Thoughts on this natural

OK, got this on the bay the other day. I thought I was buying a vintage coticule that was missing the paddle however upon getting it I'm not so sure.
I lapped it and it's as smooth as a thuri, is a light green colour but has some imperfections (that can't actually be felt) - might be manganese but not sure.
It's pretty hard and the base doesn't seem to be BBW - it's almost black and doesn't look like the BBW of anything I've ever had.
Length is about 6 inches.
Don't think it's as fine as a thuri so might still be a coti but it just doesn't look like one.
Oh for what it's worth, it doesn't autoslurry and when I've lapped it the slurry was a white with a hint of green - sort of the colour of the flesh of a Granny Smith apple.

Is this one of those "Mystery Cotis"? I got it from the Spain (the Filly seller).

You're the one that beat me on that one, eh. Yeah I figured it for a vintage coti too. I bought his other stone, which I correctly ID'ed as one of the stones I collect. That doesn't look like one of them, though. None of mine have pockmarks in the surface or have been backed by anything other than a paddle or have been cleanly sawed or chamfered. They're all of a VERY rustic cut and have gouges in the sides demonstrating how hard the stone is. The pockmarks and those black flecks scream an early synthetic to me. It also looks very soft from the pictures, these stones aren't soft.

That stone is odd. My first guess just from those pics would be a reform Escher, though I've never seen them backed or in that shape... but that's the closest thing I've seen to that stones appearance. When you slurry it, does it look like there are bits of shredded newspaper in the slurry?

Tell you the truth, the surface itself (color, flecks, pores, etc) look like an absolutely PERFECT match for a LG reform escher I had under some american brands label a few years back. That'd be my first guess.

Ha, I beat the master!

No it's certainly not an artificial.
I'm still not certain that it isn't a coti. There might be a faint quartz line running through it.
The slurry was normal natural slurry - same as I get from cotis or thuris.
Oh and it was reverse dished like the ones you got.
There aren't any pockmarks, it's as smooth as a B'sB.
If I put my LG thuri "bout" next to it and close my eyes there really is no discernible difference in feeling.

It's definitely possible then. Did you do the chamfering or did it come that way? I don't suppose you have any pics before the chamfer?

Let me know your thoughts after you shave off it.

Can you take some shots of the backing, too?

Oh and slurry pics.

What did you lap it with and how long did it take?

Oh and if any sides are unlapped, definitely take a picture of them.

Looking at the pics in the listing, yeah I do think this is probably one of the mystery stones.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STRAIGHT-RA...U2rE7IG9Su8Nmr5YRhBHw%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Looks similar to one of mine. Don't know what it is but it seems finer than my coticules. But coarser than my thuringian. Could be that I just haven't gotten to know it yet. I been working on other stones. So only played with it a little. It's a pretty hard stone. Maybe polishing it will make it finer?

Another shot

I don't know if that's one of these stones, but if it is, polishing it isn't necessary. Similar to Thuri's, any coarse scratches from lapping will wear themselves off quite rapidly.

Cool looking stones!

OK, just shaved off this stone. Took a shave ready filly that had a trans ark edge and gave it about 200 strokes on the new stone.
The edge took a small step back sharpness wise but it became incredibly forgiving.
The feedback from the stone was quite waxy with no discernible removal of steel.
Obviously this isn't the best test - some might say the ark edge was still there however I'm confident that that's not the case, tree topping my arm hair wasn't quite as good and I used this edge on Monday so can happily say it has changed
I'm less sure this isn't a coticule now due to the butter knife properties but at the end of the day it doesn't matter - the end result is more important than the name.
Oh just forgot to add that ATG on neck and top lip were almost ark level too with no tugging.

It's a nice looking stone. If it was mine I would be really curious about the lighter coloured layer sandwiched between the two outher veins. guess you'll know in a few years.

The lighter layer is glue. It's not a natural combo

Ok didn't know that. Still a nice looking stone though.

Seems that I bought the other one of these hones that was for sale Paul. I also thougth it migth be an old coti, hoped from the color to receive a green laVerte.
But its totally different - reminds me of Lyn Idwall hone from the view. I have about 4 or 5 LI stones but have not one seen backed with slate yet. Also the black backside is not typical slate and also no rouge de salm which you find on cotis. Havent't tried the hone yet.



I have contacted Joseph, the seller, if he has some more informations where these hones are from.

Hi Peter,
I'd love to see what info the seller has. In any case as I said it works perfectly!

Hmm, these strike me as a different type of stone, now that we're seeing three of them, all cut significantly more accurately and cleanly than my stones, all backed with slate, all looking softer than my stones, and all with a similar, darker color than my stones. I'd say this is a different class of mystery stone.

I would have guessed Lynn Id from Sebastian and Mikael's stones in the past, but having recently gotten a vintage Lynn Id, I'd say no. They're much harder, glassier, and darker than what is sold as modern Lynn Idwal (which this stone more resembles). Honestly, the vintage I've got brings to mind something between a Tam O and a Turkey stone.

Are all three of these examples from Spain or France?

Mine was from Spain (restauracio I think he calls himself)

My thoughts on this natural: Paul, learn how to hone and then use this somewhere in your progression to see if it makes you any better?

there is a similar looking stone in the 3 rd. Henk Bos book, he shows each stone separate and then the process of combining them. the book is pdf and free, go to his site,download the book and see if it dosent look similar.