I found this stone in an old toolbox...

[Texas splinter]

It is about 2" x 51/4", light "grayish-brown" in color and has the following logo cast into it:
"Non-filling
AMALGAMITE
Non-corrodible
American Hone Co. Olean, NY."
I googled American Hone Co. and got nothing, so I googled Amalgamite and got a bunch of hits on sharpening barbers razors.
Anybody ever heard of or used one of these hones? Is it an oil or water stone?
It is pretty dirty, how would I clean it up to use it?
I couldn't figure out where else in the fourm to ask about this.

thanks in advance,
Chuck

[Jim Boyd]

Post this over at Woodnet on the handtool forum. There are some sharpening stone gurus over there. I know they say to use dish detergent and a soft brush to clean them in hot water. Some say a dishwashers work really well.

[crokett]

Some say a dishwashers work really well.

Just don't let your wife catch you washing a sharpening stone in the same load as the dishes. Obviously there isn't a problem with that, but she wouldn't understand.