A Non-Rectangular Stone

[rxh]

This is a finishing stone of some kind, possibly slate. As you can see, an owner has fitted it to a piece of wood that can be held in a vice or clamped to the bench. I am intrigued by the shape - my guess is it is an offcut that has been pressed into service as a sharpening stone.

 

[bugbear]

It may have just broken. Then again, not all old stones were made rectilinear in the first place;

This works fine with my Eclipse jig, despite having only 1 flat surface.

BugBear

 

[NazNomad]

I have no idea why it's this shape. T'was a skip find.

 

[AndyT]

The only way to regularise any of those stones to a rectangular shape would be to reduce it in size. The extra work would have added to the producer's cost while reducing his selling price and making the stone less useful.

Looking in old catalogues, I see notes saying that sizes were approximate and some examples of natural stones being sold by weight. Eminently sensible!

 

[rxh]

Thanks for all your replies. I suppose that customers these days would not accept irregular shaped stones even if QC departments allowed them out of factories

 

[Biliphuster]

Belgian Coticules still come in irregular shapes, I think they call them "bouts". As I understand it, the coticule layer is very thin, so when they extract it, big pieces get sliced up into rectangular stones and the edge pieces get sold as bouts.

I have always really liked stones with one irregular side, which is then set in plaster in a wooden box.

 

[bugbear]

Belgian Coticules still come in irregular shapes, I think they call them "bouts". As I understand it, the coticule layer is very thin, so when they extract it, big pieces get sliced up into rectangular stones and the edge pieces get sold as bouts.

I have always really liked stones with one irregular side, which is then set in plaster in a wooden box.

Same with very valuable Japanese natural water stones.

BugBear

 

[adrspach]

Strangely a lot of realy vintage European stones were not rectangular and I am not talking about bouts. I guess this could be mainly because they were made a piece by piece by hand therefore it was easier to hold shorter length of straight edge rather than long one. Those whi try to make their own hone will soon find out what I mean. Most common shapes were cigar or coffin like. The rectangular shapes realy came later when saw cutting and more mass production got involved.
As good UK example you have CFs and evolution of their shape. Simmilar examples you can find with Cotis.

 

[D_W]

The Turkish I got is not rectangular, and it is a lovely stone.

I love the looks of the coticule bouts, but I've not favored the half dozen or so that I've tried, at least for woodworking. They are a nice option for very chippy razors, but it's better to avoid chippy razors.