Thread: What did I find?

I picked up a bunch of sharpening stones today, for $8 at a junk store. They need a lot of clean up, but does the one with the box look like a translucent Arkansas?

Put a flashlight against it...If the whole end lights; then it is a translucent if some light goes through it may be a very hard Arki. I have both types.
Either way don't try to flatten the dished side. You can't afford the time. Do the flatter side.

On the suspect stone, use a light solvent, then a soap base like simple green and a scrub brush, then put a flashlight to it.

What are the dimensions average? 8x3"?

Looks like several Arks...
A translucent, a Washita Type...
Some synths...

You can try oven cleaner on the stones (take it out of the wood if possible), also you can try boiling them in water and Dawn dish soap and TSP (in a pan you will never again use for cooking). It does look like a trans Ark

If it is a translucent than it is a very thick one. The white and beige colored ones remind me of fire bricks used to line stoves.

The one I think is translucent is 3 7/8 x 1 7/8 x 7/8 inches. It isn't dished at all, the picture just looked that way. @doorsch, if you don't mind sharing, wich other ones look like Arkies? The dealer got thes and some razors in the same lot, so I am guessing at least some were used for razors. None of the stones are dished or oily, so my plan is to Lapp them on wet dry paper to clean them up.

The entire end lit up when I put a flashlight on the stone, and it went about a inch into the stone. I took the next smoothest stone, and used it and water to clean off the surface of the translucent stone. I did a few x strokes and 30 circles on my razor that was closest go shave ready. Followed with ten laps on chrome oxide and 50 each on linen and horsehide. Will test the razor in the morning.

Translucent Arks are REALLY slow, I usually do 100 laps, the circles should speed it up quite a bit. They can give really nice edges

Originally Posted by rodb

Translucent Arks are REALLY slow, I usually do 100 laps, the circles should speed it up quite a bit. They can give really nice edges

That is good to know as I have a White translucent stone but haven't tried it out yet. Thx.