Thread: American Slate

You want some good old American Slate? Here's what you do. Go to Wurtzboro New York. The is an old abandoned railroad tunnel that goes under the state highway. The tunnel is almost a mile long and is rock cut. The entire tunnel is cut through slate. if you go in there are huge chunks that have fallen from the ceiling and it's there for the taking by the ton. Of course if you go in and a chunk falls on you don't blame me-har har.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You want some good old American Slate? Here's what you do. Go to Wurtzboro New York. The is an old abandoned railroad tunnel that goes under the state highway. The tunnel is almost a mile long and is rock cut. The entire tunnel is cut through slate. if you go in there are huge chunks that have fallen from the ceiling and it's there for the taking by the ton. Of course if you go in and a chunk falls on you don't blame me-har har.

holy cow Wurtzboro ny only a 41 minute drive from me. just about the same amought of time i drive to work.

So wait the tunnel goes under future 86.
south of Sullivan air port.
is it near Wurtzboro mountain road.

I have heard there is a crave in harrimen state part also.
There are abrondone missel solo in Nyack some where.

Originally Posted by Suile

So wait the tunnel goes under future 86.
south of Sullivan air port.
is it near Wurtzboro mountain road.

It's been 40 years since I've been there so I don't remember but the folks there certainly know. if you go I would first check that the thing hasn't been sealed off.

Pardon my ignorance; do these slates perform like razor hones?

finished lapping them today will start some honing tomorrow

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Pardon my ignorance; do these slates perform like razor hones?

Well, that't actually a good question, I've been trying to explore the world of slates lately. That purple one I have with very fine grit but also quite slow.
Actually Coticules are very similar to slates, in how they are formed and behave. But it really depends on the slate itself like every natural stone everyone is different. The purple one i have from twillingate is good, but the slate i have from The Blow Me Down Mountains in NL dosn't seem to do anything for the razor. Slates are sedimentary rocks that undergo changes in heat and pressure, beneath the earth to form this slately like rock, depending on what made up that original sedimentary rock determines what you get in the slate.

Most razor hones are abrasive particles of varying size, (which determine grit size) bounded in a softer mineral matrix. Much like man made stones with grit bounded with resin, glues, cements, lacque or whatever. So if you have a slate that happens to have a grit in it thats harder then steel (like garnet), in a very fine size (5-30 micron say), bounded in the slate rock with a cement of some kind softer the steel, then you may have a good razor hone on your hands. A lot of variables that nature sometimes gives us in exactly what we like.

The Purple slate i have has good grit but the matrix holding it all together is a little hard so i often lap to reveal new grit.

Well i hope that was in some since of order,
Nathaniel

Slate is shale that has undergone metamorphism. The particle size defines slate and there is usually minor differences between one slate and another which is why they come in a variety of colors from red to grey and in between. If the particle size is different you don't have shale to begin with, maybe mudstone or siltstone depending on the micron size of the particles.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

It's been 40 years since I've been there so I don't remember but the folks there certainly know. if you go I would first check that the thing hasn't been sealed off.

40 years since ya ben there that's longer amought of time that i ben alive.
Perty sure there was a earth quake in new york since then.