Thread: Arkansas Stones

Thanks for that info and compliments .
I will give your method a bash this week. Then I will try it over again with the Translucent.
Also this week I will be working on a new customisation . Hopefully this one will be special , you will see it here
Thanks again.
Joe

Originally Posted by JOB15

Thanks for that info and compliments .
I will give your method a bash this week. Then I will try it over again with the Translucent.
Also this week I will be working on a new customisation . Hopefully this one will be special , you will see it here
Thanks again.
Joe

I can't wait to see your latest work, Joe. And thanks for the new saying: I'm sure my friends and family will quickly grow tired of me saying "I will give your method a bash" in the coming weeks. You Brits and your sayings just kill me. And for what it's worth, I fell in love with your London a couple of summers ago-can't wait to go back! Aaron

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

I can't wait to see your latest work, Joe. And thanks for the new saying: I'm sure my friends and family will quickly grow tired of me saying "I will give your method a bash" in the coming weeks. You Brits and your sayings just kill me. And for what it's worth, I fell in love with your London a couple of summers ago-can't wait to go back! Aaron

Thanks ..I will try to use more sayings in the future then you can let the family suffer more

After much experimentation, I have moved away from burnishing my SB and translucent arkies. Just did not see/feel the benefit on my beard.

For me and my stones, the 'fresh' 1500 grit lapped surface on the finishing side provides fantastic edges. The non-finishing side is SIC lapped to 600 but I seldom use that side.

The effects of burnishing vary greatly depending on the preparation of the stone, the razor edge and technique.

Once the stone is flat and smooth finished to 600 grit or higher, it is easy to re-set the face at any grit from 600 to well burnished in a few minutes with Wet and Dry. How it looks or feel, matters less than how it performs for you.

If you are having issues, first ensure the stone is flat, no amount of polishing will correct an out of flat stone with an unpolished pocket. Repeated grid marking with a Sharpie will tell you, pencil will wash off with slurry. Inexpensive 60 grit Silicone Oxide will quickly get you to flat.

The goal is the shave, however you get there.

I myself will not burnish using a buffing wheel. Far too much chance of ruining the perfect flat I worked so hard to achieve!
I wish I had a huge-ass stone like that. Maybe one day...
That said, my stones are brought to perfect flat, and then burnished by way of a machined flat hardened bloc of steel. Those stones are final finishers only.
Then there are the other stones, which are brought flat, and then I use them with nagura, just because I can! No point in burnishing those, as the slurry undoes that in a hurry.
Keep in mind, there is a difference between a "hard" ark, and a "true hard" ark. I go with density rather than designations. Do the math on yours, and you can put them in a line up as an experiment.
Enjoy the hell out of those stones, They are as much a unique and fun to use hone as Jnats
More Photos please =D

I am testing 2 x surgical black and a Translucent . The white hard I will leave alone for the time being.
So the only way to find out if they are hard or true hard or as some one mentioned they could be just black sold as surgical black, is through honing.

Shame I cant just weigh them and do the math ..

I will add pictures and show my progress.

cheers guys.