Thread: Hard Arkansas

To say the least I didn't think this thread would have lasted this long. I am quite pleased though.

I think this thread resurrected some interest in these old standbys. I bought one after reading this thread! Before that I hadn't touched an Ark since my teenage years, I inherited a real nice translucent from my grandpa when he passed away but didn't realize what it was at the time as I was only 9 or so. I used it on and off through the years but then it disappeared at some point. Not sure if it's still in my parents' house somewhere or if one of my little brothers snatched it or what. It was a very pretty milky gray translucent in a beautiful cedar box, I remember that much.

Yes it does take some time, but in the day... it took what it took.

Now days an all synthetic bevel set, mid grit polishing and pre finish, then final finish on an Ark, is the way to go... for me. If you do it that way you really don’t need a big stone, a 2X4 will work a 2X6 is even better and a 3x8 is just a luxury.

You can even do a Micro bevel with an extra layer of tape and 4-10 laps.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Yes it does take some time, but in the day... it took what it took.

Now days an all synthetic bevel set, mid grit polishing and pre finish, then final finish on an Ark, is the way to go... for me. If you do it that way you really don’t need a big stone, a 2X4 will work a 2X6 is even better and a 3x8 is just a luxury.

You can even do a Micro bevel with an extra layer of tape and 4-10 laps.

Yep I use my 2x4 ark more than any other ark I have and it takes maybe a hundred laps

My 2x6 hones get a regular request to be of use,my 10x3's not so much.[emoji52]
CAM. #HoneOn

My favorites are 2x8

I have found that adding a small amount of "Marvel Mystery Oil" to the Smith's can really make a positive impact on your honeing. It really helps keep the swarf from building up in the stone & it smells good. Marvel Mystery oil has been around forever& I sometimes use it straight on a oil stone.

Slawman

A year or two ago, it seemed like there wasn't much of a fan base on this website for Arkansas stones of any kind. People said they were too slow, and that synthetics were a better option. Now this thread has shown that there is a fan base, especially for the Surgical Black and Translucent stones. How did the revival of Arkansas stones break out on this website? Who or what turned the tide of public opinion about these stones?

Originally Posted by Euclid440

An Ark finisher, after a 12k Super Stone is a great edge, especially if you like the keen, krisp Ark edge. It also works well post 8K.

Years ago, I learn to hone on Arks, before good synthetic water stone were as good as they are now. The practice then, was bevel-set on a Washita, and finish on Black or Tranlucent and strop.

Typically I do a Chosera 1K, Norton 4/8K, finish on a 12K Super Stone. Strop on Chrome Oxide and CBN. Or finish on Escher, Ark, Vosegine or film and strop.

I do still like an Ark edge, it is a different edge. I have no idea of the SG of my Arks and don’t care. They are all old and do work though.

What did you do years ago to wake up the coarse stone? On woodworking sites, people get upset because the soft arkansas stone will begin to cut slowly as it goes to sleep, and they put it away and that's that.

Diamond hones now let us buy a cheap stone and get it to cut fast. The rest of the equation then is progression and the fact that in the finer stone a bit firmer pressure is necessary. That and the edges of the stone are not something I like to allow to come in contact with the bevel of the razors because the abrasive is dull over a wide area but on the edges when the contact gets focused, it can still dig deeper than you want given that the particles aren't particularly small.

Anyway, I think the part of this that makes it all work for me is the ability to turn the stones on with a diamond hone or let them turn themselves off with use. That and having enough razors that I could experiment with a little more pressure (not a lot of pressure, just what would be a lot for synthetics).

Originally Posted by 1KnifeGuy4U

A year or two ago, it seemed like there wasn't much of a fan base on this website for Arkansas stones of any kind. People said they were too slow, and that synthetics were a better option. Now this thread has shown that there is a fan base, especially for the Surgical Black and Translucent stones. How did the revival of Arkansas stones break out on this website? Who or what turned the tide of public opinion about these stones?

I know I started using them as my main finishers since about a year and a half ago maybe. Before that it was just a coticule. I didn't worry about it taking longer or anything like that as I was trying to save money and get the best possible edge while doing so. I believe I accomplished that goal. I won't say that it was I or any one person that started a "revival" of arks but maybe more like there were a few of us hiding in the back of the crowd letting everyone talk about their eschers and JNATS and what not and then I think the timing was just right and we all found each other and this thread blew up.

I also think that a few people who were not mainly ark users started to experiment with them and realized that you really could get a really really great edge with them. Then I think as the thread grew it sparked interest in more and more people and spread like ebola. Which is to say fast but not quite like the hype would make it seem. I think it is hard to pull people who have been using JNATS or eschers or what have you as finisher for quite some time and get them to use an ark. Each type of stone has a different feel and people get use to the feel of the stones they use for a while. I can say that I really like and am use to the arkie. I used to use a coticule only for a little while before I got an arkie and I thought that was a great shave and it still is but not compared to the arkie finishes I can get. The only other stone that i like as a finisher out of my arsenal (I don't have a JNAT or escher) is my CNAT. It gives a pretty good and seemingly similar feel on my shaves. Even then I would prefer my arkie.

I think another reason why many people were against arkies was that they didn't know how to use them. For instance if you read a lot of the older threads you will see some people telling other members to raise a slurry on their translucents. This is ok if you are looking for speed instead of keenness. But when you are trying to finish a razor and raise a slurry you will not get an optimal edge. You want a well worn surface and that takes time to achieve. Breaking in the stone we call it. There is a huge difference from an arkie that is fresh from the factory vs. well worn. I don't think a lot of people knew this and thus treated them as they would other natural stones. Of course these stones that they were familiar with were waterstones and not oilstones, because they didn't know how to use an oil stone.

I also think that with the advent and improvement of synthetic oil and waterstones that many people forgot about arkies beyond a smiths or lansky system. Diamond hones become the god of hones for chefs and I am sure many other professions because they would last forever and you could hone dry and they were fast. I know my dad and my mom (both chefs) would only use diamond sharpeners. In the professional line speed is usually valued more, then keenness.

Just my thoughts