Back Arkansas Info

I have a 7 1/2 x 2 black Arkansas stone that I bought back in the early 70's for finishing knife blades. It is smooth as glass. Had to mail in the order and do not remember where I got it or the price, other than it was pretty expensive back then.

How would you lap an oil stone any different from a water stone? Is there a grit # associated with these.

I've been learning razor honing on Nani's and am now curious about this stone and use on razors.

I'm attaching a photo of it next to another project that is on my bench.

Thanks

There are many long threads on Arks for razor use, basically lap flat with loose Silicone Carbide, beginning with 60 grit and finish on Wet & Dry up to 1 or 2k. Then, burnish with carbon steel, large knife or wide chisel to a smooth glass like finish for razor finishing.

Use as a final finisher after 8 or 12k finished edge.

If your stone has seen many years of knife steel, you may have already burnished the face smooth, try it. If not, but it is smooth, burnish with hard carbon steel and lots of pressure and many laps, hundreds.

An ark edge is keen and crisp, a very nice shaving edge, great for micro bevel.

Are you sure it needs to be lapped? If it's reasonable flat I wouldn't bother lapping it. In theory you lap it the same way as any other stone. But it's one of the hardest stones you'll ever come by. It will eat up diamond plates. So wet n dry paper on a flat surface is the way to go.

But that's not all. If you want to get the most out of it. After you have lapped it flat you have to polish it up to around 2k grit and then break it in. A big chef knife or a cleaver is what is usually recommended. After that you should have one of the best natural finishers possible.

So try it as a finisher before you start doing something else to it. Might be it's flat enough. If not then I would consider sending it out for lapping and polishing as it is a hard job getting it ready.

I have checked it with a straight edge and it does seem to be very flat. It has had many years of knife blades run a crossed it so perhaps it is good to go as is.

Thanks

Try it out man. What have you got to lose.

I will, thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by apipeguy

I have checked it with a straight edge and it does seem to be very flat. It has had many years of knife blades run a crossed it so perhaps it is good to go as is.

Thanks

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Sounds like it's ready then ;) flat and 30+ years of smoothing with knife sharpening. Nothing you can do to make it better/smoother than it is now

Quote:

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Originally Posted by apipeguy

I have checked it with a straight edge and it does seem to be very flat. It has had many years of knife blades run a crossed it so perhaps it is good to go as is.

Thanks

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Use it as is. IF you scuff the surface by lapping, it will be a while before it gets back to where it is.

Gave it a run with my practice razor, scratch pattern looks nice. Test shave tomorrow.

Also, finished fitting the Gold Cup Trigger (gun parts in photo) and have that all back together, test that next week.

It should not leave a scratch pattern, just a hazy, Kasumi finish. If it is scratching it may not be smooth enough.

Putting some flat carbon steel to it with pressure and some dish soap and water till it is smooth as wet glass, 100-200 laps, either way it will not hurt it, only improve it.

Hone with water and drop or two of Smith’s Honing solution or mineral oil it will be slow but it is a finisher, 100 laps is normal or 15-20 for a micro bevel with extra layer of tape.

Washing with Dawn dish soap or Simple Green, will remove any oil.

I do see a scratch pattern although finer than off of my Nani 12k. I will do more laps until I see the haze but will have to wait a bit until I have time to do what Euclid440 suggested and will need to purchase some Smith's Honing Solution or mineral oil.

Will still test shave tomorrow to feel where it is now.

Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by apipeguy

Gave it a run with my practice razor, scratch pattern looks nice. Test shave tomorrow.

Also, finished fitting the Gold Cup Trigger (gun parts in photo) and have that all back together, test that next week.

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Didn't even realise that it was gun parts. Left my guns when I moved to Denmark back in 07 haven't fired anything larger than a bb gun for 8 years. Sometimes I miss it. Most of the time I don't even think about it.

With use Arkies get smoother. The crystals on the surface of the stone will be flattened every time metal is being rubbed along the surface of the hone. That makes them slower. Lapping will make the surface a bit less smooth I would think.

There's no way I would try lapping that stone. If already reasonably flat just use it, all those years of having steel put to it has to be a positive thing.