Thread: Tam O'Shanter and Water Of Ayr

Hello everybody,
this is my first post here in SRP!
My question is: Tam O'Shanter and Water Of Ayr are different names
for indicate the same stones ? Or are different ?

Bienvenuto to SRP, VPK!

Water of Ayr - another offering from Scotland. The Tam O'Shanter was originally listed as "fine" and the Water of Ayr as "very fine." Historically, the Tam O'Shanter and Water of Ayr stones, although quite different, were lumped together and known as "Scottish hone" or "snake stone" so today there is still a little confusion so make sure of what you are buying - only the Tam is speckled. The Water of Ayr gives a very fine edge and is in the region of 9,000 - 11,000 grit size.

Source: The Shaving Room • View topic - Choosing & Using a Straight Razor - pt3, Hones

Welcome to SRP. As Olivia pointed out the two hones have been confused by different quarries in the UK over the years but the WOA is a black stone and said to be a finer cutting hone than the Tam. The photos are some I borrowed from someone else's post some time ago. I don't have the rock.

Hello,
thanks for yours responses...
In fact I always assumed they were different stones, considering also the different colors, I was just confused by different opinios read on the web ..

I have samples of both in my collection and they are different stones. The WOA I have is labeled and is not black. It's a watchmaker's stone and not a razor hone. I'd take a picture of it but don't know what I did with it! Tried to find it a few months ago. Too many stones. Well, not too many, but not organized well.