Yellow Lake Oilstones

[timwcic]

This stone has been on the top of my mystery milk crate pile for a while. Has never failed a great edge whenever I put it to use. After it’s last use, it finally time to pinpoint its identity. Came in a nice box but as usual, no label. I always thought it had a UK pedigree so I started there. Gave a fresh lap to clean up any glaze to get its personality to pop. Stone is gray/dark gray in color with matching slurry/mud. Reacts quickly with vinegar and has a S.G. Of 2.80. Has a pronounced pattern to the surface and carries thru to the sides. Surface also has a slight sparkle/twinkle in the sunlight. It has a Thuri-Escher like feel to it and gives a edge feeling north of 10k during shaves. I believe it’s in the Yellow Lake family of hones. It is possible it could be a Calcareous Siltstone but I don’t know if they react to acid. If they do, that’s where my moneys at

 

[Wid]

I’d guess it to be a Yellow Lake. My YL stone is the only slate type stone that reacts to vinegar. The siltstone doesn’t

 

[timwcic]

I’d guess it to be a Yellow Lake. My YL stone is the only slate type stone that reacts to vinegar. The siltstone doesn’t

Thanks Rick, it is a underutilized hone. It get overshadowed by the big named stones but given a chance, it pulls its weight. It does have some feedback similar to my Eschers but would never confuse to two

I was leaning towards a Siltstone YL due to it fineness, surface pattern, high SG, color, soft feedback, acid reaction (still not sure), and the rip out on the bottom. It’s doesn’t look slate (cleavage) or YL LI (conchoidal fracture) but unique to itself. I find different interpretations of the YL family. Copied this from another site


“The last variety sold under the Yellow Lake name is actually not quite slate but a form of fine grit calcareous siltstone. These stones are dark grey in color and will be softer than other versions of the stone. Using them tends to also produce a different feel under the blade, difficult to describe but less glass-like (like most slate whetstones) and more like a Thuringian with solid feedback. Where these stones were sourced is currently unknown and they are the fairly rare (about as rare as the original Llyn Melnllyn versions) The best way to identify if you have this version of the Yellow Lake Oilstone is to put a drop of vinegar on the stone’s surface. Due to its calcareous nature, the stone will react to the vinegar and bubbles will be produced within the vinegar. If this happens, you have one of these stones. If it doesn’t, you have one of the grey Alberllefenni versions”

 

[cotedupy]

This stone has been on the top of my mystery milk crate pile for a while. Has never failed a great edge whenever I put it to use. After it’s last use, it finally time to pinpoint its identity. Came in a nice box but as usual, no label. I always thought it had a UK pedigree so I started there. Gave a fresh lap to clean up any glaze to get its personality to pop. Stone is gray/dark gray in color with matching slurry/mud. Reacts quickly with vinegar and has a S.G. Of 2.80. Has a pronounced pattern to the surface and carries thru to the sides. Surface also has a slight sparkle/twinkle in the sunlight. It has a Thuri-Escher like feel to it and gives a edge feeling north of 10k during shaves. I believe it’s in the Yellow Lake family of hones. It is possible it could be a Calcareous Siltstone but I don’t know if they react to acid. If they do, that’s where my moneys at

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The scalloping on the bottom (and a few other things) suggests to me it's probably not a 'Yellow Lake'. As in - it wasn't a stone sold as a Yellow Lake by AB Salmen, cos I've never seen a 1" thick mounted YL of any kind. Is the box original? Has it got the torn out rock still attached?

That's not to say it couldn't be the same type of stone as something sold as YL, and I'd agree - there's something about the looks of that make me think it's from the UK, and specifically Wales. Though rocks of this kind are obviously going to be found all over the world.

The thing it looks most like is the 'Wood Box AB Salmen Stone', and your description of being around 10k would match too; they're a little finer than the 6-8k of standard YLs. These were mounted, they normally came as 1/2", but possibly they did 1" versions too. I can't remember if they react to acid though, I'd have to check...

Something to note - 'calcareous siltstone' is a very broad and loose term that could describe all sorts of rocks, including your stone there. As you say, there's seemingly no fissility or cleavage, and what acid reaction tests are looking for is CaCO3 - Calcium Carbonate. A 'calcareous siltstone' is basically any fine-ish grained sedimentary rock, with some Calcium Carbonate in it.

 

[Legion]

The thing it looks most like is the 'Wood Box AB Salmen Stone', and your description of being around 10k would match too; they're a little finer than the 6-8k of standard YLs. These were mounted, they normally came as 1/2", but possibly they did 1" versions too. I can't remember if they react to acid though, I'd have to check...

I thought that as well, and the thing that made me think it even more is the oyster chunk from the bottom of the stone. The white glue stuff that they used to attach those stones to the wooden boxes is crazy tough, and I could see it removing a chunk of stone before letting go.

 

[timwcic]

The scalloping on the bottom (and a few other things) suggests to me it's probably not a 'Yellow Lake'. As in - it wasn't a stone sold as a Yellow Lake by AB Salmen, cos I've never seen a 1" thick mounted YL of any kind. Is the box original? Has it got the torn out rock still attached?

That's not to say it couldn't be the same type of stone as something sold as YL, and I'd agree - there's something about the looks of that make me think it's from the UK, and specifically Wales. Though rocks of this kind are obviously going to be found all over the world.

The thing it looks most like is the 'Wood Box AB Salmen Stone', and your description of being around 10k would match too; they're a little finer than the 6-8k of standard YLs. These were mounted, they normally came as 1/2", but possibly they did 1" versions too. I can't remember if they react to acid though, I'd have to check...

Something to note - 'calcareous siltstone' is a very broad and loose term that could describe all sorts of rocks, including your stone there. As you say, there's seemingly no fissility or cleavage, and what acid reaction tests are looking for is CaCO3 - Calcium Carbonate. A 'calcareous siltstone' is basically any fine-ish grained sedimentary rock, with some Calcium Carbonate in it.

The set is as found a few years ago. I feel the box and stone came together on one. The remains of the glue matches the rip out of the stone. The chicken nugget missing from the bottom of the stone is long gone. A little bit of white is still visible in the glue. It’s thickness now is 7/8. I was at least 1 inch with the missing 1/8 lost to the honing gods. No signs of a label or glue footprint can be seen or felt. It sure has a lot of YL fingerprints but could always be from one of those long lost Wales mines in the neighborhood

 

[cotedupy]

The set is as found a few years ago. I feel the box and stone came together on one. The remains of the glue matches the rip out of the stone. The chicken nugget missing from the bottom of the stone is long gone. A little bit of white is still visible in the glue. It’s thickness now is 7/8. I was at least 1 inch with the missing 1/8 lost to the honing gods. No signs of a label or glue footprint can be seen or felt. It sure has a lot of YL fingerprints but could always be from one of those long lost Wales mines in the neighborhood

View attachment 1909853

That splodge of glue mark is very very similar to what you see on the inside of the Wood Box AB Salmen Stone.

I suspect it probably wasn't labelled as a 'Yellow Lake'. But I think your use of NM's term: 'The Yellow Lake family of stones' is as good a way as any to describe this kind of thing.

 

[timwcic]

That splodge of glue mark is very very similar to what you see on the inside of the Wood Box AB Salmen Stone.

I suspect it probably wasn't labelled as a 'Yellow Lake'. But I think your use of NM's term: 'The Yellow Lake family of stones' is as good a way as any to describe this kind of thing.

I also think “THE YELLOW LAKE FAMILY OF STONES” is a description as good as it going to get. Being a cousin twice removed is a good way to describe it having a high grit personality