On Sep 25, 2009, at 12:22 PM, John Ruth wrote:

>
> Have you ever compared it with a "translucent white hard Arkansas  
> stone"? These are nearly mystical. They even LOOK mystical. They  
> polish the edge more than anything else - I cannot say that they  
> really form an edge, they are too hard.

  I use a translucent white arkansas stone as the final step in my  
sharpening routine. The finish it leaves is pretty shiny. I rarely  
strop afterward, butt occasionally do with green rouge on either  
leather or hard maple. It is hard to beat a THA for a final finish, tho!

Spike Cornelius
PDX
           Crazy for Shavings

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On Sep 25, 2009, at 12:36 PM, Rodgers, Charles [USA] wrote:

>  Now why didn't I think to call Case???  That was easy!  I called  
> the 800 number that comes up if I search on Case Cutlery and it  
> turns out to be a vendor of Case products (Shepherd Hills Cutlery).   
> They gave me the number of the Case factory and I talked with  
> "Jim".  He immediately pulled out a 1985 catalog and read the  
> description to me.  It's "an alumina ceramic stone, harder than  
> natural stone and with a more uniform textue".  He said they get  
> quite a few

  How cool! Case is a good old 'Merican company fer sure!
------------------------------------------------------------------------

GGs:
   All this talk of grinding and sharpening has reminded me that I've 
been meaning to ask about a stone I have.  I bought it new, 35+ years 
ago.  The outer cardboard box is kind of an orange color, with "Case XX" 
logos all over it.  The end of the box says "Pattern MOON STONE" and the 
inner clear plastic box says "The Finest Stone A Man Can Own" with "Case 
XX" below that (the XX is below the tail end of the script "C"), and 
then the next line says "W.R. CASE & SONS CUTLERY CO". The bottom line 
says "BRADFORD, PENNA".  I guess the "PENNA" kind of gives away the age 
(as now PA is used to abbreviate Pennsylvania, Jeff).  I'm convinced 
it's manmade, because the edges of the stone have a uniform notch all 
the way around, both top and bottom.  Looking at it from the side or end 
it resembles the profile of the notched Stanley rectangle logo.  That 
make sense??  It was originally white, but now is a light brown, which 
is the color of the little tin of Buck honing oil I used on it (and I 
used the entire tin of oil over the years).  It's extremely smooth and I 
get very little swarf when using it.
   I searched Case's website and they don't even offer stones any more. 
  The only reference to a moon stone I've been able to find in a google 
search (along with 270,000 references to mystical, magical stuff) was 
one guy who said he has one he uses to sharpen X-Acto knife blades...and 
that he's been looking to buy another for years with no success.
It measures 3-13/16" X 1-7/8" X 1/2".  I've only ever used it to sharpen 
knives (I have ~12-15 folders and a few (5-6 sheath knives) for the 
final hone.
   The price sticker on the bottom of the box shows I paid $8.50 for it, 
which was a whole lot of money for me back then.  IIRC, I bought it 
along with a Buck folder and I think I paid for the the stone than the 
knife.
   Anybody know anything about this stone?  Opinions and/or guesses are 
welcome.
Charlie Rodgers
Clinton, Maryland
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Charlie and assembled Galooterati: Noting that he did say that the stone
had a ledge around the edge which suggested a man-made origin......

> It was originally white=2C but now is a light brown=2C which> is the
> color of the little tin of Buck honing oil I used on it.
Could this be a translucent white hard Arkansas stone with a ledge
cut around it to catch the oil or possibly to be a way to hold the
stone on a base? Have you ever compared it with a "translucent white
hard Arkansas stone"? These are nearly mystical. They even LOOK
mystical. They polish the edge more than anything else - I cannot say
that they really form an edge=2C they are too hard. Have you
contacted Case? John Ruth
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I asked about a stone and John replied: (my original description)> It
was originally white, but now is a light brown, which is the color> of
the little tin of Buck honing oil I used on it. Could this be a
translucent white hard Arkansas stone with a ledge cut around it to
catch the oil or possibly to be a way to hold the stone on a base? Have
you ever compared it with a "translucent white hard Arkansas stone"?
These are nearly mystical. They even LOOK mystical. They polish the edge
more than anything else - I cannot say that they really form an edge,
they are too hard. Have you contacted Case? John Ruth
__________________

Yes, possibly No - I don't have a "translucent white hard Arkansas
stone" No - but I think that'll be my next step

  I'll report what, if anything, Case says about it.

