Thread: Anyone have a Silkstone ? What's the story ?

I was watching this item here on ebay (Item number:320491779426) and wondering if one of us got it ? One way or the other, does anyone have any experience with one of these beauties ? What are the honing characteristics compared with similar and perhaps more well known stones ?

I bid on that one too, but no luck. Didn't realize it would go for so much money!

If anyone here bought it, I'm sure you'll get an answer to your question. I'd really like to know how it works too.

For what it is worth, I did manage to snag a nice looking Charnley Forest hone last week, and when I get it, I will post photos and comments here.

Now, if I can just find out what these Devonshire oilstones are all about . . . !

Some time ago I was put in touch with a gentleman who was in the "business" in the 60's and 70's, he owned a general hardware store and we had a number of lengthy discussions about the straight razor scene and honestones. At one point he was retailing NOS Silkstones, and was very enthusiastic about their performance, although he still maintained that the German hones were the best finishers for razors. He couldn't provide me with any information about the origins of the stone, or the company retailing them, but he really knew his stuff when it came to hones so I trusted his opinion. Some time after, an SRP member, I think with the username Nerobot or some such, got one and said he thought they were only in the 5-6k range, which was at odds with what I'd been told previously, but qualitative experience is just as important as quantitive so I put the discrepancy down to natural variation. After months of struggling with the Devonshire Oilstone problem, I got some decent leads on other British hones, and was finally able to add three Silkstones to my collection. One in the green tin with the raised lettering and two in the grey cardboard sleeves with the wording, "A Cambrock Product. Made In England." Although whereabouts in England I'm afraid I'm still clueless, I've done a hell of a lot of reading on the subject of hones and I've never seen a reference to the Silkstone, nor have I seen it in any catalogues. Truth be told, in use it's just as much of an enigma; the one in the green tin is the best of the three and I've found it to be an excellent finisher on occasion, but my results with it have been rather inconsistent. It's a smooth stone, being hard there's little tactile or auditory feedback, but there is a distinct feeling of suction as you hone, which is more pronounced than most; this is also a good indicator of the progress of the edge as ultimately it feels like you are honing on honey. Personally, I much prefer harder stones to finish, but am willing to concede there is a steeper learning curve than with softer stones, and maybe this could be a factor in the differing opinions. I like the idea of using an English Hone with a Sheffield razor, no practical reason I just like the idea, but I've found that the Silkstone performs better for me with harder steel and thinner grinds. Although it's a hard stone, it isn't excessively slow, but it's strictly a finisher, and for me I go to it after a 12k or 16k synthetic. As far as the actual grit is concerned I wouldn't like to hazard a guess in this case, as I think the edge from the Silkstone has more to do with it's hardness and smooth polishing action, rather than the actual grit.

Petrologically, I want to say slate, but instinct tells me otherwise. Possibly, it is some type of indurated slate, but it performs differently than my Hestercombe Slate Hone, there is an X factor with the Silkstone that I can't put my finger on. I find it to be quite similiar to an ironstone/schist I have, but I've seen nothing to indicate the presence of iron in the hones makeup. Possibly, a slate/ schist of some sort. The stone is similiar to the Chinese 12k in hand, but not in performance, so I suppose it could be from a bed of similiar stone found in the UK.

Anyway, I like it but with reservations. I'm glad to have it as another representative of a UK hone in my collection, but that ebay price is seriously inflated based on my experience.

Kindest regards,
Alex

Wow, great answer!! Now that is some useful information. Alex, would you also mind my asking if you have similar info regarding the Charnley Forest hones? I just bought one without even knowing what I was bidding on, but the price (around $150) seemed at least reasonable for the size of the hone. Do you like them, how do you use them, do you know where they come from, and so forth?

And sorry for hijacking this thread!!

Originally Posted by JeffE

I just bought one without even knowing what I was bidding on, but the price (around $150)

You bid 150 dollars without even knowing on what?

Originally Posted by JeffE

Wow, great answer!! Now that is some useful information. Alex, would you also mind my asking if you have similar info regarding the Charnley Forest hones? I just bought one without even knowing what I was bidding on, but the price (around $150) seemed at least reasonable for the size of the hone. Do you like them, how do you use them, do you know where they come from, and so forth?

And sorry for hijacking this thread!!

The Charnley is a well thought of hone by some honing luminaries such as Lynn, Sham, Mcwolf and others. Lynn has mentioned finishing on his CF a few times and uses it in the most recent honing video meetup here. Both he and Sham prefer using theirs with oil IIRC. I got one from Sham and like it very much. I use water with a couple of drops of dish soap when I go at it. I don't know what size yours is but IMO if it is a good one $150 is a reasonable price. As with many of these naturals some are better than others. So if you got a good one it will be worth it.

I didn't mean to misspeak. I just don't know very much about CF hones, and not nearly as much as I know about some other things, where the value of what is being offered is very clear to me. Frankly, if it's a great stone and cool to look at and use, then $150 is no problem. I mean, there's people out there bidding $300 for a broken Dubl Duck! $150 for a cool hone isn't that crazy.

PM Randy Tuttle. He has one or possibly two. I haven't asked him much about it. I vaguely recall seeing it in person. I do recall he said it/they will remain in his permanent collection and will never be sold.

Chris L

Originally Posted by ChrisL

PM Randy Tuttle. He has one or possibly two. I haven't asked him much about it. I vaguely recall seeing it in person. I do recall he said it/they will remain in his permanent collection and will never be sold.

Chris L

As he says about all of his stones.....

Originally Posted by JeffE

I mean, there's people out there bidding $300 for a broken Dubl Duck! $150 for a cool hone isn't that crazy.

Yea, but I think those bidders are nuts too. Of course, if I had the money or valued the item up for bid more than my money, I'd have no problem bidding whatever I thought was reasonable, either. It's just that "reasonable" and "value" are very relative terms.

Last time I paid $150 for hones, I got a vintage thurry and two natural combo coti's.