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Just wondering what this hone might be, It seems similar to Tam o Shanter to my very poorly untrained eye.
I'm just trying to get better at ID'ing all the different naturals so hopefully someone can help me out here
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I've seen some Tam o shanters that look a bit like this but a lot of them are much darker and more grey.
There are whitish tams. I have one vintage Tam that is very light in color. The speckles that gave it the name 'snakeskin' hone are the characteristic that I would look for. A close up of the stone should show that.
There is definately a White TOS, whether yours is one, its hard to tell from the picture. I remember reading about the white TOS that they were actually a much finer stone then the original. Here a couple pic to examine.
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A close up of the surface.
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If i remember correctly the top pic is Frameback stone, the finest white i ever seen.
In part 3 of "Grinding and Honing" are a lot of pictures about TOS. See: http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...rt-3-site.html
I will give you another option which went through my head when I saw your hone before I read it- Rozsutec.
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Yes, I was also thinking Rozsutec. It doesn't look like a white TOS. I have one, and it's the best finishing stone I ever seen. Strangely, I would say that looks a lot like the Zulu stone, but much more white, and it's a lot finer.
Thanks for the input guys I think I've gained a better understanding of TOS from your pictures
Like the other posters have said already, there are white and light Tams. Not only that, there are greenish, blueish, dark grey and a host of gradations in between:
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Some have peculiarities like the one with the line of white tam running through it, some with radiating bands of darker/lighter colour.
The last one is a Water of Ayr (dark) and Tam (light) glued combination hone.
Regards,
Neil
Yupps thats my little baby
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin103
I'm looking at a Water of Ayr Tam Combo at the moment, so the Tam is generally not a Finishing stone but more of a pre-polish? unless it's the White TOS Snakeskin?
Also in the White TOS are gradations. Between 8 an 12 K. The pressure and the extent of its use determine the fineness of honing.
The Water of Ayr and the Dark blue Water of Ayr are a little bit finer.
You can get a decent shave of most Tams, and a very good one from the white ones - I have used six or so whites and would estimate them to be near a medium hard coticule. The WoA are always finer - the three I have used gave an edge of around 11k or more equivalence.Quote:
Originally Posted by saitou
Regards,
Neil
I'm not sure if it's just mine, but, the one I have doesn't have the classic TOS appearance with the "dots", and, I have yet to find a stone as fine as this one. No coticules, Eschers or Charnleys compare. It is the second hardest stone I have ever seen after a Charnley I used to have, and, the hardest slate stones I have used are softer.
The edge is pretty much like a feathers. Not harsh at all, but I can't detect the "smoothness" part either. It just cuts. I thought that all of the "white" ones were like this one.
