Thread: Norton Emery Wheel Co. India Oil Stone

My HAD really kicked in today and I now have four more hones than I had this morning. This is by far the neatest one. It has a heavy metal box with raised lettering. I thought at first it had two layers but after bringing it home I am thinking that it is just marks from how it was used. I don't know how or if it will fit into my progression but at this point I don't care, its cool. From what I have found so far I think that it is from the late 1800's and I don't know what grit it is. Any info/comments will be appreciated. Tim

That is a cool box! What the stone is I do not know, I would have to see that one in person. But it most likely would be a hone for use to remove chips etc from the edge of the razors edge.

I love old stuff like that!

It will be a good excuse to drop by. I have started to lap it and it is hard. It is like a finer barber hone. At least finer than the one I compared it to.

The box was worth it. Maybe I can cut down my 4-8k Norton to fit! LOL

Tim

First cup of coffee this morning........

Well, the lid of the box says it all. It is most likely an India oilstone ( man made 600-800 grit) and maybe, if it has 2 sides, then the other side would most likely be an Emery oilstone. Both may be very plugged up with swarf and need a cleaning with a stiff metal brush and oven cleaner. Lapping that hone would be bear. Use silicon carbide sandpaper lubed with WD40. Do not waste a DMT on that hone.

From what I can find the first India oil stone was made in 1897. My searches for when the name changed from Norton Emery Wheel Co. has come up short.

It appears a lot smoother than a Amalgamite barber hone that I have. But that might be because the abrasive isn't as dense. I got a chep razor at a knife show yesterday and I am going to sit down with my hones during the race this afternoon and do some experimenting.

Tim

I did some more experimenting this afternoon and as I suspected the this norton is finer than the Amalgamite barber hone. Both are courser than the Noton 4K.

The more that I look into it I am surprised that the barber hones are courser than I thought that they would be. So much for preconceived notions.

Tim