Scythe Whetstones
Baryonyx Manticore - silicon carbide, extra-coarse
Made in the USA to specs formulated by knife blade and American scythe expert, Benjamin Bouchard. 80% Black Silicon Carbide , 20% Green Silicon Carbide. He nicknames this stone "The Abuse Eraser". This stone eats up metal almost like a file. Great for filing away areas of chewed up damage on scythe blades and machetes. Also good for restoring the primary bevel on a worn back bush blade. - $18
Baryonyx "Bull Thistle" - synthetic
Made in the USA to specs formulated by knife blade and American scythe expert, Benjamin Bouchard. - "Synthetic ruby abrasive at ANSI 120 grit (coarse), medium-hard ceramic bond just a bit harder than the Arctic Fox. Specifically intended for setting an aggressive slicing scratch pattern without forming a bad burr or wire edge. Also good for cutting off light burrs, and ironing out minor to moderate dings, nicks, and rolls." Good for ditch and light bush, and American scythe blades, repairs, removing the squared edge created by the center post of peening jigs, and for setting an underlying scratch pattern for mowing waxier grasses. Great paired with an Arctic Fox stone. When your edge gets too smooth from using fine stones, you can reset an underlying scratch pattern with this stone, and then follow up with your Arctic Fox or other smooth stone, to get a more aggressive slicing effect. This stone is designed to cut scratches without chewing up the edge like a stone this coarse normally would. - $20.00
Styria - aluminium oxide (corundum), medium-Course grit
Artificial. 22cm. Medium-coarse grit. Good for light bush and ditch blades, and for peening jigs. - $15
Falci Bergamasca - natural stone
Italy. 21 & 23cm., A coarser stone than the Bergamo. A good whetstone for beginners, and ditch and light bush blades. Available in 21cm and 23cm lengths. The 21cm stones fit nicely into metal whetstone holders. The 23cm are better in the plastic whetstone holders.
21cm - $ 18 out-of-stock
23cm - $ 20
21cm - $ 18 out-of-stock
23cm - $ 20
Mailander "Green Dragon" - natural stone
Italy. 21cm and 23cm. Medium grit. Smooth and flat on one side, for sharpening knifes. The other side is left quite rough split. These seem to be the same stone as the Bergamo below now. Excellent quality. Too big for metal whetstone holders.
21cm = $23
23cm -$25.00 out-of-stock
21cm = $23
23cm -$25.00 out-of-stock
Bergamo - natural stone
Italy. 23cm. I highly recommend this stone for beginner's with brand new triple-peened grass blades and for Falci blades. Surprisingly, honing a scythe blade seems to be the hardest thing for newbies to pick up. It correlates the least with anything your neuromuscular co-ordination has experienced, or practiced before. In my experience with teaching workshops, this stone enables people to get good results the quickest. The canoe shape makes it easier to connect properly with the edge. The grit is aggressive enough to get good results for people that haven't yet developed the hand strength for honing. Yet it's fine enough for stronger people to not over-grind the triple-peened edges. - $25 out-of-stock
Baryonyx "Arctic Fox" - synthetic
USA. 400 grit. Formulated to specifications by knife blade and American scythe expert, Benjamin Bouchard. "ANSI 400 grit synthetic blue sapphires in a medium-hard ceramic bond. Formulated to cut quickly and resist glazing, but also leaves a finer than typical finish relative to its grit rating. The finish it leaves is more typical of 1000 grit stones". Best when paired with the Bull Thistle or the Bergamo, for setting a scratch pattern. I love this stone's effects on FUX triple-peened edges!. -$21
Pyranees - natural stone
From France. 23cm. Just fits in the metal holders. Finer than the whetstones above. A little coarser than the two below. An unusual whetstone made of a schistose sandstone. The extremely thin sedimentary layers in the stone, naturally sandwiched together, give it an unusual feel when honing; like using two different gritted stones at the same time. The soft layer creates quite a slurry, when used. -$25 out-of-stock
Rozsutec - natural stone
Slovakia: 21cm. Very fine grain 600-800. The beautifully finished, very fine and fairly hard Rozsutec whetstone. Finished on all 4 sides. It's hand-quarried near Rozsutec Mountain in Slovakia. It's so fine, that beginner's often can't get it to do much. Once you learn how to really use a whetstone, it creates a very polished edge. However, you will have to stop and hone more often, when you're out mowing. Best for well-peened grass blade edges, that easily run over the nail..- $20.00
Doppelbock - natural stone
aka the Pradalunga. Italy. Very fine, hard grain. 23cm. My favorite whetstone. In The Scythe Book it states that certain whetstones were so prized in the old days, that people would risk their lives to smuggle them. Well, this stone would have been worth it! It has no equal, in my opinion. Almost as fine as the Rozsutec stone, but much harder and much more effective. At one of my Advanced Scythe Workshops, a couple of accomplished Rozsutec whetstone users were wondering, "Hey Botan, how come when you hone my blade, it's sharper and stays sharp longer?" If they don't believe me when I say, "I've got skills.", I'll confess, and let them try my Doppelbock whetstone. Once you've experienced it, it's hard to go back. Effective on Hartstahl steel. World record holder, Joseph (Sepp) Mayer uses this stone on his 150cm Hartstahl FUX Competition blade. My personal favorite whetstone! Best on well peened edges. Rough split. Finished on edges only. I think it's a schistose sandstone.
Update for 2014: This year's Doppelbocks don't have a label, just two gold stickers. For the sake of continuity, I will still call them Doppelbocks for now. - $45.00 out-of-stock
Update for 2014: This year's Doppelbocks don't have a label, just two gold stickers. For the sake of continuity, I will still call them Doppelbocks for now. - $45.00 out-of-stock
"Hi Botan,
I'm not sure if you remember me, but I purchased one of your Two Flags whetstones (Doppelbock) last year.
Well, I have just started mowing again this year and I have, possibly for the first time, experienced real elation while mowing.
Part of this may be that my grass has settled down after three seasons of mowing - it stands better and now is developing a more diverse flora. Part may be that I'm improving and using a better blade and better fitting (home made) snath.
But a big part, I think, goes to the whetstone. I'm having to hone far less frequently now and my scythe just whistles through the grass taking 6 to 9 inch strips with ease. A quick hone when it starts to drag a bit and away it goes again - fantastic.
They're expensive, but as you say worth every penny. I'm going to buy a few more next time my travels take me to the US.
Many thanks - Paul"
