When I saw first barber hone with so many imperfection I was puzzled too but since then I encountered few more.
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When I saw first barber hone with so many imperfection I was puzzled too but since then I encountered few more.
I guess the proper term would be inclusion. There are white and orange inclusions throughout the stone. If I look at any of the synthetic stones by norton, naniwa, king, etc etc, they are all of uniform color throughout. I'm not sure why something, man made, designed to be of uniform characteristic for the purpose of cutting/polishing metal, would have such design.
I think your theory is right, brooksie.
The problem is, I can't see the inclusions in the pictures. I guess I need new glasses.
I just looked again and easy dismissed the "few" specks that I did/do see as foreign particles from a box or container.
I do not see any inclusions in the slurry, which on my screen the slurry pictures are a little clearer.
Who knows for sure, not me, my guess is man-made.
BUT,,,,
If you see white & orange inclusions, then natural is a higher probability.
Thanks every one for your wise words. I've read the thread about brown Thuringians and picked up on name of another brown hone whih was mentioned. This the "Frankonian" hone which has similar characteristics i.e. brown, very hard and dense. I accept my stone may well be man made, but does anyone have any thoughts on the Frankonian as an alternative. If some one had some pictures of a Frankonian to post I could compare. Thanks again every one
Looking at the side I have to agree it's probably synthetic. Frankonians are new stones and are not even sold in that size.