Thread: Dragons Tongue Hone anyone?

Afternoon all.
I read a post on here by some UK chaps talking about British natural stones.
I read with great interest that a stone used to be produced in the Greatest Country on the planet.
Wales.
The name of the stone is The Dragons Tongue !
Here they are.................

Inigo Jones - Welsh Slate Craft Tours and Online Store

£10 odd delivered.
Mine is on the way, well I had to

Just ordered one thanks for the heads up

My pleasure.
How about pressing that button (bottom right) marked 'thanks'?
I asked the lady how many they had, I warned her I would be posting their page here (after I ordered mine) and people may very well want one. She says they did have "some" in stock.
I forgot to ask for a kick-back

Did she say I warned her when you "booked" yours?
M

Do you know anything on grit size and how fast it cuts?

No, unfortunately not. I know it is slate, which is usually used on roofs here. But my last house was quite old and had polished slate mantle-pieces (fire-places)
I would say they felt a bit like my coticule to touch, but God knows really!
For a tenner though, I have to try one.
I also know makar has a book written about hones and the author rated the welsh hone.
I've PM'd makar to warn him of their appearence.

Looks a bit like a Thuringian in the picture

Here's a bit from Tucker, G, 1983 Ayrshire Hone stones.

"Hones were also made in North wales. Knight mentioned 'Idwall oil stone'; this comes from the Llyn Idwal in Snowdonia, but the hones were made in various places in that mountainous part of wales. As, unlike the English and Scottish hone and scythe stone industries, the Welsh industry has had some relatively recent attention in the literature, little will be said about it here. Davies has described how the hone stone quarries (often associuated with or near slate quarries) were accompanied by water powered mills for processing the stone into finished hones. The industry supplied a local market, and by the 1960's had died out. Altogether there had been some 8 to 10 hone mills, so it was a sizeable industry, but it was never listed in Mineral Statistics and little is known of its production. It has recenty been revived, using suitable stone from the slate mine at Aberllefenni and processing the stone in a manner somewhat similar to that described in Part II for the Water of Ayr Hone works in Scotland, except that planing machines appear to be used in place of the lathes. Its product has the trade name 'Dragon's Tongue'". (p12, 13)

"Idwall, or Welsh Oil stone, 'is generally harder, but in other respects differs but little as a whetstone from the Charley Forest; but in consequence of its being more expensive is in less general use." (Knight, R, 1836, Hone-stones)


Hope this sheds some light on this stone. Suppose I have to buy one now - good sleuthing Marcus! Try and find some Devonshire Oilstone now - be nice to have the full Brit pack (also Charley Forest)!

cheers
Stephen

I know this sounds a little crass, but, I may have some other rather nice surprises for everyone here.
If they like the Ayr they breath in 8x2 !!!!!
I have a little enquiry going on for a foot long Scotch Bonnet(yes a Tam) for myself!! Big, boxed and unused.
Would you believe, some plonkers waste these gems on tools!!!!!!
Anyway thanks, I'll try to find some more beauties. I ring Scotland every morning BTW, no answer yet though!!!!! They might be cheaper than two other sources I'm working on.
I hope the Welsh stone is a bevel setter, but if it's a finnisher, for a tenner, who am I to complain?
BTW, I used to use slate of roofs to sharpen my pen-knives when I was a kid.
M

Devonshire Oilstone.......................................... .................................................. .................................................. ..............................................scut tles off


I'll find one (or two) you know?

In your search for British hones remember to look for the "Silkstone" from Cambrock England.

I have 2 of them and they will never be sold.