Charlie--------------------------------------------------------------
----------

  Now why didn't I think to call Case??? That was easy! I called the
  800 number that comes up if I search on Case Cutlery and it turns out
  to be a vendor of Case products (Shepherd Hills Cutlery). They gave
  me the number of the Case factory and I talked with "Jim". He
  immediately pulled out a 1985 catalog and read the description to me.
  It's "an alumina ceramic stone, harder than natural stone and with a
  more uniform textue". He said they get quite a few queries for them,
  but they're no longer made. I guess I'll keep it. Charlie Rodgers
  Clinton, Maryland

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, moonstone is a type of crystalline feldspar. When you shine  
light on it at the right angle, the stone glows blue. Pretty stuff.
...............................
Gary Roberts
http://shop.toolemera.com
http://toolemera.com
http://toolemerablog.typepad.com

"I'ld rather read a good book, than write a poor one." Christopher  
Morley

On Sep 25, 2009, at 2:36 PM, Charlie Rodgers wrote:

GGs:
  All this talk of grinding and sharpening has reminded me that I've  
been meaning to ask about a stone I have.  I bought it new, 35+ years  
ago.  The outer cardboard box is kind of an orange color, with "Case  
XX" logos all over it.  The end of the box says "Pattern MOON STONE"  
and the inner clear plastic box says "The Finest Stone A Man Can Own"  
with "Case XX" below that (the XX is below the tail end of the script  
"C"), and then the next line says "W.R. CASE & SONS CUTLERY CO". The  
bottom line says "BRADFORD, PENNA".  I guess the "PENNA" kind of gives  
away the age (as now PA is used to abbreviate Pennsylvania, Jeff).   
I'm convinced it's manmade, because the edges of the stone have a  
uniform notch all the way around, both top and bottom.  Looking at it  
from the side or end it resembles the profile of the notched Stanley  
rectangle logo.  That make sense??  It was originally white, but now  
is a light brown, which is the color of the little tin of Buck honing  
oil I used on it (and I used the entire tin of oil over the years).   
It's extremely smooth and I get very little swarf when using it.
  I searched Case's website and they don't even offer stones any  
more.  The only reference to a moon stone I've been able to find in a  
google search (along with 270,000 references to mystical, magical  
stuff) was one guy who said he has one he uses to sharpen X-Acto knife  
blades...and that he's been looking to buy another for years with no  
success.
It measures 3-13/16" X 1-7/8" X 1/2".  I've only ever used it to  
sharpen knives (I have ~12-15 folders and a few (5-6 sheath knives)  
for the final hone.
  The price sticker on the bottom of the box shows I paid $8.50 for  
it, which was a whole lot of money for me back then.  IIRC, I bought  
it along with a Buck folder and I think I paid for the the stone than  
the knife.
  Anybody know anything about this stone?  Opinions and/or guesses are  
welcome.
Charlie Rodgers
Clinton, Maryland
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Charlie researched his Case Moon Stone and found:

> It's "an alumina ceramic stone=2C harder than natural stone and with a
> more uniform

> texture". He said they get quite a few queries for them=2C but they're
> no longer made. I >guess I'll keep it.
>


And of course everything known to mankind is available on the internet:


 http://www.sharpenem.com/Bench-Stones/Ceramic-Stones/


In relation to a slipstone offering=2C the above website states:

"Spyderco=92s fine grit ceramic slip stone is flat=2C thin and ultra
smooth for professionally finishing and sharpening. They=92re made from
Alumina Ceramic=2C a process where a bonding agent is combined with
Alumina particles that are actually synthetic sapphires. The stone is
formed into a slip teardrop and kiln fired to 3000 degrees F (1649=B0C).
Alumina ceramic stones measure 9 on the Mohs hardness scale (out of 10)
and don=92t require lubricants like oil or water for use."


I have a small ceramic stone marked "Cincinatti Milacron" - it's for
taking the raised edges off any dings which appear (!) on the finely-
ground cast-iron table of a certain metal-eating tailed apprentice.


This is another one of my favorite stones. I've always used it dry.


Learning never ceases. From the site above=2C I learned that the stone
can be cleaned with household cleanser. (I'll be careful not to use the
type containing Chlorine!)

I can see why Charlie likes his Case Moon Stone since it is a bigger
version of my little Cincinatti Milacron clean-up stone. And=2C who knew
it was a synthetic sapphire??? That just adds to the appeal !


John Ruth



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