Norton India USA vs Mexico

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streak

Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
97
Reading on these forums I see that the original combo stone IB6 or IB8 was manufactured in the USA by Behr-Manning in Troy New York. I see some available on Ebay.
Folks are saying that the original was finer and harder (better) than the current product manufactured in Mexico.
When I look online I see a bunch of these stones with Made in Mexico printed on the side of the stone but I also see the IB6 anniversary model where it says made in the USA. Not sure about the IB8.
Those of you who have both is there in fact enough of a difference in quality that it would matter.
I know we are only talking about a$20 stone but may as well get the right one to start with.

Thanks.
 
Short answer is no. I have both and once broken in there is no difference I can tell.

Longer answer is the older US made ones can be a good bit finer on the fine side. But, I have no idea what vintage they all started being made like the current offering.
 
I don't have a 'Made in USA' version, but I recently bought one of the 'Made in Mexico' India stones (IB8), and I've liked it. Seems like a well-made stone. It was dead-flat out of the box, and it grinds well on the Coarse side & finishes nicely on the Fine side. I enjoy using it.

I have other aluminum oxide oilstones from ACE, in 6" and 8" versions, which are also pretty good. In comparing the ACE stone's 'fine' side to the India's 'Fine', I'd say the ACE stone finishes a bit finer than the India so far. Norton currently rates their 'Fine' India around 320 - 360 grit, and mine seems to be right in that range. But, as mentioned, after they get well-broken-in, most any oilstone well get somewhat finer with some use; especially aluminum oxide oilstones. It would be difficult to objectively compare finishing grit between a vintage, older AlOx oilstone and a current-generation new one, assuming the older one has been used at all. They ALWAYS get finer with some use, and it often doesn't take much use to see a noticeable change.

Based on my own positive experience with the India I bought, I'd not have any worries about the 'Made in Mexico' version. I've no idea if it's as 'fine' as earlier-vintage 'Made in USA' stones. But, that's no reflection on the overall quality of it, which looks pretty good to me.
 
streak, this topic comes up at least once a year. I own several of both, those hecho in Mexico and those made in Troy, NY. They are different stones. The grit is different and responds different. The Mexico stone takes longer to break in, and the edge it leaves is not as fine as the earlier
stone. I have found the newer stone on sale for under 20$ and given them as gifts. But the earlier ones I keep. I have used this stone since the early 80's and find there are slight differences in the edges. I believe those made in the 70's break in finer and produce finer edges. I have given double what the other one costs, to get it. Call me what you will but I have long experience sharpening on this stone (close to 40yrs.)and I favor the early one. They both will struggle when you use them on the vanadium steels. But up to steels like 440C or cpm154 it works fine. DM
 
I own that one. It compares closely to the one made in Mexico, in color and feel. But I did not break it in. So, I cannot go much further than that.
Did you hunt Sand Grouse or Guinea with them? Mine is working very well at 7 mos.. Thanks, DM
 
I was very involved with the shooting sports but primarily IPSC.
I however I did head out into the bush a number of times with my buddies and their gun dogs.
Mainly after guinea fowl, geese, frankolin, ducks, quail and more depending on the season.

Thanks for the further info. on the anniversary model.
 
I have a broad selection of many different sharpening stones I've gotten over the years. The three NORTON stones I've got I have had decent results with and find them to work rather well on most applications. I've also had very good results with Norton's sandpaper products as well.

Now I do also have a Norton triple flip stone set up that I got on Ebay a while back and I've had really good luck with it the few times I've used it. I've heard that their waterstones are great too but I've not yet ever used any of them.
 
Thanks JD.
I tried cheap so called wet/dry sand paper and it wrinkled as soon as some water was applied. A case of you get what you pay for!
Will need to try the norton stuff for sticking on glass sheet.
 
Here's the official reply from Norton

"They are actually the same product. All of these are made in Mexico now, even the ones with the anniversary box. If someone is selling these and stating made in USA, it is either an old unit (age does not affect this type of stone performance-wise), or else they need to update the description to say made in Mexico."
 
I'm wondering if anyone is still around from the 60's and 70's that actually worked in the plant in Troy and would know. A current employee would likely have to call a retired employee to get that information. You think they did that? DM
 
David, sorry my quote above was out of context. I asked the question about the regular vs the anniversary model. Every site I visited shows the anniversary model as made in the USA both on the box and on the stone.
As another interesting point, i fired off this question to a number of the bigger online sellers and got the most ridiculous answers from most of them. Only one who bothered to reply promptly and to the point was Bladematrix. Not only that, their shipping was the most reasonable, had confirmed shipping within an hour of placing the order and the product in my hands within 2 days.
 
Ok, to me the ones made in Mexico and this anniversary model-- look the same. The color, and the grit feels the same. As I said I didn't use my
anniversary model. I have used my Mexico stones a lot. They will leave a good edge. Once broke in, the edge gets better. DM
 
David Martin said:
Ok, to me the ones made in Mexico and this anniversary model-- look the same. The color, and the grit feels the same. As I said I didn't use my
anniversary model. I have used my Mexico stones a lot. They will leave a good edge. Once broke in, the edge gets better. DM
Click to expand...

I'm already noticing this with my new 'Made in Mexico' IB8. Used it earlier this week to set new edges on three 30+ year-old Chicago Cutlery knives of my mother's, from a block set, including putting a brand new edge on the 10" chef's knife. That one's now in better shape than it's ever been, by an order of magnitude; probably the first time it's ever been properly sharpened at all, in fact. Came out nice, finishing on the 'Fine' side and stropping only on a piece of bare printer paper laid over the stone. It neatly split a grape tossed into the inverted edge, which is a fun way to test for working sharpness.
 
As a general rule, all synthetic stones have a certain amount of break-in period because the surface finish is not the same as what it becomes from wear. Sometimes that means the stone gets finer, sometimes it means the stone gets coarser. Depends on the factory surface finish and grit size, bond type/strength, etc.
 
Thanks. I took my IM-313 India replacement stone for that tri-hone system and left one side original and resurfaced & leveled the other side. I'm probably picky but I thought it needed some leveling. And thought while I was at it I'll leave it finer than it's original finish. (not officially possible) But leaving a finer surface affects the final finish on the blade. Though it will wear off, it takes a while. So, that was the way I did this
one and it works. You can't do it on these combination stones but you can on (some ) a single grit stone. DM
 
I just oiled it up and started running an old knife across it to start the breaking in process.
Last time I laid hands on an oil stone was a kid in my Dad's workshop in a small town in what's now Zimbabwe. This really is a nostalgia trip. I never thought I would be so excited about receiving a $23-00 stone. Now I just need to practice. I have been using the Spyderco Sharpmaker for very many years with my first system being the Lansky which I still have. Thanks for all of your input.
 
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