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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 5, 2011 at 18:52

Kit,

Norton is still in business.  Check out this site.  They are asking for stories about old Nortons...

http://www.nortonstones.com/

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on September 6, 2011 at 3:52

Nortons are indeed very much still in buisiness. In fact the Norton 1000/8000 combination whetstone is often regarded by Straight razor shavers as THE basic stone. The one that is excellent to learn with without breaking the bank.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on September 6, 2011 at 21:00

Kit, great pictures and some great examples of an old fashioned but very workable way to sharpen.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on September 7, 2011 at 9:51

Those old stones look very collectable.

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Permalink Reply by Kit Adams on September 7, 2011 at 16:00

I plan on using them well on my knifes.  I don't know if i will use the Champion just because of all the widely varied reports on how good or bad they are.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 7, 2011 at 17:59

Kit,

Tell Norton the story of how you came on the stone and your thoughts on it.  It's a cool story that it has been in your father in laws attic all this time 

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Permalink Reply by terrence ellington on September 10, 2011 at 16:19

Interesting discussion, Kit, and one very pertinent to our hobby. It's my opinion that any razor hone is useful if kept wet enough, let experience be your guide. Years ago in Oregon I used all kinds of cutting tools including falling double bits and adzes. I found one of the round kind that spins around and around (what the hell is the proper name?) and built a seat and foot pedals. What a blast to use! It was fine grained and would put a razor edge on an ax. Not good for fine knives of course but great for everything else. The subject of hones is a rich one.

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Permalink Reply by Willie Palm on October 9, 2011 at 13:39

Just pickin' the fly poop out of the pepper here, but a sharpening stone is more properly called a whet stone.

 

Water stones are whet stones that are run wet with water to keep the stone from clogging up with steel and loose pieces of the stone itself.

 

I  guess I've got 25 or thirty of various shapes, sizes and compositions of stones.  I've got a big old Norton TRI-HONE

http://www.youwantit2.com/NORTON313.html (link is strictly to show what I'm talking about, NOT to promote that gent's business. He may be a heck of guy to deal with but I have never had any dealing with him)

that consists of three stones and has a trough that mineral oil is kept in to keep the stones from clogging up with steel. It's a great system and those long stones work great with kitchen knife blade lengths or little pocket knives. You can remove some serious metal in a big hurry with that rig. 

Most of the time I use a small carborundum stone with a coarse and fine side. I've got a GATCO set up here at my desk and the aforementioned stone is right beside it.

Got some old straight razor hones and some really small slick stones that I used to polish triggers and hammer sears with.

I have several "Arkansas" stones of varying degrees of grit as well. For me they work best for finishing an edge.

 

Everyday type sharpening for me usually means grab that little carborundum stone or a an old Schrade "HONESTEEL" and fix what ails it.

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Permalink Reply by Kit Adams on October 10, 2011 at 14:40

Thanks for the note there Willie, all these years and I never knew i was spelling it wrong.   Quick question though, what is the difference (if there is one) between a whet stone, and then a razor hone, if there is one?

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Permalink Reply by Willie Palm on October 10, 2011 at 23:18

Hey Kit,

I'm pretty sure they call 'em "whet" stones because that is a verb that means to sharpen, as in whet your appetite etc etc.

 

Best I can tell you is that a razor hone is pretty much a polishing stone. They don't remove a lot of metal. Straight razors were pretty well treasured in the old days and about all they cut was beards. The edge would get rolled a bit or oxidized and gentle use of a razor hone and a strop would get them back to where they didn't pull whiskers.

 

Razor hones work well for finishing a knife edge. Some of the old stones aren't too great for knives as even though were slick they aren't too tough. The red colored ones come to mind. It is easy to dish the face on them with a knife if you apply very much pressure to the blade and stone. I've got one that I think is an "arkansas" stone. It's almost as smooth as glass to the touch. It will removes steel as a knife blade will leave a track on it.

 

Next time you get a chance, look at an old straight razor. They have very pronounced hollow between the spine and the edge. It's my understanding that the razor was laid flat on the stone with the spine and the edge touching the stone. In this manner it was easier to keep a consistent edge. I've never messed with sharpening a razor and am only relating what I've heard.

 

Take care Amigo,

Willie

Kit Adams said:

Thanks for the note there Willie, all these years and I never knew i was spelling it wrong.   Quick question though, what is the difference (if there is one) between a whet stone, and then a razor hone, if there is one?

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 11, 2011 at 17:15

Good comparision and explaination Willie

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