Hand American and Norton Soft Arkansas stones

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willis

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Apr 14, 2002
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I like plain old fashioned steels like 0-1and 1095 and like soft Arkansas stones to hone them.Here are two Soft Arkansas stones that I use,a 12"x3" in a cedar box with leather strop on the lid from HandAmerica and a8"x2" Norton Lily White Washita.If you like old Arkansas stones too and have some pics I'd like to see them.
 
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Willis, It's good you still have the boxes your stones came in. I have the same box your Norton India stone came in and mine is from the mid 80's. The box your Norton Washita came in I've not seen. Keep it as that identifies it's year of mfg.. A time tracking piece. Are you certain your larger stones are the size you state and not 11.5"x2.5"? A good photo. I like the edge 01 takes but it imparts a foul taste on food items it touches. Plus, it rusts badly and turns black after use on vegetables. So, mine just sit in their holders. DM
 
David the big one is 12" x 2 15/16 x 1"thick and the Lily White is 715/16 x1 15/16 x 15/16 thick by my Stanley Fat Max tape,i just went and measured them.The Lily White had a decal on the top that has stuck to the underside of the box top and to read it I used a mirror to read it.I got the Hand Am in 2003 and the rock is flat using a steel rule to check it but one side has circular saw marks that are visible but cant be felt with fingertips but a fingernail can detect them.The Lily White is from approx. 1960 as far as I can tell.The story I read about the lily whites was Norton owns the only quarry that has good deposits and they are not played out just not profitable to mine.A woodwork guru convinced Norton to mine them back about ten years ago and they were sold for a couple of years through his woodshop supply co. But demand was not great enough for Norton to continue.Any way thanks for the comments.
 
Other stones a hard black arkansas i got 30 years ago,and a Viking stone made of jasper that Ragnar sells.
 
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Norton has had quarries to mine Arkansas stones for a long time. Since, in the 1800's. Their finished quality is always very good. I wish I had purchased my black in 1981 but I finally did get one or two. My Washita is more like a mottled khaki color with maroon streaks. Thanks for checking the measurements. Those are rare. DM
 
Kinda sucks that the Fine Indias are made in Mexico now.I saw a post of a 4" stone that comes with Randall knives and it looked like a roofing tile it was so bowed.I have been looking at translucent hard Arkansas and they are costly.Have read about an old stone Norton /Pike used to sell called a Queer Creek.I dont think they would sell many of those these days.
 
The black Arkansas is finer but pricey and hard to find. The Translucent is pricey but easier to find. Any of these natural stones have gone up. I have a Norton Fine India and a JUM-3 crystalline hecho in Mexico. It seems to be a little more coarse than my fine India made in the USA. Could be I haven't broke it in good. I'm glad I have an old one. Still, St. Gobain is a very large company and makes their abrasives where the best labor economy is offered. It's not just this. Many other factors are considered. DM
 
A nice group photo. Your stone at 3 o'clock and the one inside to it, looks a lot like my Washita. I got it in Hot Springs, AR. from a road side vendor. I had to level it as it was not finished but I guess it was worth it. A 2X6" stone. Thanks for the photo. DM
 
Thanks David,thats the Hand American soft Arkansas I got in 2003.It was one of the few 3 inch wide stones I could find and the lid had a leather strop affixed.
 
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