What are the best ways to source natural stones?

needler420

needler420

Joined
Apr 29, 2011
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I plan on adding some more synthetic stones to my collection but just curious where people source natural stones. I watch documentaries and in developing countries they just sharpen their blades and machetes on natural stones they find.

Can I just go somewhere in FL and find different grit flat stones. All I ever find is sand and rocks.

I don't mean where can I buy them. Anyone can go on ebay and buy anything. I mean where can I source them in the wild.

I've read there is a place in Japan they source natural stones from once.
 
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Look for state geology reports and find where sedimentary rocks are located. Look around in those areas for siliceous sandstones, siltstones, slates, shales, and/or schists. Those are usually good potential stone types. The key is in finding something with fairly consistent grain size, uniform distribution of the abrasive component (quartz, typically) and hardness. Then you'll need to find a suitable piece and the tools of your choice and work it flat on at least one surface.

You may find this old Pike publication of interest.
 
Yeah I've found stones all over the place, but old abandoned slate quarries are like a goldmine for a rockhound. There are a couple glacial lakes near me that I pick around sometimes and find good stuff too. My finds have been pretty much all finishing stones and keep in mind that most natural stones are not good for much but plain carbon steel.
 
My experience is that the coarse grit washita in the Arkansas stones works decently up to about 425M stainless. Which is a little more than simple stainless. Good luck, DM
 
One thing you have to know is in order to use these they need to be cut and lapped. Which is a tall order unless you have specialized tools. And even if you do that "free" hone may end up eating up your diamond plates which cost money and then there's the time.
 
In addition you can read up on where
Bill3152 said:
One thing you have to know is in order to use these they need to be cut and lapped. Which is a tall order unless you have specialized tools. And even if you do that "free" hone may end up eating up your diamond plates which cost money and then there's the time.
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And your wrists.
 
A shop of surfacing materials could be a decent source of free sharpening stones. You can ask for samples or broken pieces of natural stones for free. But you need the skill of visual identifying stones with sharpening properties.
 
Gritomatic said:
A shop of surfacing materials could be a decent source of free sharpening stones. You can ask for samples or broken pieces of natural stones for free. But you need the skill of visual identifying stones with sharpening properties.
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What kind of shops are those?
 
When I lived in Kyoto, Japan I used to ride up Rt. 9 just past Arashiyama, and walk in the mountains around the now-closed mines. Often I could find old mine 'tailings' piles, loose broken pieces that made for great sharpening stones for small blades. I'd take them to lapidary shops and have them cut in half the long way to give me two flat working faces. Here in Thailand, I can walk into any 'hardware' shop and buy a large brick (size of a shoebox) sharpening stone for about $3 US dollars. I'd estimate the grit size to be about 400.


Stitchawl
 
Mr.Wizard said:
@stitchawl Can you post a photo of one of those shoebox stones? :eek:
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On a similar vein, here's a big ol' chunk of my local black siltstone.

53488062_10217993596859946_6715679789660766208_o.jpg
 
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