Hmm, good points Khaos!

The arkansas honning stone is one of the few natural stones out there that claim to have a progression of stones...ie., wa****a, soft, hard, true hard, black hard and translucent...they are currently graded by color and density.
They are primarily made of novaculite, whose crystaline structure is claimed, to range from 2-5 microns in size.

Based on my interpretation, of what your saying, truely the 'performance' grading should be done not only by density and color, but by the substrate(sediment) bonding material that holds the novaculite(crystaline structure) together? Since this substance is what determines how easily the novaculite crystals are released, while honing.

Most likely the density/honing capabilities, of the various stones is determined by this substrate (sediment,) rather than the novaculite itself?

Great thread, btw.

Thanks,

Mac