Thread: A silly question

If you went out in your backyard and randomly picked up any rock and assuming it was large enough to be used as a hone and you had the gear to turn it into one do you think it would have some honing properties sufficient to make it worthwhile?

I'll explain the question when we have some responses in a few days.

I've wondered about this a lot. It's hard for me to say, because from the pictures I've seen of hones in their raw form I would never have guessed the rock would have been usable as a hone.

We have a lot of granite here, I think that would be pretty coarse.
I've wondered about some of the larger lake superior agate though. I know that can be cut and polished into a glass smooth surface. I don't know if there would be any micro grit in it at all to where it would be useful as a finisher or not.

I do believe that there has to be a rock around here somewhere that would have some kind of honing properties.

The question though states that we are picking up a rock at random. That being the case, I don't think we'd be lucky enough to get one that would be useful, but I don't know enough about rocks to know for sure.

I am hoping to learn something here in the next couple of days.

Yes.

I presume you could sand and polish surface to required finish. (cf gemstones)

If it is prone to having large bits in it - perhaps crush up the stone, wet it and make it into some sort of cement... then sand and polish to required finish. ie. create your own artifical stone.

Adjust level of pressure used when honing according to how fast or slow you want to cut.

Interesting question. May not be as simple as I'm suggesting, but could be fun to try!

All the best,
Michael

Seems to me that the best stones come from places that have or had water present at one time or another....Then you need heat and pressure right???

So if I am correct in that premise, then yes I am confident that I could find a rock that I could make into a hone fairly easily,,,Straight razor high end hone probably not, but a hone, Yes....

I've seen some of survivalist-types say you can sharpen a knife on pretty much any 'ol rock. So I'll say I could probably find a stone to do course work, but finishing a straight razor? I have no idea. I look forward to the explanation of the question.

Jordan

When I picked up a rock, I would ask myself whether (1) it had a fine particle size, and (2) whether the particles were tightly cemented, and (3) whether the particles would abrade, or whether they would flip out of their bedding during honing.

If tightly cemented, and the particles would abrade while honing, (meaning you would have 3/4 of a particle, half a particle, 1/4 a particle and then the particle was worn away), then the particle size would not be so important. If the particle tends to pop out of their bedding, then particle size would be more important. And, in this case, the particle size would be the grit size.

When I determined some of the particle behaviors above, I would have a sense of the abrading grit size. At that point, I would have an idea whether "any old rock" would work.

By the way, this was a silly question!

I agree with Glen. I could find a rock that could make a dull piece of metal sharp, but I dont think it would be something I'd want to put on my face..!

ha ha ha ... I've sharpened chisels on a concrete floor, and I've got a scraper that I like to sharpen on a sidewalk if the edge gets dinged.... haven't found a sidewalk I'd hone my razors on though.... or any rocks for that matter.

I have wondered though; there's a huge mountain range a couple hours away, just chock full of rocks (IIRC they're mostly limestone though). There are some sandstone deposits nearby that might work for, like, a 4 grit stone.

I think Larry Andro's nailed it though.

I think it would be possible if i made it perfectly flat. At least i would try to hone blades other than razor first.
Near my town there are mines for red granite and limestone. I think that getting a flat little piece from the miners just by asking would be ok. Some people i know have asked stone pieces and made them a loudspeaker stands.

Now as i got this idea from this thread i will probably have to try it.