Thread: Mystery hone

Picked up this stone on a trade. Never saw anything like this. Primarily green in color. With black streaks, light greenish patches, and fine gold flecks throughout. Reminds me of wood due to the grain. Was told it hails from France.

Acts much like a Coti (I think). Feels slightly gritty with slurry, and must be finished on clear water as the slurry is rather aggressive. I believe garnets or some kind of material releases from the stone and cuts the blade. Stone is hard, smooth, and due to the grain, seems like it could flake away, like shale. But it hasn’t done that yet.

Anyway, just thought I’d post and see if anyone has seen anything like this.

Does look like an Old World cut. Here's a ballpark guess, maybe a Schwedenstein?

That's a real beauty! Wish I wasn't so color blind. Looks like pictures of Schwedensteins I've seen. I've never seen the term Old World Cut before. Does that have to do with shape?

Schwedenstein huh? Never heard of that before! I've been told possibly a hybrid coticule.

Originally Posted by relli1130

Schwedenstein huh? Never heard of that before! I've been told possibly a hybrid coticule.

Good morning, you can checkout thuringianhones.de. has a Schwedenstein hone as example and a little history about them.

Matt...

Originally Posted by duke762

That's a real beauty! Wish I wasn't so color blind. Looks like pictures of Schwedensteins I've seen. I've never seen the term Old World Cut before. Does that have to do with shape?

"Old World cut" is something I cooked up as a euphemism for a custom-cut hone that fits into a custom cut-wooden paddle or support. These are often found in Europe.

There are some Thuringian’s with the green and grey mottled pattern. It would make sense, if it slurries easily. Some were called Schwedenstine mined from between the Green and Black layers from the area where Ecscher’s were mined.

There are some good pics on the razorlovesstone site and a good write up here on SRP by Hatzicho. (The origin of the so-called „Schwedenstein“ Hones)

Interestingly the pre war, WWI Escher’s were the Green stones from the upper layer and the Grey/Blue/Black stones from the lower layers, Post WWI.

How does it hone, is it a finisher? Old reviews seem to be pre and finishers,

Thanks for the info. I own a yellow green Escher. This stone is nothing like my Escher. This I think is more like a Coti. Far more aggressive than an Escher. Is the schwedemstein is A thuringian of sorts, this stone is not a Schwedenstein

That is a schwedenstein for sure. They rank in between cotis and thuringians in terms of finish, possibly in hardness. They are good stones.

Nice looking hone. Have you shaved off of it yet?