Purchase of a Mystery Stone

[cotedupy]

a Canada stone (which might be a Hindustan stone, but is labeled as Canada stone)

This is very cool.

The fact that you found that in Canada basically puts paid to my theory that Canada (oil)stones were Hindos rebranded for export, because TH&Co. were a company in London. Finding a 'Canada Stone' in Canada, but branded for a UK company, makes it pretty much a racing certainty that these stones aren't Hindos in disguise.

Here's some info about the company from Neil M:

 

[Legion]

The thing about finding that Canada stone in Canada is it quite possibly went from Hindostan to London, then made the return journey all the way back to Canada.

 

[cotedupy]

The thing about finding that Canada stone in Canada is it quite possibly went from Hindostan to London, then made the return journey all the way back to Canada.

Well yes, that would be the other (remote) possibility. Though we're on a shaving forum so let's play Occam's Razor...

 

[LJS]

@Lyon Heart I am not sure on some of those ID's, but that is a nice lot of stones to find in local shops - I am jealous! Good stuff and thanks for posting them!

 

[Lyon Heart]

@Lyon Heart I am not sure on some of those ID's, but that is a nice lot of stones to find in local shops - I am jealous! Good stuff and thanks for posting them!

The list identifying the stones is just my best wild-*** guess. I would certainly accept any input offered. That said, a few of the stones have gone back into the Simple Green, so identifying them may become easier a month from now. The fourth one on the left appears to have been used only with water and is a complete mystery to me.

 

[Legion]

The list identifying the stones is just my best wild-*** guess. I would certainly accept any input offered. That said, a few of the stones have gone back into the Simple Green, so identifying them may become easier a month from now. The fourth one on the left appears to have been used only with water and is a complete mystery to me.

Looks like it could be some sort of Jnat to me.

 

[LJS]

The list identifying the stones is just my best wild-*** guess. I would certainly accept any input offered. That said, a few of the stones have gone back into the Simple Green, so identifying them may become easier a month from now. The fourth one on the left appears to have been used only with water and is a complete mystery to me.

The degreaser really does an almost magical job of deep cleaning stones, so let's wait for that and maybe a little lapping on some and I bet the crew here can get most if not all of them fully identified for you. Certainly a few worth being rescued and lots of life remaining in those stones.

 

[Lyon Heart]

OK, the batch of stones is degreased, cleaned off, flattened, dressed and each one used a few times.

So far, this is what I know (going left to right top to bottom):
1: Purple thing. Likely a Welsh Purple Slate “Llyn Melynllyn” or French La Lune Stone. I've included a close-up. It is harder than a Coticule and almost as fine.
2: Belgian Coticule. Not as yellow as my others, but this one I am sure of
3: My guess is a Soft Arkansa Stone
4:I have no idea. I know saying it is "Rock Hard" doesn't help. It would have worn through multiple diamond plates, so I used the rough back of a granite tile and realized I was polishing the tile. I then used a cement patio stone and realized it was polishing the cement. Firtunately #11 appears to be a coarse Carborundum and it works great at the initial flattening before a diamond plate. It hones much finer that the Arkansas
5: My guess is (same as #3) a Soft Arkansa Stone
6: This acts as a 400 grit. Potentially synthetic or a very consistently coloured natural
7: A very smooth Hindostan, honing much like a 10K grit stone
8: A grey cracked Hindostan with the lined edge used as the honing surface. This hones much like a 6K grit stone, softer and sandier than #7.
9: A Canada Stone (based on it's label) I've shown the sides of #7, #8 and #9 together. They all have layers typical on Hindostans. I have honed and shaven off this one and the shave is smoother than when I use a blonde Coticule but not as smooth and sharp as a Zulu Grey Stone. It is sandstone based but not nearly as gritty as the Hindostan stones that I have.
__: You might notice a gap in the updated picture where there was a JNAT. I gave it away. Through these razor / honing groups I got to know one of you who really enjoys his JNATs so I sent it to him. One day I'll get into using JNATs but not for now. (I know this sounds sacrilegious to some of you. I hope you'll forgive me)
10: A soft synthetic which had been hand labelled as Emery Stone
11: A two grit Synthetic that I assume is Carborundum. I thought I'd have to use for it until I realized how good it is at initially levelling stones.

As mentioned before, any input to help identify these would be appreciated. My trip to Magog turned up no stones at all, much less a Magog stone. I did pick up another box of $3 to $8 stones in the Ottawa Valley. I've included a pick and will clean them up shortly.

 

[Legion]

#4 looks like a Washita to me. Shine a strong light through the darker part, it should have a little translucency you can see at the edges.

