Thread: ironstone and hematite

Hello,
Has anyone ever tried to hone razors on ironstone or hematite slab?
I read somewhere (I don't remember where) that these stones were used for final touch...

I really don't know but I would think it would depend on the matrix rock the Hematite is in. Unless you can get some really high grade ore where the slab is pure.

In the History & Gazeteer of the County of Derby the author mentions that compact specimens of Ironstone from Codnor and also from Woodthorpe are used as hones. Another reference I have specifies that razor hones came from these two areas, whether these are the ironstones, or something different, I'm not sure.

I also remember an article that mentions the use of ironstone for honing, it says that such stones are so hard that only a couple of strokes are used otherwise an edge would be rendered too smooth. Of course the article was about tools in general, so the too smooth part may not apply to straights.

Kindest regards,
Alex

After a little research on the internet I found the source of information...
the book is "Turning and mechanical manipulation", published in 1856 by Charles Holtzapffel...Although it is quite old there are a lot of interesting information...
Here is the link: Setting Razors. Part 3

Ironstone is a rock. Off hand I don't know what its makeup is. hematite is a mineral FE2O3 and is a major ore of iron. usually its found in various sizes within a rock. Depending on the locale the amount of hematite in any given chunk of the rock can be very high or very low.