Thread: King 6K, 10K or 12K next.

Thanks for that info on the Arks. That test you referenced concluded that a black surgical ark was worthless and did not improve past a Norton 8k, but also concluded that the white translucent (vintage) gave perhaps the best edge past 15k, though slowly. The author also seemed to mention that newer translucent Arks were not as good as the vintage ones.

I have read other threads were people have commented that there black surgical outperformed their white translucent. It gives me the impression that Arks could be a bit of hit or miss.

But based on those results in that test, it makes me want to get a good Ark.

I have no idea about the new arkies.

Mine is a Trans black vintage. It came from my great grandad, and probably predated him. It's a pretty ugly looking block but it does work.

If you are looking for a good solid finishing stone, you cannot go wrong with a 12K Super Stone. I bought mine about 3 years ago when they were pink and since then that is the finishing stone that I jump off into Natural finishers including Ark Surgical Blacks, Black Translucent and White Translucent.

All Naturals are different and it seems Arks are more so, which makes them hard to compare. Some say they are a much lower grit than 10-12k, but when properly prepared will produce a nice crisp finish that can improve a 12K edge. I really like an Ark edge. Don't get caught up in the grit rating because with naturals you cannot rate them... they are natural and different because they are natural, there is no formula.

Now you may be able to compare "your" natural to a synthetic by comparing side by side stria size. But that tells you nothing about how it feels on your face and that is what counts.

I have shaved straight off the 12K Super Stone and with paste for very nice edges.

As said all Ark finisher can benefit from fine lapping and hard steel polishing. All Arks are slow or better said we are all spoiled by the speed of synthetic finisher.

So Arks can give a very nice finish, it does take some laps to get there, 200 laps +/- is normal depending on your stone and how it is prepared.

There is much written here on Ark stone prep, which by the way also works well for the C12K.
Bottom line is you will not be disappointed with the 12K Super Stone and it will work well as a pre-finisher for your Ark.

In my routine I have a king 1/6k then a naniwa 8k, then something finer depending on the feeling that I get from the blade.
I can easily clean the 1k scrapes with the 6k, but the 6k is not at all close to the naniwa 8k. This latter is much finer and staying very light gives a great finish.
I also have a naniwa 12k, though it's a fast cutter I don't advice using it after the 6k because that would take too long.
When it takes too long it happens to me that I start stroking mechanically and without the proper care.

Yes it would work... I use 3 stones only for my process... I do king 1k to set bevel... Then 6k king ... I do thick slurry, medium slurry and just water light strokes... My last stone is a Chinese river stone 12k ... These are really slow! So about 100 laps but i like it alot because it is really forgiving ... You can surely practice different strokes on it... I use slurry for first 50 laps...
Good luck