Arkansas Translucent preparation

I just ordered one hard black Arkansas 4x1 5/8 and one translucent (same dimensions) pocket stones from Dan's Whetstones. I've watched several YouTube vids and read several threads here. I'm excited to try them, but I've got a couple questions.

1. I've read some people take wet/dry high grit sandpaper (1k, higher) to smoothe them out. Is this necessary? Sales person I spoke to said it wasn't; they are lapped and guaranteed flat. Some say they need a breaking in, hence the sandpaper. I informed sales rep the stones would be used for straight razors.

2. I've read Arkansas stones will tear up a diamond lapping plate. I've got the Shapton glass lapping plate. Please opine.

3. Will a regular Norton lapping plate work on these stones?

4. So I use J&J baby oil to protect my razors. These stones use mineral oil to hone. I've read some use Neetsfoot oil. Any reason baby oil can't / shouldn't be used? Neetsfoot?

As a truck driver on the road I think these stones will make a great addition to my road bag.

never lapped one so cant help ya there plenty info on it here via search , another alternative to oil is glycerin and a little water clean no odor and works as good as oil for me on knives , cant see why baby oil wouldnt be just as good

Baby oil is mineral oil with scent so will be fine.

If it comes flat you should be alright by going straight to burnishing it. Burnish it using a steel block or knife to rub all over the stone

Even if it is guaranteed flat, if you want the most out of the Trans, you are chasing smooth, not flat. I think some wet dry and subsequent burnishing with some hard steel would be a good idea

The shapton might work, but I'd be careful still. I would only use light pressure and keep the plate just covered by water in the sink as per gssixguns video on lapping. You might not need to do this though if it really is flat.

It will tear through a Norton lapping stone without sweating.

Baby oil is usually very refined mineral oil, so that should be fine.

You want it lapped as finely as you can. If the stone is not flat, true it with sic powder on a granite or float glass plate till it is pretty much there and then switch off to wet dry on a plate to ensure it is dead flat. Lap it up to 2 or 3k wet dry if you can get it. If you have something like a Belgian blue whetstone, slurry it all over the surface, but if not don't worry about it and just begin burnishing the surface with blades, chisels, razors. You want it like a mirror basically. To finish a razor, 2-300 laps depending on size. The edges are amazing

Forgot to add you should true both sides and have one side be mirrored for razors, and keep the other side periodically roughed up with fine wet dry and decidedly non-mirrored for knives. Best of both worlds for a travel stone.

Just a quick couple comments.
1) you bought the ludicrously expensive Shapton lapping plate?
2) there is no way in hell I would even attempt to lap something as hard as a trans ark on it.
3) I found the surface of my dans black(also ultra fine, God rest it's soul, it's in a better place) flat enough, checked it on the back of my DMT. The burnishing is what takes the longest time.

Once properly prepped, they will perform perfectly fine with water and or a couple drops of Smith’s Honing Solution. Mineral oil works well but is messy and gets rancid and smelly. It can be washed off but the Smith’s works just as well without the hassle.

I would grid the stone and lap it on any stone to see if it is flat, if not then depending how far out of flat it is, decide how to correct it. I would not put any diamond plate to an Ark.

You can totally get away with water with a trans and razors. It would take forever to clog a trans finishing razors on it. You will get a finer result buffering the water with something else though. You could always use water and put two or three peas of dish soap as well. That works fine. Just control the amount of moisture as you go. Oil and water soluble solutions as well, obviously.

I'm enjoying the replies, and learning too. Remember, I'll be using these pocket Arkansas stones in my truck while on the long hauls, primarily as touch up, refresh. Things I'm learning:
1. While flat is important, it's smoothness I'm seeking.
2. Burnishing is that quality of smoothness which takes wet / dry sandpaper to achieve, using 1-3k or higher.
3. I like the water and dish soap idea, but a bit messy and impractical in the cab / sleeper of my truck on the road. Few drops of baby oil I already carry, wipe off / clean with paper towel. I read some where for deep cleaning, let soak in simple green, wash off, good as new.
4. No diamond lapping plate to these Ark. stones. Will destroy Norton's plate too. Suggested to lap on a honing stone. What grits are suitable? I have Shapton glass 500 through 30k. (They work great, btw, but that's for when I'm home).

Help me to understand the burnishing technique, end result better.

Thanks for all the input.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

1) you bought the ludicrously expensive Shapton lapping plate?
2) there is no way in hell I would even attempt to lap something as hard as a trans ark on it.

---

As to #1, why, yes I did.
As to #2, that's why I'm asking questions.

No, don’t lap on your Shapton’s, they won’t phase it. If the Arks are out of flat, lap on lose grit Silicon Oxide starting at 60 grit up to 500, GotGrit.com. Then switch to wet & dry up to 2k. You will only have to lap it flat once. Honing a razor you will never hone it out of flat.

Burnishing is smoothing the stone using hard, carbon steel a wide chisel or large kitchen knife using lots of pressure and water or oil as a lube. The more laps you do the smoother the finish on the stone face and smoother the finish it will put on a razor. Minimum of 2-300 laps more, the more better, use pressure.

