Thread: Thuringian Arkansas stones …?

What do Thuringian hone companies have to do with Arkansas stones?





Beginning from the late 18^th century until the time just before WW2 the german thuringian hone trading companies like Escher, DSAG, etc. prepared and sold foreign whetstones beside the local thuringian material, that was mined around in the thuringian slate mountains.
Especially coticules and Arkansas stones were cut from larger pieces, lapped and then traded all around the world.
The Arkansas stones were shipped from the States in large oakbarrels to the fabrication sites in Sonneberg and Steinach.

The following pictures show Arkansas stones from the remainder of stock of the “Deutsche Schleifmittel AG” in Sonneberg, formerly Bösenberg, Trinks & Co (BT&Co) and Pike & Escher which was a follow-up of the Escher Company. The company existed until 1963.
Just for the dimensions I have added a small 6’’ Escher waterstone in the following picture.





Most of the stones are translucent, even the bluish grey ones.



The stones are fantastic finishers!

wow sweet stones how did you acquire them ?

I have no doubt that those Arkies are good finishers, but how fast or slow do they cut? Thanks

I got the stones from an old retired hollow grinding master from Sonneberg, who had the chance to acuire the stones from the last owner of the Schleifmittel AG in the 1960 ths.

The quality of these older stones is very good compared to a lot of the actual mined Arkansas stones that I have seen or tried. I only got one "new" translucent Arkansas that I kept and that is somehow comparable to these stones.

Like most novaculite stones, the stones are slow cutters, but will give a very polished edge.

I now that a lot of people only use Arkansas stones for sharpening knifes, but I found they are good finishers for straight razors too. I often use Arkansas stones before or in between I set the final finish with my thuringian stones on the straight razors.

wow! What a nice looking collection.

Michael

I got a "German" Arkansa too, so they prob sold to Sweden as well, but it's actually much less dense than other Arkansas (and not as nice looking as the OPs) I've had/have.

Originally Posted by Mikael

I got a "German" Arkansa too, so they prob sold to Sweden as well, but it's actually much less dense than other Arkansas (and not as nice looking as the OPs) I've had/have.

That's interesting. What is the company or product name of the stone (unfortunately the razor hides the name in your picture). Are you shure that this is a natural Arkansas stone? I just ask because the name "Arkansas" is written in quotation marks and a lot of companies have produced and stil produce artificial stones they call Arkansas (i.e. the german company Apex). I think the name Arkansas is not a registered trade mark for natural stones from the arkasas region, so companies may be allowed to call their artificial stones Arkansas too.

You could be right, I don't think it's an artificial stone though (but I could be wrong) and I think it's vintage too (could be wrong again though ), but it sure doesn't look like a normal Arkansas stone.

The brand name has an anchor with two stars on the sides of the anchor:

From this detailed picture it looks indeed more as a natural stone. But it must be a coarser stone because it is a typical skytestone from the form and if I read correct in your first picture it says "für Se(nsen)... Schneidwerkzeuge aller Art".

I don't know the hole company name right now, but will see if I can get some informations. What is the stone called (still not visible: A?.?R-Wetzstein)?

The name of the stone is:
"Anker-Wetzstein"
... and the rest of the text:
Marke "Arkansas"
fur Sensen, Messer, u. Schneidwerkzuege aller Art
GARANTIRT ÄCHTE QUALITÄT

It feels more like a lime stone, than anything else (I've got a LARGE grind stone wheel in lime stone), but it makes no sense with the "Arkansas" in the name (even though it makes sense for what it is described to take care of).