Translucent Arkansas

My "grey" translucent Arkansas arrived from the US and took virtually no lapping - thanks Dan's - so after about 400 laps with an old razor it was starting to get a nice gloss on the surface. I took a blade I had honed the other day on my Soft - hard and Surgical black which was extremely good and gave it 100 laps on the 5x2 Trans Arkansas. Oh boy I really have the progression I'm after now. This blade is so sticky on the thumb pad. I've always liked hand honing but bigger hones felt a bit awkward while this one is just right for me. Great hone.

I have a translucent Arkansas that I use sometimes when I can't get satisfactory results from my other hones. I normally finish on a Coticule, or a C12k but there have been a few times when nothing else would work but that little Trans. Arky did the trick.

They do give a good edge.

Yeah don't mind the naysayerz who say Arks don't give good edges - they just don't know what they're doing. Arks give really top-tier edges when they are prepped right.

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Originally Posted by eKretz

Yeah don't mind the naysayerz who say Arks don't give good edges - they just don't know what they're doing. Arks give really top-tier edges when they are prepped right.

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I feel like this is the case with many naturals - it's all in how the stone is prepped. Good prep, great edge. Poor prep - poor edge.

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Originally Posted by Marshal

I feel like this is the case with many naturals - it's all in how the stone is prepped. Good prep, great edge. Poor prep - poor edge.

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That is almost certainly true with the harder stones.

I got a Dan's Black Ark and I am not sure if the edge is sharper then my Suehiro 20k but it sure makes the shave smoother. Sometimes after using my Escher under running water I'll go to the Black Ark and it really makes a difference.

Hehe, now I'm going to dig out my little translucent, white as a lightbulb it is, and have a go at three razors just off the wrung out :matrix:Vermio, we'll see.

Is the black Arkansas finer than the tranny?

I was always confused by that. Just picked up a black from dan's... a nice 6 x 3. Looking forward to it big time!

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Originally Posted by J743

Is the black Arkansas finer than the tranny?

I was always confused by that. Just picked up a black from dan's... a nice 6 x 3. Looking forward to it big time!

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That's an on going can-o-worms. I think the finest stone at Dans is the black, or at least that's what I was told when I bought mine.

Due to how Novaculite cuts, this is not as easy of a question as it first seems. One place will rank the black as finer as the translucent and another vendor will say the translucent is the finest. With the different levels of burnishing individual people will fight "tooth and nail" one way or another based on their particular stones. This makes everything very confusing. In reality they are grouped more on Specific Gravity and how close the particles are instead of how fine the size of the particle is or grit rating. Some time with the search button will explain all of that better. Then there is the issue of how it is prepped. A translucent that is well burnished can finish finer than a black that is not burnished and vice versa.

With all of that being said, they are supposed to be around the same specific gravity and in the same category so I think you will find most of the difference in how the stone is prepped.

Bingo, couldn't have said it better.

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Originally Posted by eKretz

Bingo, couldn't have said it better.

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I could have !!!!!!!!! just kidding eKretz :rofl2: Steel I am glad you wrote that because it gives me a good reason to have to many stones. Now are you guys talking about hard black , surgical black , or translucent black :argue: ? Just kidding again :)

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Originally Posted by AlienEdge

I could have !!!!!!!!! just kidding eKretz :rofl2: Steel I am glad you wrote that because it gives me a good reason to have to many stones. Now are you guys talking about hard black , surgical black , or translucent black :argue: ? Just kidding again :)

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All this resurgence talk of Arkansas stones got me intrigued by them. OTOH, that just gave a little headache on why I want to stay away, for now or until I find a sub-$10 antique store special.

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Originally Posted by Steel

Due to how Novaculite cuts, this is not as easy of a question as it first seems. One place will rank the black as finer as the translucent and another vendor will say the translucent is the finest. With the different levels of burnishing individual people will fight "tooth and nail" one way or another based on their particular stones. This makes everything very confusing. In reality they are grouped more on Specific Gravity and how close the particles are instead of how fine the size of the particle is or grit rating. Some time with the search button will explain all of that better. Then there is the issue of how it is prepped. A translucent that is well burnished can finish finer than a black that is not burnished and vice versa.

With all of that being said, they are supposed to be around the same specific gravity and in the same category so I think you will find most of the difference in how the stone is prepped.

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Good point Steel, when I was at Dans I asked him that very question, his answer was very similar as your statement, but with a few more words and country like pauses! But his thoughts were they are both in the same range it's like any natural and how you have finished it, plus he was very adamant that the guy using it made a large difference too! Tc

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Originally Posted by dinnermint

All this resurgence talk of Arkansas stones got me intrigued by them. OTOH, that just gave a little headache on why I want to stay away, for now or until I find a sub-$10 antique store special.

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Oh ! I really hope I have not caused any intrigued to disappear for you . I feel like crap now. I think you would really enjoy the Arkansas stones.

Oh nononono. Just too many names, burnishing and cost for quality in my current acquisition disorder stage. Plus I already have 3 finishers to max out. Planning on hunting for some arks and cotis at antique stores, shooting for steals

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Originally Posted by baldas

My "grey" translucent Arkansas arrived from the US and took virtually no lapping - thanks Dan's - so after about 400 laps with an old razor it was starting to get a nice gloss on the surface. I took a blade I had honed the other day on my Soft - hard and Surgical black which was extremely good and gave it 100 laps on the 5x2 Trans Arkansas. Oh boy I really have the progression I'm after now. This blade is so sticky on the thumb pad. I've always liked hand honing but bigger hones felt a bit awkward while this one is just right for me. Great hone.

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I'm kind oh digging all the love Arks are seemingly getting of late. I got nothing more to contribute other than yeah man, I love honing with a stone in the palm too! I got "smaller" Arks just for that reason lol!!

happy honing!

“Is the black Arkansas finer than the tranny?”


I have found prep does make a difference but the edge is about the same.

And then there is this bird… Has both black and translucent veins.

Performs much like my Surgical Blacks and Translucent.

The white marks are translucent veins, not scratches or light reflections.

Attachment 238440Attachment 238441Attachment 238442Attachment 238443

Neat stone ^^
I have a Norton 7x2 that looks very similar, but not as pronounced as yours.

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

“Is the black Arkansas finer than the tranny?”


I have found prep does make a difference but the edge is about the same.

And then there is this bird… Has both black and translucent veins.

Performs much like my Surgical Blacks and Translucent.

The white marks are translucent veins, not scratches or light reflections.

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It's all about the bass, bout that bass ... uh, density. I mean density. Cool rock though!! Very cool!