Thread: Grecian Hones

For a long time I've been wondering what to call these light green sometimes blueish stones with a swirling speckles pattern. Are they Llyn Idwals, a type of Tam O'Shanters or something else? I've only seen one with a Douglas Oilstone label before at the forum.

These pictures come from a recently ended auction. It features a stone of this type but with a Grecian Hone label:

'Genuine Grecian Hones', 'sold wholesale by James Howarth & Sons'



I found one reference to Grecian hones at the forum by A_S:

...the Grecian stone is described as being similar in appearance, but superior in performance, to the Idwall stone.

The stone in that thread is a different type of stone, harder but it also has a speckle pattern and flaking. I have two of these and one of the lighter ones. I also have a somewhat similar blueish stone.

Are all of these lightgreen stones Grecian Hones or is just a brandname from James Howarth & Sons. Do they come from the Llyn Idwal quarry?

Here's one of mine and one I had.