Thread: Translucent Arkansas for Periodic Touch-Ups?

Hi all,

I'm interested in using my broken-in translucent Arkansas as a hone for periodic touch-ups. I guess a man-made stone would make life easier, but I'd like to have a go with this one first.

My razor is made of c135 carbonsong steel (I know this is perhaps a hard steel to use with novaculite).

At the moment the razor is still shave-ready. What kind of periodic touch-up system could I try? 100 passes every 10 shaves?

Hard translucent Arkansas stones can provide very nice razor edges. I would recommend touching up your razor whenever stropping is no longer sufficient to give you a comfortable shave, whether that is ten shaves or a thousand. (Using canvas and leather, my daily-use razor is coming up on three and a half years without any other honing.) And then only do a few passes on the stone (perhaps ten or so) at a time, strop and try shaving. Repeat until the the edge is back to a satisfactory sharpness.

There are people here who love edges from translucent arks. As you may know they are quite slow cutting stones, but from what I've seen are capable finishers and would work for touch ups. Being a natural the only way to know for sure is to give it a try.

I'm sure someone with more experience on them will chime in.

I haven't used my translucent or my black hard on many razors, but either of them have given me an edge reminiscent of a coticule edge on those I've tried. If that is the type of edge you like it should be fine. Other than that, what JeffR said in post # 2 mirrors my thoughts.

Originally Posted by JeffR

Using canvas and leather, my daily-use razor is coming up on three and a half years without any other honing.

Just out of curiosity, on your daily shaver, what kind of razor is it? and what was it finished on?

Originally Posted by Martin103

Just out of curiosity, on your daily shaver, what kind of razor is it? and what was it finished on?

It's a DOVO #41 full hollow Swedish stainless steel (with "Pearlex" scales). I think that the stainless steel is a big part of the edge longevity. I don't know what it was finished on - whatever they used at the DOVO factory. I must've gotten one of the one-in-1000 razors with a good factory edge. It did improve over the first few shaves from careful stropping, though.

Originally Posted by JeffR

Hard translucent Arkansas stones can provide very nice razor edges. I would recommend touching up your razor whenever stropping is no longer sufficient to give you a comfortable shave, whether that is ten shaves or a thousand. (Using canvas and leather, my daily-use razor is coming up on three and a half years without any other honing.) And then only do a few passes on the stone (perhaps ten or so) at a time, strop and try shaving. Repeat until the the edge is back to a satisfactory sharpness.

These happenings are often hard to believe... I bought a razor from an antique dealer on eBay who said that it had come from an elderly woman. The razor was her father's. the razor and the edge looked like it was new. I mailed her about it, she said that the woman told her that her father used it for years and had only used a strop to sharpen it. Yes, I asked, but she didn't want to sell the strop!!

Originally Posted by russell4cook

Hi all,

I'm interested in using my broken-in translucent Arkansas as a hone for periodic touch-ups. I guess a man-made stone would make life easier, but I'd like to have a go with this one first.

My razor is made of c135 carbonsong steel (I know this is perhaps a hard steel to use with novaculite).

At the moment the razor is still shave-ready. What kind of periodic touch-up system could I try? 100 passes every 10 shaves?

20+ Years of Maintaining my first 2 SR's on an Arkie tells me that it is possible...

The bad news is you are really going to be pushing the envelope with the C135 steel.
I used my Arkie once every two weeks I was taught back then to "Feel" for smoothness while doing the X strokes once the bevel felt smooth coming and going on the stone, stop and strop that was it..
You are going to have to figure out your own maintenance schedule it might be once a week to once a month there is no way to tell ahead of time...

One thing I can tell you is that you do NOT want to wait for the razor to go dull, the saying goes "It is much easier to keep a knife sharp then sharpen a knife" this applies to SR maintenance also

I have a razor that I have kept sharp as a test blade since 2007 with using just a Swaty Barber's hone... I know of another guy that has a 7 day set that he has done the same with for at least 5 years if not longer.. Maintenance works

The biggest problem with the Translucent is that it can be inconsistent. Could be 20, 50, 100 strokes or who knows. Playing with it to find the sweet spot on the razor at hand is definitely beneficial. Some have even used a .25 micron spray on it to hasten the process, but that can be inconsistent as well. I tend to look at this stone as a can do stone vs. some of the more reliable or consist stones.

Have fun.

As long as you understand that arks are very slow and are oil stones it can be done. I would recommend using other options like a swaty or other fine barber hone. You take lather from your brush, slap some on the hone and make 3-5 strokes and you're good to go again.

I keep my swaty in the bathroom. If the razor feels tuggy at all I just slap lather on the hone and make three strokes and continue shaving. It works very well.
If you want a bench hone for this then just seek a naniwa 12000 or something similar for your finishing and touch ups.

Like I said, it can be done, but they're slow and it's recommended to use oil to keep the metal floating on the stone instead of clogging the surface. I know some guys use water instead of oil but I can't really comment.
pasted strops work for touch ups too and they're very fast and effective.