Wow I got lucky 30 years ago. The guy just sold me
a "barber" hone. I lost the light for today but I will get back
and add one image of the yellow side to fill out the discussion.
I have been using the yellow side without a slurry for years.
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If you want to tell if its slate for sure here is what you do. Get a nice broad chisel and wack it on it's side hard. Slate has perfect cleavage and you'll have two perfectly flat sections. If it all just breaks and crumbles you know its not slate and the coticule part? Oh well that's expendable in the test.
See? hasn't that been helpful?;)
Here it is.... hard stuff to take a good pix of.
Attachment 34463
I am hunting a big wide brick chisel to
give it the final test. :nono: (not).... :)
Looks like a pretty BBW slurry to me too.