Washita stone

sceva

sceva

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Sep 18, 2002
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Here's one you just don't see any more. It is my understanding that the deposit of Washita grade ran out and now you can only get Soft or various grades of hard Arkansas stone.

8" long and 1" thick; Picked it up 45 years or more ago at the local gun shop.

Washita Stone 1.JPGWashita Stone 2.JPGWashita Stone 3.JPGWashita Stone 4.JPG
 
I doubt any whetstones have truly run out. It's something we tell ourselves when they are no longer available but the truth is that sometimes it's just not economical to dig out new stone.
In Japan some mines have just been built over. Belgian coticule is available but dangerous to get to.

As for Washita, there have been two contemporary sales. Back in 2010-2011 a distributor ended up calling the site manager of the Norton mine and asked about them. Since it was still a part number, he didn't see a problem digging some up. Management ended that, they sold out in about a year. I've found mention of those in 3-5 forums.
A few years ago, before Covid, Sharpening Supplies had some 8x2 Norton Washita a couple weeks before Thanksgiving. They sold out by Black Friday or a few days after. They certainly feel different from Arkansas soft and hard.
 
Is the red bits "ruby" ?
I am serious . I have a very small stone that is all red that is called a Ruby Stone . Quite inexpensive , 80 grit and a bit crumbly but aggressive .
 
PS : on second glance the light reflecting off the stone is telling me it wants to be " conditioned " .
Rubbed on a flat float glass with some appropriate silicon carbide powdered grit . 👍
 
Ourorboros said:
I doubt any whetstones have truly run out. It's something we tell ourselves when they are no longer available but the truth is that sometimes it's just not economical to dig out new stone.
In Japan some mines have just been built over. Belgian coticule is available but dangerous to get to.

As for Washita, there have been two contemporary sales. Back in 2010-2011 a distributor ended up calling the site manager of the Norton mine and asked about them. Since it was still a part number, he didn't see a problem digging some up. Management ended that, they sold out in about a year. I've found mention of those in 3-5 forums.
A few years ago, before Covid, Sharpening Supplies had some 8x2 Norton Washita a couple weeks before Thanksgiving. They sold out by Black Friday or a few days after. They certainly feel different from Arkansas soft and hard.
Click to expand...
That last run was the Calico Washita's like the Smith's pictured above.
 
Very nice. I have a Black Arkansas bench stone I inherited from a great uncle. However, I rarely use it except on simple high carbon steel blades. Only diamond hones work with today's high vanadium content super steels.
 
I've had this sitting around for a few decades now, never used, still in the snap-open plastic bubble pack.

54342879867_440968a248_b.jpg


54343983534_ef3c70ccdb_b.jpg
 
I use my Washita when it's time to sharpen the kitchen knives.
 
garry3 said:
That last run was the Calico Washita's like the Smith's pictured above.
Click to expand...
All the comments about the ones sold about 2010 said they came from the Norton mines. I know for a fact that the ones sold by Sharpening Supplies were in Norton boxes.
 
How do lily white washita stones/the older washitas compare to the washitas that dan's sells nowadays?

www.hapstone-usa.com

Washita Lily White Pike (Soft, Fast)

Washita Lily White Pike (Soft, Fast) Today, such a sharpening stone is very rare. Since the rock deposit was completely depleted, even before the middle of the last century. And those copies that we can find now, already from home to museum exhibits. But nevertheless, we did it for you! Form...
www.hapstone-usa.com www.hapstone-usa.com

Was thinking about getting one of these.
 
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Alberta Ed said:
Very nice. I have a Black Arkansas bench stone I inherited from a great uncle. However, I rarely use it except on simple high carbon steel blades. Only diamond hones work with today's high vanadium content super steels.
Click to expand...
Arks are very useful to clean off burrs and refine edges, even on my Hinderer EDC in M390.
 
Skane24 said:
How do lily white washita stones/the older washitas compare to the washitas that dan's sells nowadays?

www.hapstone-usa.com

Washita Lily White Pike (Soft, Fast)

Washita Lily White Pike (Soft, Fast) Today, such a sharpening stone is very rare. Since the rock deposit was completely depleted, even before the middle of the last century. And those copies that we can find now, already from home to museum exhibits. But nevertheless, we did it for you! Form...
www.hapstone-usa.com www.hapstone-usa.com

Was thinking about getting one of these.
Click to expand...
Dan's Washita's are just a really soft ark, it's not really a Washita.
 
Ourorboros said:
All the comments about the ones sold about 2010 said they came from the Norton mines. I know for a fact that the ones sold by Sharpening Supplies were in Norton boxes.
Click to expand...
Yes, the 2010 run was a different stone than the last one.
 
Fwiw - I would not pay $70 for that 6”x1” washita on a backer. I have a half dozen Washitas and almost never use them. Do the bevel shaping with a diamond plate, Indias, or other stone of choice and use the Arks for refining and finishing.
 
jeffbird said:
Indias
Click to expand...
I just wanted to add for deburing softer more basic blades I have had the best experience with India stones . Ceramics and hard Arks just flip the bur back and forth rather than cutting it off . I have zero experience with washita .

By the way still curious what the spots in that washita are made of . . .
 
The "completely depleted" stuff is marketing fluff. Norton owns the original Lily White deposits and just doesn't mine them any more. Much more money in selling India and Crystolon, etc. They did do a fresh limited run of Lily White around 10 or more years ago. Someday maybe they'll do another one.

The original Washita stones were fast cutting and still fairly fine. You can pretty quickly sharpen up a chisel on one and it will still shave arm hair cleanly. Pretty much came into popularity back in the day because it was a quick, one stone solution for carpenters and such. They were available in differing hardness levels. The Lily White were selected to basically be the most uniform in appearance and grit throughout the stone. #1, #2 etc. would have increasing levels of uneven grit or color variation. The more modern ones they call Washita that I've tried from Dan's and elsewhere are much lower in hardness and more porous. They don't hold shape as well as the old stones, so in other words they gouge easier. I've got around 10 or 15 of the old Norton and Pike stones in my collection.

The only drawback to these and other Arks is that they're composed of pretty much pure silica, so they aren't of much use for any steel with any higher percentage of the harder carbides.
 
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