Washita Lilly White

[ken hatch]

I found a Norton Lilly White on eBay the other day, it seems there are always some listed, anyway pulled the trigger and it was waiting for me Sunday when MsBubba, Sam the Wonder Dog, Sweet Maggie Dog, and I returned from our weekend in Mexico. It was in a cardboard box and both the box and stone appeared to be little used, three or four swipes with the flatting plate and it was flat.

I tried it on an old Pexto 3/4" chisel....Cuts fast for an oil stone, has a good oil stone feel, and left a nice mat scratch pattern. A second or two on the strop and I had a very good working edge.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/washitaStoneIMG_0563_zpsqttkfwco.jpg

ken

[Tony Zaffuto]

Now that looks like a Jim Slicker stone! I would quickly put into storage the original box (if you ever decide to sell the stone, the identifying original box will help sustain your asking price/value of the stone), and spend a bit of time making a wooden storage box for the stone.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Good for you! I'd love one of those...

[Mike Cherry]

I admit I know near nothing about oil stones. David Weaver swears by his washita(s) so I went a looking on the auction site and my jaw nearly hit the floor at the prices for these "Lilly white" stones. I thought I might see what I can find at some of my favorite antique stores. What should I look for as far as oil stones go? I freehand sharpen so stone width isn't a huge deal for me.

[Jim Belair]

I have the same stone and box. Mine belonged to my grandfather so has special significance. One of these days I'll make the move from waterstones and try it.

[ken hatch]

I admit I know near nothing about oil stones. David Weaver swears by his washita(s) so I went a looking on the auction site and my jaw nearly hit the floor at the prices for these "Lilly white" stones. I thought I might see what I can find at some of my favorite antique stores. What should I look for as far as oil stones go? I freehand sharpen so stone width isn't a huge deal for me.

Mike,

Natural stones are becoming rare therefore the price goes up. You should see the prices on natural Japanese Waterstones. Bottom line, if you like the feel and the finish of natural stones vs. man made stones they ain't going to get cheaper if you wait.

ken

[ken hatch]

Now that looks like a Jim Slicker stone! I would quickly put into storage the original box (if you ever decide to sell the stone, the identifying original box will help sustain your asking price/value of the stone), and spend a bit of time making a wooden storage box for the stone.

Tony,

I expect the box will be put away but I doubt the stone will ever be sold by me....MsBubba once I'm pushing up Saguaros could have a different plan.

ken

[Brian Holcombe]

If you want to laugh....then cry, look up 'collector grade Nakayama asagi' on JapaneseNaturalStones.com

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice find Ken!

[ken hatch]

Nice find Ken!

Thanks Brian,

While I like the finish from natural stones I can't play with the natural Waterstone big boys. I expect not too many can :).

For guys like myself, the good news is oil stones are considered slow and old fashioned by most woodworkers, and there is still a supply of some types of new stones. Therefore they are still affordable. I expect it wouldn't take too much of an uptick in demand or decrease in supply for oil stone prices to takeoff as well. Bottom line unless new sources of stones are found natural stones, oil or water, will continue to increase in price.

That's the bad news, the good news is while I prefer natural stones, some of the current man made stones are very good and even a pleasure to use. I have a 20000 Gokumyo that has a wonderful "feel", takes little maintenance, and is very fast to a sharp hone and I'm sure there are others that would work as well.

ken

[Kees Heiden]

I have never been very happy with my handmade oilstone. It was the first sharpening stone I ever bought, and I don't know the brandname anymore. It has a very gritty feeling, even the fine side, and it soaks up unlimited amounts of oil, getting dry quickly again. When wiping the surface with a piece of cloth, many small pills are left behind. This stone made me picking up waterstones and forget about oilstones for a long time.

My Washita (An unbranded, but thick chunck of rock) has a much smoother feel. It doesn't cut very fast, maybe I should clean up one side some day with a diamond hone. The oil also stays on the surface. The translucent Arkansas also has a very pleasant feel, it really feels like smooth rock while it quickly raises a wire edge.

I really should get myself a Norton India to give it a try. It's one of those things that forever stay on the list of things to do. It's not because they are expensive...

[Kees Heiden]

2800 euro :eek:

http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/nakayama-rainbow-lv-4-a845/

It is pretty...

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Ken, it is good to hear that about the Gokumyo, I've heard very good things in their regard.

You'll be happy with the washita, IMO. David prepped two blades for me with the washita, it was as good a cut as my Shinden suita on western blades. The suita should show through as a hair finer on harder blades. I think you'll notice how fine the cut can be with a Nakayama asagi or Shinden suita or similar on your Kikuhiromaru chisels. Not sure if it will be finer than the Gokumyo however.

Also, collector grade stuff is not necessary....it is fun to look at though :D

[ken hatch]

Thanks Ken, it is good to hear that about the Gokumyo, I've heard very good things in their regard.

You'll be happy with the washita, IMO. David prepped two blades for me with the washita, it was as good a cut as my Shinden suita on western blades. The suita should show through as a hair finer on harder blades. I think you'll notice how fine the cut can be with a Nakayama asagi or Shinden suita or similar on your Kikuhiromaru chisels. Not sure if it will be finer than the Gokumyo however.

Also, collector grade stuff is not necessary....it is fun to look at though :D

Brian,

I'm stumbling along trying to learn as much as i can about natural Japanese stones before buying everything is stock. I've a set up stone coming (Ikarashi) to play with and see if I want to slide down the slippery slope.

I expect I'll end up with two systems one for the harder Japanese steel and my oil stones for the softer Western steel.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

[snip]

I expect I'll end up with two systems one for the harder Japanese steel and my oil stones for the softer Western steel.

ken

Kind of like my set up. Only mine is for when the water freezes in the shop.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Kind of like my set up. Only mine is for when the water freezes in the shop.

jtk

Jim,

Not much problem with the shop freezing here in Baja Arizona :).

I expect like many folks, my shop is a mixed bag of Western iron, mostly O-1, with some PM-v11, a few A-2 irons, and a growing number of #1 and #2 Japanese White Steel irons. I have a bias toward Oil Stones, they are what I learned on, I like the way they feel and the smoothness of the natural stone scratch pattern. Even working a little slower is not a problem. I guess what I what I want is to find stones that will replicate the Oil Stone feel and scratch pattern on the harder Japanese White Steel.

BTW, I'm slowly culling the A-2 but the PM-v11 chisels are too nice to shed.

ken

[Chuck Hart]

That was funny Jim