided to get a smaller (~5.5"x2.5") stone from the 'superior-fine' category.
Deep down, I was also hoping it would save me some money by avoiding a more expensive purchase (an Ark or a Turkey stone). Well ... that didn't quite work as planned.
I ended up buying a 8x2 Trans Ark a few weeks later and swapped the Canadian novaculite for some soaps.

My thoughts on the stone:
Out of the box, this stone requires a lot of patience and even more elbow grease to get it lapped and prepped.
The good: this is a reasonable finisher at an accessible price.
The bad: extremely slow and with mixed results.
I was not convinced by the abrasive capabilities of this stone and to me it seemed rather ineffective as a hone. I tried different types of surface prep and various media (water, soap, glycerin, oil, etc), but the verdict remained the same.
Compared to the Trans Ark I bought after, the Canadian stone requires 3-4 times more work and the resulting edges, although good, aren't quite up there.

Now, this is based on a sample of one and others may have different experiences with these stone.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

...the stones do appear to be stamped and graded in what I assume is a Canadian proprietary system unlike domestic US sellers like Dan's who have their own systems as you have detailed, LHT.

As I understand it, the rating system (specific gravity) used by Dan’s is determined or established by the USGS. Dan’s does not use a unique or arbitrary rating system. This is how / why they claim there is no difference between the True Hard, Hard Black, and Translucent; because each of the three are +/- 2.5 SG. The only difference between the three is color.

Just got this email from the seller :

"There are two types of mineral deposit that I am currently using as retail market finishing stones, per se. These are given the designations Ultra-Fine Grade and Superior-Fine Grade Novaculite. As such, 1/5 Point and 2/5 Point Superior-Fine Grade are the least dense, density is the method normally used to establish the quality of the Novaculite (novaculite is a micro-crystalline form of quartzite and an uniquely prized mineral).

These lower density stones will put a sharp enough edge on the razors, still further finishing is to be achieved with the denser stones and so on. As such, I regularly use the 3/5 Point. The stones I list are what are known as the surgical grade variety, per se. Arkansas stones are given the designation as ‘Soft’ or ‘Hard’ along the same grounds as my own. Interestingly, there are sources of Novaculite across the world. In fact, my project has been the first in my home region here in Canada to do so.

I also list a stone I am naming Kuuseira. These are a type of siltstone from the badlands area. Geologically, they contain a certain amount of quartz and garnet. They are quite excellent on higher carbide steels, I find them to treat so-called damascus steel with the correct burnishing (that pattern they temper into the steel is visible to the eye when sharpened with this stone. Other types of stone will leave the edge somewhat scratched). I find them to work well on establishing the bevel before finishing my stainless steel razor with the Novaculite stones.

Thank you for the inquiry."