This stone was manufactured by Pike in the 1920s, mabe a bit earlier.
In later years, Norton would have cataloged this stone as SM-4; soft, mounted, 4” long. I do not know if Pike used that same numbering system though.
At any rate, this stone is in sterling condition, it shows no wear or staining. The box shows what appears to be some oil stains, or burn marks, or something dark. The stone is clean though, and it’s a gem.
The grain in the stone is unlike anything you will ever see in a soft ark produced today; it is more like a Washita to be honest. It is not open and very porous like you find in soft Arks manufactured after the 1950s.
This stone is a super fine example of the ‘good rock’ that hasn’t been mined since the 1950s. This is what the old woodworkers used to talk about when they said the 'good stone was mined out long ago'. This is it, the real deal. It's old and it's rare as hen's teeth but is is begging to be used.
