Thread: Belgian "Deep Rock" Hone

I take my kitchen knives to a small knife shop and I started talking with the owner about razors.
He had stories about all the razor work he used to do and the some machine he still had that he used to redo the hollow ground.
All in all, nice history.
To make a long story short, he had a Belgian Hone, 2 1/2 x 5 inches sitting in his display case. It had never been used and he told me based on the store address stamped on the box it was at least 50 years old.
I bought it from him for $50.
It has a label and was imported by Pearlduck.
My question is what should I do with this?
Should I lap it, use it as is, put in a safety deposit box, build a museum around it or what?
I was kinda hoping I could use it to hone razors but I just don't know.

A 50 year old Belgian is not that rare, so that in and of itself, does not make it a museum piece. I don't know about the "Deep Rock" name. I assume Pearlduck just gave it that name to allow it some name brand designation.

I vote lap it and use it!

And...show photos, especially of the label, and the top, and the bottom, and the sides, and the ends!

Could it be literal? Meaning it came from the depths of the strata, thus more desirable as a hone due to density?

There once was a coticule mine that sold their hones under the name "Old Rock". Coticules coming from that mine were considered very good quality, because they had access to a few of the very best coticule layers. Could it be possible that Pearlduck, being not much more than a reselling marketing company, rebranded the Old Rock stones into "Deep Rock", or just named them that way because of the resemblance with the high quality brand "Old Rock"?
We 'll probably never know, but since Pearlduck has a reputation for marketing top of the line razors, I can imagine they'd market top quality Belgian hones as well. I believe Randydance owns a "Deep Rock". Maybe he knows more about it.

Best regards,
Bart.

Use it!!!

Oh, and where is this store by the way...

Jordan

Randy owns an "Old Rock" and is very fond of it. I have one from Ardennes Coticule that had "La Vinnette" meaning it came from the little vein in pencil on the end. They are natural stones and they are all a bit different so you have to try it to see how it performs. My guess is you have a really nice stone.

+1, Randy knows about the old rock and deep rock coticules. Dollars to donuts he'll see the title of this post and be in here to comment.

Chris L

Hey ChrisL, your right!

Bach 9135 - I have both the Old Rock and 2 of the Deep Rock with labels the same as yours. I also have a bunch of other Coticules.

The Old Rock stone is very creamy colored,not the same as the Deep Rock which has a darker tone and some faint but uniform "character".

When I picked up the first Old Rock I did not use it because I realized it was a collectors quality stone. About one year ago I contemplated selling it and decided that my selling price would be $350, nothing less. I never put it on the market and have since purchased another which I have used only a few times. They are a hard, fine grit stone. As of now I feel that the value of those stones is at least $350. I am not selling mine at this time. I am holding it for investment. They are that difficult to find and of excellent quality.
Howard of the theperfectedge.com and Bruce have both seen those stones. Maybe they will comment.

I have also sent you a PM.

I'd put on Ebay as a special axe sharpening hone.

Please can we have some hone porn gentlemen?