Sharpening stone

[Pete Hughes]

I have inherited a number of woodworking tools, the majority I recognise and know how to, in a fashion, use.
However, one item which at the moment is confusing me is what I believe to be a "Japanese Water Stone". Can anyone advise on this, it is approximately 6ins x 3ins x 1/2 ins and reddish in colour and I am understanding that to use it it needs to be soaked in water?

Pete

 

[Philly]

Pete
Sounds like a coarse waterstone. Yes, it needs to be soaked in water before using it, and the surface kept wet while working on it. They do cut fast, though.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[Mikey R]

It could be an India oilstone? Mine are an orangy red colour.

EDIT: is there an easy way to check which type it is?

Heres a pic from the Rutlands website:

(Dont ask me why the surface has beads of water on it - marketteering I would guess)

 

[digitalbot]

Strangley I have come by two stones recently. They are both in roughly made pine boxes, but if you prise them out they are all lumpy and knobbly underneath. Held in place by what looks like some sort of glue. They are also only about 1" wide as well. One is a sort of dark grey and the other is a light green. Any suggestions what they are before I butcher them :?:

 

[AndyT]

Sounds like they could be natural stones with only one working face made flat - unlike an artificial stone of glued-together grit, moulded to a perfect cuboid. So they might be really good, or really dreadful. Are they old?

 

[bugbear]

Strangley I have come by two stones recently. They are both in roughly made pine boxes, but if you prise them out they are all lumpy and knobbly underneath. Held in place by what looks like some sort of glue. They are also only about 1" wide as well. One is a sort of dark grey and the other is a light green. Any suggestions what they are before I butcher them :?:

Don't know about the dark one, but they are indeed (rather old) natural stones.

I think the green one is a "Charnley Forest", a widely used "finishing" stone.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Charnley Forest - that rings a bell.

In "The Village Carpenter" Walter Rose looks back on his boyhood and describes how all the men in his father's business used Charnley Forest stones - "even the best were dreadfully slow" - and then in 1889 "the Washita, an imported stone appeared on the English market, and was hailed with delight by all woodworkers who straightway discarded their 'Charnley Forests' for ever."

I'd recommend the book to anyone that doesn't already know it. It's a fascinating mixture of reminiscences, technical detail and admiration for real craftsmanship.

Andy

 

[Pete Hughes]

Cheers for that, as to the possiblity of India Oilstone, I know it is not one of those. I remember reading somewhere that a "Nigura" stone is used in conjuction? but cannot come across that piece of info again.

Would it help Philly, and all other helpful people, if I add a picture?

 

[Philly]

Pete
A nagura is used to clean the surface of the fine polishing stones - not really needed for the coarse stones. Just flatten the stone on a piece of sandpaper or with a diamond plate, add some water and you're off.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[Argus]

.

It could be a Japanese water stone, though at 1/2" thick it's well worn. They are normally at least 1-1/2" thick when new.

Some oil stones were reddish in colour and are normally quite hard.

Two quick ways to find out is to put it in a bucket of water. If it's a water stone it will absorb water and you may see a set of bubbles coming from it.

If not, it's an oil stone.

Or, scratch the edge with a nail. Jap stones are very soft.


.

 

[bugbear]

Charnley Forest - that rings a bell.

In "The Village Carpenter" Walter Rose looks back on his boyhood and describes how all the men in his father's business used Charnley Forest stones - "even the best were dreadfully slow" - and then in 1889 "the Washita, an imported stone appeared on the English market, and was hailed with delight by all woodworkers who straightway discarded their 'Charnley Forests' for ever."

I'd recommend the book to anyone that doesn't already know it. It's a fascinating mixture of reminiscences, technical detail and admiration for real craftsmanship.

Andy

And almost infinitly better than "The WheelWright's Shop" by Sturt, which is singularly joyless.

Rose is a wonderful read.

BugBear

 

[lurker]

I have a little historical research project under way ref Charnley forest stones. ( eg I have exclusive access to the original quarry :lol: )
Will reveal more at a later date

If anyone has info regards these stones I'd be glad to hear from them.


However I'm getting quite expert at identifing them, if there is someway you can get it to me to look at.

Also I can (possibily) refurbish.

 

[bugbear]

I have a little historical research project under way ref Charnley forest stones. ( eg I have exclusive access to the original quarry :lol: )
Will reveal more at a later date

If anyone has info regards these stones I'd be glad to hear from them.

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php? ... =1#message

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Lurker - there are plenty of C19th references here:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?ei=...ct=result&q=charnley+forest&btnG=Search+Books

though most of them repeat the same stuff.

Andy

 

[lurker]

Thanks Chaps :lol:

Andy I've seen that one

BB new to me so thanks

 

[ivan]

I think there used to be a lot of small stones, about 5x1" about, for sharpening cutthroat razors (every man had one). If that was the use of yours, they are probably worn hollow. I have a slate, and a "Belgian stone" one somewhere. I wonder what Belgian stone is?

 

[bugbear]

I wonder what Belgian stone is?

Not famous?



BugBear

 

[lurker]

I wonder what Belgian stone is?

Not famous?



BugBear

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Could is be a Olde worlde corruption a bit like Jeruselem artichokes

 

[bugbear]

I wonder what Belgian stone is?

Not famous?



BugBear

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Could is be a Olde worlde corruption a bit like Jeruselem artichokes

http://www.ardennes-etape.com/en/fichea ... bc7233d76c

http://uk.ardennes-coticule.com/index.asp?id=384

Well respected for sharpening razors, google tells me.

BugBear

 

[digitalbot]

The green one is damn hard and polishes like you wouldn't believe, but as has been said, it's terribly slow ( not to mention awkward only having about 1"width of stone to work on).
Do these sorts of stones use oil or water as a lubricant?

I'll see if I can get a piccie up soon so maybe somebody can give me a definitive answer as to what they are.