Lilly White Washita

[ken hatch]

It's too easy to give magical properties to your favorite sharpening stone especially if it is a little magical like the Lilly White Washita. If I had to own and use only one stone it would be the one. David Weaver, IIRC, used a Washita in a one stone and strop sharpening regime. Brian Holcomb can attest to the quality of his edges.

I have the pick of a number of systems and stones ranging from Diamond plates to high end JNats. For day to day sharpening of everything from pre-War Marples to #1 White Steel Japanese chisels I use a 3 stone, 4 step process. Grind (if needed) on a Med India, refine with a Washita, polish with a Hard (surgical black or translucent) Ark and a light strop on leather.

Truth be told, I could do a David Weaver and skip to hard Ark.

One caveat, I avoid A2 like the plague.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

One of my sadder workshop moments was when one of my Washita stones hit the floor and broke in two.

One of these days it may get cleaned to see if it can be glued back together.

It is still often used as is.

jtk

[Andrew Pitonyak]

One of my sadder workshop moments was when one of my Washita stones hit the floor and broke in two.

One of these days it may get cleaned to see if it can be glued back together.

It is still often used as is.

jtk

I would be very worried about how it will behave at the seam, but, I know that it has been done.

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/repair-a-shattered-sharpening-stone/

I have seen other posts about it, but they are in locations I don't think that I can link to from here. Will be interested in what you use and how it works out.

[ken hatch]

One of my sadder workshop moments was when one of my Washita stones hit the floor and broke in two.

One of these days it may get cleaned to see if it can be glued back together.

It is still often used as is.

jtk

Jim,

I'm lucky to have a spare. What is sad is Norton owns the mine, there are stones to be mined but the demand is not enough to make mining the stones profitable. Maybe someday.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

I'm lucky to have a spare. What is sad is Norton owns the mine, there are stones to be mined but the demand is not enough to make mining the stones profitable. Maybe someday.

ken

Thanks for the link Ken, it gives me confidence it can be done.

jtk

[Richard Jones]

Thanks for the link Ken, it gives me confidence it can be done.

jtk

Jim,

I've done waterstones and oilstones. It works fine with proper prep. Oilstone was more problematic because, well, it's an OILstone. Scrub those edges with a stiff bristle brush and some Dawn or any good degreaser. Follow up with acetone/iso/etc. I also like to use a slow-cure epoxy as it seems to run into the nooks and crannies better. Keep us posted.