Thread: vermont green slate whetstone

I think the people who produce this stuff do so well just cranking out construction materials that they don't care to sift through for choice bits. It's understandable, but a shame as it is superior to the welsh stuff far and away when you have a good piece. Never tried an ilr so I can't say on that front.

I bought one of Matt's restored razors over the holidays that he finished with a green VT slate. It is a really great edge.

I suspect all slate mines derive the vast majority of their income from construction slate for roofs, flooring, etc. There is just too little of a market for razor hones for a mining company to make a living doing that, Welsh slate mines would be similar.

Someone living near the mine might be able to sift though the rubble of pieces too small for construction work, but ideal for hones. Getting permission to do so, however, might be difficult. The stone itself is cheap. All the work needed to cut and lap the stone to produce a hone is the real cost.

Yeah, he basically did it as a favor for me in off hours. He had to set up his equipment to cut bench stones and I had to tell him the properties I needed in a hone so he coild sift through pieces. It was time consuming.

Got mine last week and tried it on 5 razors. Nothing special compared to my Dota Creek, Zulu Grey, and black Ark convex stones. The black Ark is without question either dry or with mineral oil.

To revive this thread I contacted a slate quarry in VT, asked if the could cut me a 10x2x1 specifically a nice piece for sharpening. Minutes later got a reply back, no problem, shipped cost $38. Two week lead time so I'll post some images when it arrives. At that kind of price it's a no-brainer just to try it out.

Yeah, they are really variable. I have had pieces that mimic your experience and pieces that have just been awesome. And it has been pretty even which is a downer to buy random bits of it.

Well I finally got my Vermont slate hone, 10x2x1 inches. The lead time was a little longer than expected at around three and a half weeks but that really isn't too bad, they seem to engage in fairly large and high value building projects so for them to take the time to make this for me, which probably doesn't make them much money if any, is something I appreciate very much. The stone is finished impeccably, the stone is diamond lapped on both sides to what they call their 'honed' finish and I can tell you it is absolutely silky with no perceptable scratches on the surface. All edges have been chamfered also. In addition it is also laser-beam flat. If it hones as good as it looks it will be an absolute bargain for the $38 with UPS shipping I paid.

nice looking stone! I'm very curious to find out how it performs.

Yeah, me too! Please report back on that.