Thread: ID Help Please

I imagine it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to tell from a picture, but it can't hurt to ask.

I picked this hone up for $20 at an antique store. All the guy had to say was that it was "really old". It seems to be very fine and extremely hard. I tried lapping it off and on for 2 days with wet/dry sandpaper and the progress was so painstaking I'm giving up for now until I can get a DMT.

The stone was a dark gray/blue but when I started lapping it it turned very light gray.









Any input is appreciated.

It looks like an Arkansas to me.

bj

Interesting looking stone, but I can't tell what it is. What grit wet sandpaper did you use? I would try a really coarse 220 grit on a flat surface, if you haven't already, until you get a DMT. The edges of your stone have been beveled. I tried to do that with one of my black Arkansas stones, but it was way too hard. Maybe yours is softer than a black Arkansas. What I hope you have is a large Thuringian. Did any slurry form when you tried lapping on sandpaper? If so, what color was it? Let's see what some of the HAD folks with lots of different stones think, when they wake up.

I went through about 2 packs of 220 sandpaper and the same with 400 when I ran out of 220, and as you can see there is still a dark spot in the center.

It did form a slurry when I lapped it which is a milky white with almost a faint cream tint to it. Dried on glass looks kinda light gray.

I just ordered a Coarse grit DMT so it should be here in a few days. Also got a Norton 4k/8k and a prep stone. Hopefully that will be enough to sharpen up the older razors I found at the antique store. Most of the edges are in pretty good shape.

My sharpening arsenal will consist of the 4k/8k, whatever this stone is, and I ordered one of those wool/cotton strops and .5 dia spray and chromium from SRD.

Originally Posted by Mudkipz

I just ordered a Coarse grit DMT so it should be here in a few days..

The coarse DMT is 325 grit. I lapped my hard (brick) with a DMT 125 and it took forever I use the 325 to dress my other hones as it leaves a nice smooth feel up to the 8k hones. After that I use the 3k shapton GS to polish the finer hones.

You have a nice looking stone there

Hopefully it won't take too long, I've gotten a lot done with sandpaper. Even if it does take a while though, at least I won't be burning thru sandpaper $5 at a time.

I had considered getting the XX coarse, but I also ordered a Norton 4k/8k and I didn't know if it would be too coarse for the 8k, and I could only afford 1 DMT right now.

I still just want to know what kind of stone this is. It's driving me nuts.

I think I'll just consider it and use it as a final polisher off the 8k until I hear otherwise.

Originally Posted by 2Sharp

It looks like an Arkansas to me.

bj

+1 on this.

My black and translucent Arkansas don't form a slurry at all with coarse grit sandpaper. I am thinking you have a softer, and maybe better, stone there! If your stone is an Arkansas, I can't imagine how the edges were beveled, unless it was on a carborundum grinding wheel.

I'm clueless unfortunately. I've been searching online for quite a while and it looks like so many stones it's hard to say.

I guess it doesn't really matter what exact type of stone it is if I can just find out exactly how I should use it.

My best guess is finishing stone, but I have no idea. I'll try to compare it to the Norton when it gets here.

there is an "X" hone threadd in basic honing
I say this belongs

I also say arkansas