Sharpening Stones from the Middle East

[vilasman]

I am wondering if there is a particular prized sharpening stone from Israel or a country close to Israel. I have a friend who is currently there and if there is I will try to get him to bring me one back. I would really love to get some honey from the middle east but I am sure it wouldn't make it through customs. Is there anything else notable and not too expensive that I could put on my wish list?

[Linux]

Any ceramic sharpening stone would be good. Your kitchen knives would sharpen up a dream on a Japanese Waterstone: 600 / 1000 / 1500 grit. Any higher grit number and it would be expensive.

[Kayelle]

I see no reason why honey would not make it through customs, especially if it is commercially bottled, and not in carry on luggage. No liquids over a 4oz. bottle will ever make it through carry on, no matter what it is, even cough syrup and drinking it in front of them.

[Selkie]

Arkansas Granites are the best sharpening stones in the world - bar none!!!

[GB]

I brought a couple of bottles of olive oil back from Israel. I wrapped them in bubble wrap and put them in my luggage. Customs had no problems with it. I am sure honey would be easier to transport and that customs would not have an issue.

If your friend is willing to bring back some olive oil then I would recommend it. It was the best oil I ever had. And I just picked a random bottle at a corner store so i am sure there were much better options if I had someone with me to help me pick.

[Phaedra]

Originally Posted by vilasman

I am wondering if there is a particular prized sharpening stone from Israel or a country close to Israel. I have a friend who is currently there and if there is I will try to get him to bring me one back. I would really love to get some honey from the middle east but I am sure it wouldn't make it through customs. Is there anything else notable and not too expensive that I could put on my wish list?

I live in Israel but have never come across any "prized" or special sharpening stone.

Whereabouts in Israel is your friend?

[vilasman]

Well It's a father and son in law. I think the son in law grew up in Jerusalem, I know they have business dealings in various parts of the country and I over heard a conversation that where they needed to contact some on a matter and it was said "Israel is only so big, with a few large citys... start calling people track the individual down!"
When I asked the question I was thinking of Belgian blue and yellow stones and had a vague notion that they came from the middle east. I read somewhere that certain rock formations in various parts of the world produced stones with exceptional sharpening properties such as the Belgian stones and the arkansas stones and i think there are some really good stones from asia as well. Given that people have been living in the middle east and using knives for ages i figured somebody had found some rocks that would put a razor edge on some metal















'

[Rob Babcock]

Originally Posted by Selkie

Arkansas Granites are the best sharpening stones in the world - bar none!!!

Must...bite...tongue! Waterstones, baby! Waterstones!

[Phaedra]

Originally Posted by vilasman

I know they have business dealings in various parts of the country and I over heard a conversation that where they needed to contact some on a matter and it was said "Israel is only so big, with a few large citys... start calling people track the individual down!"'

Sounds logical to me , except if the person they wanted lived on the Moshav where I do.

There are no road names because there is just one road going thisaway, and another that crosses it and goes thataway and thataway. Most bungalows don't have numbers marked and in any case the numbering is rather haphazard.

So you'll get a stranger appearing, stopping the first person s/he saw, and asking "where is the home of Family Smith", only to get the response "which Family Smith?"

"The family of John Smith". "Yes, but which John Smith?"

"John and Mary Smith". "Yes but which.......?"

You've probably guessed that it's a very small Moshav and most of the people are related either by blood or by marriage, so there are very few family names, and first names tend to crop up rather frequently.

I hope you find the stone you want, from wherever it comes.

Phaedra

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Phaedra

Sounds logical to me , except if the person they wanted lived on the Moshav where I do....

"John and Mary Smith". "Yes but which.......?...

So how does this poor stranger find the right John and Mary Smith?

[Phaedra]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

So how does this poor stranger find the right John and Mary Smith?

"Smith the mail" or "Smith the teacher" or "Smith with the cows" or "Smith with the eggs" etc - and if the first person doesn't know, the second will.

Usually......................

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Phaedra

"Smith the mail" or "Smith the teacher" or "Smith with the cows" or "Smith with the eggs" etc - and if the first person doesn't know, the second will.

Usually......................

Sounds like everyone knows their neighbors well.