 

[LJS]

@Lyon Heart

I mostly agree with your identifications just looking at the pics. Number 1 however, I think is a BBW

1 - My opinion is belgian blue from the coticule mines - the large garnets are very clear
2 - coticule
3 - ark
4 - ark
5 - ark (more questionable than 3/4)
6 - synth
7 - hindo from the side layers if I see the pics correctly
8 - hindo
9 - Its labeled Canada stone, so it is foolish for me to argue. If it wasn't labeled I would also call it a hindo due to the sedimentary lines
10 - alox synth
11 - carbo combo synth

 

[Lyon Heart]

#4 looks like a Washita to me. Shine a strong light through the darker part, it should have a little translucency you can see at the edges.

Cool! #3, #4 and #5 (the crazy hard stone) all have a small amount of transparency. I also have another Washita which is similar to #3 & #4.

#5 is more translucent than the other Arks, but certainly fits the range of colours, hardness and translucency.

My initial reaction to LJS's suggestion that #1 is a coticule was that it can't be. Then I do realize that I've never seen a Welsh Slate nor other purple stones, so I should look again. Having now taken a pic of it between 3 other Coticules, I'm still thinking it's got a lot more sheen but it's not that different.

 

[LJS]

My initial reaction to LJS's suggestion that #1 is a coticule was that it can't be.

No, I’m not calling it a coticule. I am saying it is a BBW. Google around Belgian blue whetstone or go to the Ardennes website and check them out. They are often the backing used on older coticules, but they are a whetstone from the same mines.

 

[Lyon Heart]

No, I’m not calling it a coticule. I am saying it is a BBW.

Sorry. Didn't mean to mix up the Coticules and BBWs. I always think of them as the Blonde and the Blue Belgian Whetstones, never thought that "Coticule" only applied to the Blonde side.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Could number 1 be a rouge du salm?

It's hard to see on your picture, but since you are calling it purple-ish. Bbw is possible as well.
Slurry colour would tell alot.

 

[Legion]

Cool! #3, #4 and #5 (the crazy hard stone) all have a small amount of transparency. I also have another Washita which is similar to #3 & #4.

#5 is more translucent than the other Arks, but certainly fits the range of colours, hardness and translucency.

My initial reaction to LJS's suggestion that #1 is a coticule was that it can't be. Then I do realize that I've never seen a Welsh Slate nor other purple stones, so I should look again. Having now taken a pic of it between 3 other Coticules, I'm still thinking it's got a lot more sheen but it's not that different.View attachment 1890760

That looks like a BBW to me.

 

[LJS]

Sorry. Didn't mean to mix up the Coticules and BBWs.

No worries and no apologies needed I was just being clear in what I meant. Yes, they are from the same locations/mines, but they are not only different seams but also almost always perform quite differently than the coticule (yellow). It is not just a purple variant, but most of the time they are slower, have large garnets, and tend to be a little more coarse. Good stones but still different than the standard coticule. Good finds either way!

 

[Lyon Heart]

Could number 1 be a rouge du salm?...(edit).......Slurry colour would tell alot.

The slurries on three BBWs and #1 all seem similar. I honed a german knife on them to get a sense of feel and both the hardness and honing are similar as well. Here's a pic with #1 at the top.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Well, I am certainly no expert... But to me 1-2 and 3 look more like a rouge du salm/la Lorraine backing as aposed to a bbw.
It was my understanding that Bbw have a Grey-ish/blue colour to them.

Stealing an old picture of another member on a related topic on the forum where the two stones on the right are clearly bbw, the other ones are rouge du salm stones.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Here's a picture of a Belgian seller offering a yellow coti with this rouge du salm backing. I'd say that looks very much like your number 1.

Anyway, I am just throwing guesses around based on what I have seen.

Others are more savvy on this subject. I am curious to read more replies about this stone myself.

You do mention the stone being harder than the yellow side of a coti. I had a rouge du salm, it slurried so quickly (pretty wine red), I wouldnt call it harder than a yellow coti side. The grit estimate was between 4k and 6k, depending on slurry thickness.

 

[Lyon Heart]

You do mention the stone being harder than the yellow side of a coti.

I did originally say it was harder, but now that I have lined up the four, taken a knife and honed on each as comparison, I'm not finding a significant difference.

I'm buying into the likelihood that it may be a Rouge du Salm, but the other stones in my last picture (including the middle two that have equally red/purple slurry) have natural seams to what I understand is Blonde Coticule on the otherside. The blonde side for these two are much yellower than the one on the right