Quote Originally Posted by matt321 View Post
Thanks for bringing this up. I haven't tried this yet, but I've been doing similar things with a Spyderco UF. I have a translucent as well, and I may try that too based on your suggestions. So far I've used Naniwa synthetic nagura slurry, Naniwa 10k and 12k slurry, and 0.5 micron diamond spray on the UF.

Here is a WSW post desribing the UF method:
An inexpensive "superhone"

RW also recommends .3 micron Alumina abrasive slurry.

I like the fact that when the slurry is applied to the hard stone you get the benefits of cutting speed without the constant lapping needs of softer stones. It seemed to me that the slurries from the Naniwas cut faster and coarser than the parent hones. My sharpest results have been with the 0.5 diamond spray.

Keith Degras from Hand American said this in a post a couple years ago: "When it comes to maintenance stones I only use one, a surgical black Arkansas stone that I spritz with 1 micron boron carbide & water." I myself haven't tried that yet.
Thanks for that post. Yes, the hard stones were important for me for my carving tools and was very suprised how functional and economical my Arkies could be for that purpose.
My next thought was to try with razors but on a finer stone. I don't think the Arkie provides much more than a very flat, non distorting substrate to hone on top of. Now the spydies might be an even better candidate for my tools as they might even make the whole process more aggresive.
I do notice a major difference on how a finer translucent makes a huge difference in the finish on a razor as I have different arkies. Slightly rougher ones cut faster with slurry but don't finish as nice for razors.
My best razor came off the finest trans with the slurry going almost dry at the end, I doubt the razor came into contact with the slow cutting arkie, it was ride on the slurry film that was broken down very fine.