On a 4 in stone I would figure out a way to hold the stone, stone holder or padded vice and put some steel to it. I use carbon steel cleavers, the wide, hard, thick blade give you a good two handed grip.

Check this trans thread.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Euclid440

No, don’t lap on your Shapton’s, they won’t phase it. If the Arks are out of flat, lap on lose grit Silicon Oxide starting at 60 grit up to 500, GotGrit.com. Then switch to wet & dry up to 2k. You will only have to lap it flat once. Honing a razor you will never hone it out of flat.

Burnishing is smoothing the stone using hard, carbon steel a wide chisel or large kitchen knife using lots of pressure and water or oil as a lube. The more laps you do the smoother the finish on the stone face and smoother the finish it will put on a razor. Minimum of 2-300 laps more, the more better, use pressure.

On a 4 in stone I would figure out a way to hold the stone, stone holder or padded vice and put some steel to it. I use carbon steel cleavers, the wide, hard, thick blade give you a good two handed grip.

---

However I get it burnished I gotta do it up in the truck, probably. They should be in by Friday and I'll be home Sunday with about 48 hours home time.

Remember, these are pocket stones 4x1 5/8. I'll likely have to hold them in my hand to burnish them.

The sales rep gal at Dan's Whetstone guaranteed they'd be flat. I'm not too concerned about that. But things don't always turn out as you think they should.

So, 1. Lots of pressure. 2. Hard steel instrument. 3. Lots of strokes. And I'm looking for a high polish, luster to come up on the stones, right?

Yes. After burnishing it should feel like glass

The black I got from Dans came flat enough to use although I did go and lap it anyway. Like was said before, conditioning the stone is very important, I uses a meat cleaver with heavy pressure for mine. That's after lapping it up to 2K with wet/dry sand paper.

All excellent advice here. Sounds like you're understanding pretty well. Dans is great for lapping their stones flat. You should be fine there. I burnished all of my translucent pocket stones by putting them on the floor and using pressure with an old wedge razor(any heavy blade). A couple hundred laps and they were good enough to start. They get better with use but at some point the glaze on them has a point of diminishing returns in my opinion.

Arkansas properly used will give you some of the best and smoothest edges.

My wife is the carpenter in the family. I was telling her about the burnishing process and what I've learned. I've read where some take chisels and burnish the Arks. Without mentioning the chisel idea, she says, why don't you use a chisel? She now wants a set of chisels. Okay, I say. Just be sure one is a 2 incher.

BTW, I did a search of "Translucent Arkansas Burnish Burnishing" here at SRP in advance search and found pages of great stuff from over the years.

Once I get the stones and chisel, I intend to come back here and do before and after pictures and describe the process.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Longhaultanker

My wife is the carpenter in the family. I was telling her about the burnishing process and what I've learned. I've read where some take chisels and burnish the Arks. Without mentioning the chisel idea, she says, why don't you use a chisel? She now wants a set of chisels. Okay, I say. Just be sure one is a 2 incher.

BTW, I did a search of "Translucent Arkansas Burnish Burnishing" here at SRP in advance search and found pages of great stuff from over the years.

Once I get the stones and chisel, I intend to come back here and do before and after pictures and describe the process.

---

That's a great idea that has not been done before and IMO would really be helpful. I'm m looking forward to seeing it.

It might be easier to burnish a small stone on a block of steel, moving the stone rather than steel, so you could put some pressure on a corner, without worrying about slipping off the edge.

I have a small 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 in block that would work fine for that. I have never burnished anything smaller than a 6x2 in stone, using chisels and knives. A piece of rubber drawer liner keeps the stone from sliding.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Euclid440

It might be easier to burnish a small stone on a block of steel, moving the stone rather than steel, so you could put some pressure on a corner, without worrying about slipping off the edge.

---

Not a bad idea :tu

I'll report in on this thread when I get home from this load. I'm in Los Angeles tonight. Delivery tomorrow. Home by Sunday / Monday. Arks should be in Monday.

Made two new orders today. A 4x1.5 coticule (la verte) from Jarrod at the superior shave and a new dorko 8/8 from John crowley at the shaving shop. New threads and pictures will follow later.

In my travels today I was able to obtain the carbon steel plate pictured below. It measures 33x13, and is 3/8 steel. (Heavy rascal too). Picked it up from a facility specializing in oil / gas fabrications. The plate has flaws, but some sections seem smooth. I took course and medium emory paper to it, then applied a light coat of mineral oil. Given the above conversations about burnishing translucent Arkansas and hard black, is this a find, or a bust? Comments and suggestions welcome.

Got home just a bit ago. Orders not yet arrived.

Attachment 218991Attachment 218992

What works best is hardened carbon steel, the edge of a wide tool, chisle, large knife or ax, that you can put pressure on. I use a meat cleaver held almost at 90 degrees, maybe 75-80 degrees so you can put pressure on the stone face.

I was thinking of an AX head in a vice and rubbing the stone on the ax.
Perhaps you can hang the plate over the edge of the counter, clamp it and use the edge to rub the stone on.