Thread: The Chapel Hill NC razor stone? Who's near there?

The History of Whetstones in North America found in a nineteenth century report on Arkansas Novaculite stone (thanks JCitron for posting the link to that report) mentions quite a few states in the U.S. that at one time or another had active whetstone mines.

Here is a quote from that report which talks about where are at that time, specific locations near Chapel Hill, NC. Does anyone who lives there know of the area referenced? Chances are their are probably houses on or near the site now making for hone hounding unrealistic, but who knows:

"The most valuable bed is about seven miles west of Chapel Hill, at M'Cauley's quarry. It is on the summit of a hill, one of a northeast and southwest range composed of chloritic slate. The honestone occurs in distinct perpendicular beds. In color it is a soft olive green, looks like horn, and on thin edges is transparent. It acquires smoothness and hardness with use and is best adapted to carpenters' needs, though sometimes employed as a razor-hone. M'Pherson's quarry in Chatham county, five miles west of Woodin's ferry on Haw River, is next in importance. The stone is lighter colored, softer and has a finer grit, probably fine enough for razors.

I like the sound of all that. Can anyone familiar with that area shed any info on this?

Thanks.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chris L

The History of Whetstones in North America found in a nineteenth century report on Arkansas Novaculite stone (thanks JCitron for posting the link to that report) mentions quite a few states in the U.S. that at one time or another had active whetstone mines.

Here is a quote from that report which talks about where are at that time, specific locations near Chapel Hill, NC. Does anyone who lives there know of the area referenced? Chances are their are probably houses on or near the site now making for hone hounding unrealistic, but who knows:

"The most valuable bed is about seven miles west of Chapel Hill, at M'Cauley's quarry. It is on the summit of a hill, one of a northeast and southwest range composed of chloritic slate. The honestone occurs in distinct perpendicular beds. In color it is a soft olive green, looks like horn, and on thin edges is transparent. It acquires smoothness and hardness with use and is best adapted to carpenters' needs, though sometimes employed as a razor-hone. M'Pherson's quarry in Chatham county, five miles west of Woodin's ferry on Haw River, is next in importance. The stone is lighter colored, softer and has a finer grit, probably fine enough for razors.

I like the sound of all that. Can anyone familiar with that area shed any info on this?

Thanks.

Chris L

No, but I'm close enough to poke around a bit. I'll see what I can find out

Originally Posted by Chris L

The History of Whetstones in North America found in a nineteenth century report on Arkansas Novaculite stone (thanks JCitron for posting the link to that report) mentions quite a few states in the U.S. that at one time or another had active whetstone mines.

Here is a quote from that report which talks about where are at that time, specific locations near Chapel Hill, NC. Does anyone who lives there know of the area referenced? Chances are their are probably houses on or near the site now making for hone hounding unrealistic, but who knows:

"The most valuable bed is about seven miles west of Chapel Hill, at M'Cauley's quarry. It is on the summit of a hill, one of a northeast and southwest range composed of chloritic slate. The honestone occurs in distinct perpendicular beds. In color it is a soft olive green, looks like horn, and on thin edges is transparent. It acquires smoothness and hardness with use and is best adapted to carpenters' needs, though sometimes employed as a razor-hone. M'Pherson's quarry in Chatham county, five miles west of Woodin's ferry on Haw River, is next in importance. The stone is lighter colored, softer and has a finer grit, probably fine enough for razors.

I like the sound of all that. Can anyone familiar with that area shed any info on this?

Thanks.

Chris L

I'm in Raleigh, NC, about 15 minutes from there. Let me see what I can find.

Awesome, thanks guys. I feel like there should be the Mission Impossible theme playing here or something.

Just prior to the area I've quoted it talks about how the "perpendicular beds" of this soft olive green colored stone at the 7 miles west of CH location being "in great abundance" within a slate formation. At first I took the "perpendicular beds" to be a vertical formation. I think it may mean that the slate formation has the bands of this olive green hone stone running perpendicular to the slate. So it could be flat on the ground but noticeable and running in a different direction from the overall slate.

Chris L

I'll have to re read Roy Underhill's Woodwright's Companion. He went out hunting around there for hones and wrote about it in one of his books