Posted 8 years ago
ravage60
(28 items)
I'm pretty sure I know what this is but would like the opinions of others. I haven't cleaned it up yet. It was a garage sale find, 50 cents. Marked Germany on the back. You can read the info on the front.
The part I like the best is the owner of the station, Art Kohlhaas, was a Bronze Star winner in WWII. He was a radio operator with the 6th Armored division. His obit stated that he owned a gas station in Genesee Depot, WI so I know it's the same guy. He passed in in 2014 at the age of 94.
This is a general-purpose, synthetic sharpening, or "whet", stone. This shape was commonly used as an advertising give-away. Yours is exceptional in that whoever used it spared the advertising.
I'm positive it's not a whet stone. I don't know what's it's made of but it wouldn't sharpen anything. The material is more of a plastic???
I agree with UncleRon, looks like a Bavarian whetstone.
Looks like a little handy plastic device to slide between your wipers and windshield when frozen to break them free, Germany and all!!
You don't show a pic of it sideways but if it's about 1/2" - 3/4" thick and fairly heavy, it's whet stone. I have seen a hundred or more at farm auctions; usually well worn or broken. It is cast from ceramic material and brittle - if you drop it on a hard surface it will break into pieces. It doesn't "file" metal; it's more like a hone. Hold it by one end and strike it lightly with something metal. If the sound is a high-pitched "tink" it's ceramic. If it makes a dull "tap" it's plastic.
bobby 725, we believe it is a mud pick for the tread of tires. Back then most roads were dirt and were wet the mud would get stuck in your tread and make steering difficult. We believe this was used to clear the mud and rocks from the tread.
I've hunted for years and know what whetstones feel like and this doesn't feel like any I've seen. At the same time it is impossible to argue with UncleRon and bobby because mine likes exactly like the one that bobby talked about on ebay. And that one has a box that says it's a whetstone.
Nice job UncleRon and Bobby. It is definitely a bavarian whetstone. I've never seen a whetstone like this. It's much smoother, less grity than whetstones I've used. Thanks guys.
Welcome to CW:)