Honing and Hones

R

R Hensley

Joined
Jan 9, 2020
Messages
88
I have been looking for a hone for over 50 years. I have several I've acquired from eBay and other places that don't quite do what I'm looking for. In the 70s I had a hone that gave a wonderful edge. You could take a new folding knife and start honing with water and pressure that would create a good slurry and cut quickly then lighten up on the pressure and get a very smooth polished edge that was extremally Sharpe. The stone was a natural stone. I keep it in my tool box at work and some how it walked away. I didn't know the make of this stone but have been looking for another one since then. Would anyone know or suggest the type or name I should be looking for. I watch this forum a lot and know there are quite a few knowledgeable people here. Some one may be able to help me out. the stone was grayish green. Thanks.
 
Do you remember what grit level your stone was.

Google tri-hone. There are several companies that make small and medium sized tri-hones. Course, medium and fine. Usually something like 120/ 400/ 1000
 
I recently bought a whetstone from Woodcraft and it acts as you describe on the fine side. It is a waterstone and builds up a nice slurry.
 
My guess would be that it was an natural Arkansas stone. Although colors can vary a lot in these it can give indication of the stones hardness. Dan's Whetstones has a page talking about how they are graded that may help you. And you can buy from there also.
 
I inherited a Black Arkansas bench stone from a great uncle that produces a biting sharp finishing edge on carbon steels and simple stainless steels like 12C27. Doesn't work well on high carbide/super steels, though, which is why I rarely use it these days. A set of DMT diamond hones (220, 600, 1200 grit) that work well on any steel is far more versatile, I've found.
 
Some naturals that can be grayish green:

Charnley Forest
Vermont Green
Asagi (Japanese Natural Stone)
Thuringen (green tones are unusual though)

From your story, my guess would be one of the first two. The Asagis I've run across are so hard that they do not raise slurry as readily as you describe just from sharpening.
 
Cobalt said:
Do you remember what grit level your stone was.

Google tri-hone. There are several companies that make small and medium sized tri-hones. Course, medium and fine. Usually something like 120/ 400/ 1000
Click to expand...
I know it would create a slurry with just the blade and pressure. I want to say it was fine grit but not a real hard stone. I know I used it for years (3-6 years) before it left me and I couldn't tell it was warn at all. but it did create a wonderful slurry.
 
Sounds like a Thuringian to me, they come in various colors.

Google Escher water hone images.
 
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