Thread: Arkansas Stones

Talking about cleaning and de-greasing I have to add that mine has never seen oil. All I have ever used are a few drops of liquid soap from the bathroom dispenser and water. YMMV.

Pete <:-}

Once they are clean, you can use oil, just wash in water and dish soap, when you are done honing, it will remove all the oil. Or just use Smith’s or Ballistol and it come of with water.

Time for my weekly Arkansas Blog

Today I took these two Smith's Arkansas stones . Covered them in engine degreaser and then added boiling water, leaving them for a few hours, periodically cleaning with a synthetic brush.
Then it was lapping time. I went beyond lapping them flat to remove the layer saturated in old oil.. I went 60/120/220 grit..

The smaller of the two is a little softer/coarser/and slower than the bigger one.
The larger, less attractive stone works really well , cutting very fast and fine. I took an old blunt rounded kitchen knife and after about 10 mins I had established a bevel and it was dicing a tomato with no pressure. (bear in mind I am a complete knife sharpening novice).

The boxes are saturated in old oil, I was thinking of maybe cleaning and or sealing them.. Any ideas are appreciated..

Concerning the finishing Arkansas stones , I am currently using a big chopper type knife to lay down some steel and knock off any peaks .. Also trying to get an amazing edge from the 16k to then take to the Arks.. Coming from my Jnat edges to a 16k synthetic edges is a big step backwards ..

Cheers guys , have a great weekend ..
Joseph

I decided to concentrate on one stone at a time. So I took the blackest Arkansas stone . It had a shiny surface but I decided to try the "Superior Shave" method, using a spoon and 600 grit powder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT2XEWDwWmI

It really lays down metal on the surface . I did 3 or 4, 20 minute sessions.
I just honed a Bengall 1/5/10k Chosera and then onto the Arkansas , giving it 100 laps with water/glycerine .

The shave was very good. It didn't physically feel great because i was in the 10k zone...

I was left BBS, no sting or weepers ..

I'm thinking condition the surface a bit more and then go for a Sheffield wedge with maybe 300 laps.

I recall seeing that video when it first came out and was confused by the rational of that technique, smoothing and flattening with a round object, like trying to rub out a finish with a baseball. I wrote it off to the source.

If you are trying to fill the voids surrounding the grit, use a bar or block of brass or aluminum to get an even fill. If you don’t like it or does not perform, just re-lap it.

Burnishing is the opposite of filling, microscopely grinds the tops of the grit to make a flatter surface, much like hand scraping a machined surface.

I had a guy try to sell me a stone the other day, claimed to be a Surgical Black Ark. It was hard and smooth as glass. I popped it out of the fitted box, and it was a Silicon Carbide, Carborundum stone, the top surface completely filled with swarf and dried oil.

Another thing to try, with the filling method is to try the special polish that is used and recommended by Standridge Granite for the use of their plates once precision calibrated. (Standridge Premium Granite Cleaner) Folks swear by that cleaner and polymer polish. It is super slick and fills the voids in the granite. I suspect most any Polymer finish, even an Automotive finish like Menzerna would work. I have a bottle of Menzerna and some Frog Lube on order.

Frog Lube is a Polymer for, firearms. The steel is heated, (hairdryer or heat gun), the lube is brushed, sprayed or wiped on moving parts, allowed to sit and absorb then wiped off completely and used dry. The gun must be cleaned thoroughly to remove any oils or dirt prior to application. It will make the steel water resistant and can be used in wet or dusty conditions without any additional lubrication.

I may have to try both on some vintage Translucent Arks I need to lap. I am going to try lapping them on some Diamond Flower I just got in a variety of grits.

I also wrote it off up until the shave.
It seems to lay down some steel.
Every thing to do with natural stones is contentious in one way or another.
You are rite, a rounded surface cannot make even contact but then the stone is stronger than a cheap spoon.
Maybe??

I will also add, it did not seem to burnish or burnish evenly because of the feedback whilst Honing, it felt and sounded rough or rougher than before. Hence my shock at the edges performance..

I will read your post in more detail later.. I'm on a mobile at the mo.