Another hone I don't recognize

I pulled this out of a bin at an antique store today, and when I was handling it there I was pretty sure it was natural. It was well-used, obviously someone liked using it, slightly dished. Not a trace of oil smell.

I smoothed out one side, not too bad a job using my Norton flattening stone and running water, maybe 20 minutes or so. Took it then to 1000 sandpaper on a glass plate, then gave it a try. I used it with water after my coticule on a fairly ugly old Crown razor, and I was very pleased. I've always thought my coticule honed about the 8000 level, and this stone left a smoother and shinier bevel than that. It also worked fast and had nice feedback, sort a a "swish" on the stone. It shaved great with no harshess.

The color is pretty true in these pictures -- basically a dark bluish gray with some darker veins. One end is broken, but what's left is 7" X 1 1/4 inches.

The thing is -- this stone sparkles throughout. Even down in the dark veins, it sparkles. It's so sparkly and so uniformly sparkly, that I thought maybe it's a synthetic of some sort. So..... I'm looking to pick brains. Either way, it's nice to have another finisher, especially for $3.00.

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By the way, the line down the edge of the stone at roughly the midline is not uniform, and doesn't appear at either end or the opposite side.

I don't know what she is, but for $3.00 she can join the family.

can you show a better pic of the stone wet and with slurry thanks

Different pictures per eleblu05's request

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Slurry actually has a brownish tinge.

sorry stimpy i cant I.D the stone it is a natural and the slurry seems to be of fine grit

Yea that is a sweet find i was bummed about mine at first when i got
it in the mail. Thought it was manmade.
Cause the shinyness of the crystels i the rock.
And the fact that it can cut.
But well it has layers so it's a sweet find.
Though i need to flatten my before i use it.
I never understand why would a blue ish colored stone have a
brown slurry.
The slurry changes to a whitish color when dry.
Cause they come kind of thin long and narrow i think.
they where selected for refining the sharpenness of cutting tools.
like scythes.
cause ya keep the tool hold still and move the stone over the leading edge.

I really should flatten my and cut a few inchs off i think mine
is just to long to hone a straight razor.
But i don't want to shorten it to much.

To the OP.... I have no idea what yours is but glad to hear that it gives a good edge.

:tu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Suile

Yea that is a sweet find i was bummed about mine at first when i got
it in the mail. Thought it was manmade.
Cause the shinyness of the crystels i the rock.
And the fact that it can cut.
But well it has layers so it's a sweet find.
Though i need to flatten my before i use it.
I never understand why would a blue ish colored stone have a
brown slurry.
The slurry changes to a whitish color when dry.
Cause they come kind of thin long and narrow i think.
they where selected for refining the sharpenness of cutting tools.
like scythes.
cause ya keep the tool hold still and move the stone over the leading edge.

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Thanks -- I share the question about the brownish slurry, I expected grey. I can't begin to guess what it is, 9th grade Earth Science was like 45 years ago. The thing sure can cut, though. I expect to play more with it this weekend.

Curious. Are you making the slurry with a diamond plate, or another stone? I read back and forth and did not see! Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Curious. Are you making the slurry with a diamond plate, or another stone? I read back and forth and did not see! Thanks.

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I was using a diamond plate.

It looks like granite.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Curious. Are you making the slurry with a diamond plate, or another stone? I read back and forth and did not see! Thanks.

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I probably should use a diamond plate, but I was using my universal slurry-maker, a small Carborundum razor hone, which I lapped and rinsed before I made the slurry in the picture.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DaveW

It looks like granite.

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Thanks Dave, you're right, it does resemble granite. Maybe that will kick-start my brain.

Dont underestimate how fine granite can be! treat it like an arky in regard to surface prep and I think you will keep being surprised. Nice score Stimpy!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stimpy52

Thanks Dave, you're right, it does resemble granite. Maybe that will kick-start my brain.

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I have wondered for a while how fine granite could be if it were flattened and lapped (but not polished), as long as the surface was non-porous.

I'm totally guessing that it's granite, though, given how many different types there are. I lived on a retired granite mine growing up, but it was mined for buildings. Very uniform, but it looked a LOT like that. The stuff that's used for chem lab tables would probably also be good.

I have a couple of slate stones that look almost exactly like that, but they are significantly harder to lap. They would have taken me hours by hand with a 325 DMT. They also both look like they are absorbing water, but when you let them soak the change in weight is insignificant.