A grindstone, also called a grinding stone, is a sharpening stone used for grinding or sharpening ferrous tools, in use since ancient times. Tools are sharpened through the stone's abrasive qualities, which remove material from the tool through friction to create a fine edge; like sandpaper, grindstones vary in grit, which affects the sharpness of the finished edge. A grindstone is usually made from sandstone. In Australia, Aboriginal peoples produced distinctive grinding grooves by repeatedly shaping stone axes against sandstone outcrops, a lasting record of the practice.
Facts
Introduced When (Circa)Hand grindstones used since ancient times; earliest known rotary form depicted circa 830 (Utrecht Psalter) 1 OriginGrindstones have been used since ancient times to sharpen metal tools; the earliest known representation of a rotary grindstone operated by a crank handle appears in the Carolingian Utrecht Psalter, a pen drawing from about 830 going back to a late antique original. 1 Sources
1. Grindstone (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory and description section, Utrecht Psalter sentence
The earliest known representation of a rotary grindstone, operated by a crank handle, is found in the Carolingian manuscript known as the Utrecht Psalter.
History and description section, Utrecht Psalter sentence (origin detail)
The earliest known representation of a rotary grindstone, operated by a crank handle, is found in the Carolingian manuscript known as the Utrecht Psalter.
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