Pike? India oil stone.

[Rorschach]

Cleaning up an old oil stone that I liberated from it's cracked wooden base I found it had a name marked on it. Pike (I am pretty sure it says) with a fish logo, then India oil stone and something in a round stamp that I can't read. Stone looks good, very little wear to it, flat and useful and seems very hard and fine on both sides.

Any info on this? Have I got a good one, is it worth anything?

 

[AndyT]

Like this?

The 1926 catalogue from the Pike Mg Co says they are good!

 

[D_W]

Precursor to norton stones. Top quality india stone, but may be hard due to age, and necessitate regular rubbing against another india stone or a coarse stone. You can use a diamond hone, but they are rough on diamond hones in the long run.

You may find that it's a useful stone as a hard one, though, and prefer to use it that way. None of the new ones are particularly soft (they'd be junk if they were), but the *do* have a little bit more give in terms of letting a particle go now and then.

 

[Rorschach]

Looks exactly like that picture! I can't tell for sure if it's a combo stone or not, the change in colour is exactly where it was boxed so it might just be discolouration, probably easier to tell once used.
Good to see I have a nice stone, not that I needed another! haha.

 

[ED65]

Have you cleaned an old stone of oxidised oil, dirt, filings (and whatever else collects on them!) before Rorschach? The Pike may work perfectly well for you as it is, but fully cleaned it'll be like new if you're curious, or a slightly more aggressive stone would suit you better.

The process can be done on just one side if you wanted to do a comparison, won't harm the stone at all not to do the whole thing in one go.

 

[Rorschach]

Have you cleaned an old stone of oxidised oil, dirt, filings (and whatever else collects on them!) before Rorschach? The Pike may work perfectly well for you as it is, but fully cleaned it'll be like new if you're curious, or a slightly more aggressive stone would suit you better.

The process can be done on just one side if you wanted to do a comparison, won't harm the stone at all not to do the whole thing in one go.

Yes I have cleaned stone before. This was scraped of gunk with an old razor blade and then using a bit of 320 paper and some paraffin I gave it a light rub on all sides and then a wipe which revealed the markings. I think it needs a better scrub with some more paraffin for the top surface which has been used, the bottom being boxed was never touched.

 

[Rorschach]

Ok gave it a bit more of a scrub with a scourer and paraffin and it looks pretty respectable now. Judging by ebay prices I don't think I have hit on something rare or valuable like some of my past stone finds (a few coticules) so I guess this will be added to the "many more than I need" group! haha.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[D_W]

It may not be valuable, but it will be useful if you have a need for it. India stones are great axe finishers and a great utility stone to carry around for scissors and such.