Thread: Salmen Yellow Lake vintage

Originally Posted by hatzicho

Well,
sidmind is correct,
the Thuringian whetstones of the upper devonian age you know as water whetstones like the labelled Escher stones consist of slate. In Germany they are called "Wetzschiefer" translated something like whetslate, which is a special form of slate, consisting mainly of mica, chlorite and a little bit of quartz. This special slate is found in very thin layers between other layers of slate and quartz, mainly in the thuringian area of Germany. The quartz particles do have particle sizes in the very low range between 1 and 10 µm. Thats the reason why they are very smoooth and capable for sharpening razors and medical instruments.

can you state your source's for this info. i can only find one mineral slate and thuringians share and thats quartz

Originally Posted by eleblu05

can you state your source's for this info. i can only find one mineral slate and thuringians share and thats quartz

I think you getting back to trying to separate Thuringians and Slate as different rocks they are the same darn thing. it just happens that Escher hand picked certain slate from a certain layers that worked better than other slate from different holes and different layers.

It's the exact same thing with Arkansas stones. which I know a few things about, I have spent time and purchase from an Arkansas quarry and Arkansas Stone manufacturer.
They pull lots of rock out of the ground. slab it, hand pick the good stuff, label it grade 1 and sell it to "Norton" or whomever, grade 2 gets sold to 2nd tier venders.
The current natural hone manufactures are doing things the same way they did 100 years ago. just different time and place.

I currently have about 1000+ Arkansas stones in my inventory, I can tell you that I have stones that are 1/2 grade 1 translucent, and the other 1/2 is grade 2 'hard black'. in the same stone.

It's nature....

Thuringians = Slate
Escher = Slate
Roofing tile = slate

I'm not sure if this is the correct way to define slate. And, Thuringians, are not slate. I'm sure there are slates in Thuringia but what we call Thuringian is not. Yes I would think that Thuringians are slate if I didn't know. The same goes for the Coticule. But they 're not. Specifically for the stone we call (vintage) Thuringian, it is very porous and it can hold quantities of water, it's too soft, can react with many chemicals or heat, it brakes easily and it isn't suited for making roof tiles or walls, in comparison to slates. And, combined with the crystals of SiO2 its quite a rare formation. Pretty much, it's like comparing a slate to Novaculite.

[QUOTE=Vasilis;1016828]I'm not sure if this is the correct way to define slate. And, Thuringians, are not slate. I'm sure there are slates in Thuringia but what we call Thuringian is not. Yes I would think that Thuringians are slate if I didn't know. The same goes for the Coticule. But they 're not. Specifically for the stone we call (vintage) Thuringian, it is very porous and it can hold quantities of water, it's too soft, can react with many chemicals or heat, it brakes easily and it isn't suited for making roof tiles or walls, in comparison to slates. And, combined with the crystals of SiO2 its quite a rare formation. Pretty much, it's like comparing a slate to Novaculite.[/QUO
having two or more of both stones i have to agree with you i dont think their the same they may share the same mineral quartz .hey sid mind if you have a thuringian lap it tell me what you smell i have lapped mine today to check because slate has a distinctive smell guess what the smell on the escher/thuringian is different

I really don’t understand, what’s so bad about slate. What is so negative knowing that every time you hone a razor on your yellow-green Escher, you are honing on a slate rock?
Maybe my translation is not good and there are different special definitions in english/american language for different kind of slates? ! Than let me know.

Whithout a doubt, that waterwhetstones like the Escher-labeled stones are “Schiefer”= slate/ shale/ schist? The stones have been mined in the Thuringian slate mountains in the area of Steinach. The main slate industry in Steinach was the production of slate plates and slate pencils, used for writing in schools and other applications. This kind of slate has the ability, that it could be very easily split into plates and rods. In direct neighborhood to this slate occur very thin layers of whetslates, which is a very pure slate.
You can read this after in good geological books dealing with german geology.

The waterwhetstones we talk about are not as old (from geological and usage standpoint) as other whetstones of the thuringian area. According to Max Volk, who did a lot of research about thuringian whetstones and published some literature to this subject in the 1960’s, these stones of the upper Devonian age were found around 1800 in the mountains of Steinach. From geological standpoint this stones consist of mild pure clay slate of yellow, green and blue colour. This slate has been formed as deposits of a very still sea. During geological activity these sediments of mud and clay are formed by tectonic pressure and temperature over thousands of years to what we know as slate today.

So maybe there is someone to let me know – what’s so bad about slate?

Hatz, there is nothing wrong with slate, people spending $600-$800 from eBay need to justify it in their heads that they are getting something special and there is no way they can think it is the same rock that might go on a roof.

Edit: Here is a link to one of my other threads where you posted some great info about how it really works. And I use you posts as reference a lot. http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...nives-ect.html

This is not an American translation issue, sorry I am being blunt, but it's true,

Well, even a diamond consists of the same element ("C") as coal (mainly).

My point exactly...

Originally Posted by Piet

There isn't really a controversy on Cutler's Greens. They were mentioned in old books and no active member knows for sure how they look like. An UK Ebay seller has been selling "possible" Cutler's Greens but everyone knows his naming is BS.

Yeah but his stones are as good a hone as I have seen.
In my opinion (and I can't believe I am going here) the Escher stones are collectable, and I love the ones I have, but they are quite over rated. In fact my $10 stones from China are some of the best naturals I have.
Stingray
I am just begging for a come-upance for saying all that

Originally Posted by hatzicho

I really don’t understand, what’s so bad about slate. What is so negative knowing that every time you hone a razor on your yellow-green Escher, you are honing on a slate rock?
Maybe my translation is not good and there are different special definitions in english/american language for different kind of slates? ! Than let me know.

Whithout a doubt, that waterwhetstones like the Escher-labeled stones are “Schiefer”= slate/ shale/ schist? The stones have been mined in the Thuringian slate mountains in the area of Steinach. The main slate industry in Steinach was the production of slate plates and slate pencils, used for writing in schools and other applications. This kind of slate has the ability, that it could be very easily split into plates and rods. In direct neighborhood to this slate occur very thin layers of whetslates, which is a very pure slate.
You can read this after in good geological books dealing with german geology.

The waterwhetstones we talk about are not as old (from geological and usage standpoint) as other whetstones of the thuringian area. According to Max Volk, who did a lot of research about thuringian whetstones and published some literature to this subject in the 1960’s, these stones of the upper Devonian age were found around 1800 in the mountains of Steinach. From geological standpoint this stones consist of mild pure clay slate of yellow, green and blue colour. This slate has been formed as deposits of a very still sea. During geological activity these sediments of mud and clay are formed by tectonic pressure and temperature over thousands of years to what we know as slate today.

So maybe there is someone to let me know – what’s so bad about slate?

Well...God should have labeled them...It's his fault!!