Thread: Translucent Arkansas: Good for razors?

Best Sharpening Stones

Looking into getting a translucent Arkansas stone. I know they are "fine", and "slow" cutters cause they the particles are very densely packs. What is the level of polish close to compared to other stones? Are they practical for razors?

Yes, it's fine and slow. I like mine, but I don't think it's any better than other polishing stones that cost much less these days. I only paid about $20 for mine a while back, I think.

For the prices that website is asking, you'd do better to get something else. Natural polishing stones of equal or better utility that would cost less would include the Chinese "12k" and the Dragon's Tongue, among others. I'm not familiar with the man-made options.

My understanding of the translucant arkie is that, though it is "fine" and a polisher, it is not a final polisher for razors (though I could be wrong there... and it will depend on the state of your specific one since arkies get finer with use). McWolf uses arkies quite a bit, so maybe drop him a PM (or he'll probably post in here soon).

I used one for ages - white translucent - and it produced perfectly acceptable edges, both for my own razors and for people I honed razors for. A little bit slow though and a real pain to lap.

Regards,
Neil

I agree it will produce acceptable edge. just takes too much time.

Hello JonnyO,
Question: Would the Translucent Arkansas be your first, natural finisher or are you just wanting to expand an existing collection of finishers?

Thanks,

Mac

JohnnyO

I have used the Translucent & Black Surgical Arkansas stones as finishing stones for years, I own a few. And I use them with water and have for years without any problems. I know, I know, what people say about oil stones, bla, bla, bla, but I have used water on hard Arkansas and Washitas to sharpen kitchen knives for years as well. After all, it is just a rock. Tell me again why it can’t get wet?

The finished edge off a Translucent & some Black Surgical look very similar to the C-12K & Naniwa Super Stone under 100 magnifications to me. And the results, the shave are the same or better in some cases. I don’t agree that they are slow cutters, slow is a relative term.

Remember they are natural stones. Each of my stones is different and produces different edges or better said a different rate of cut. One of my translucent cuts noticeably different from one side to the other. Now all my Tranlucents and Blacks were purchased over 20 years ago, if that makes a difference.

I keep a 6x2x1 inch Translucent in the drawer with my razors. I produce quick slurry with a 3x2 inch DMT 600 credit card plate, 5-6 strokes then hone on it. It results in a quick touch up, super keen edge and nice shave.

This particular stone is the most translucent, not white of the translucent I own and harder that all the other naturals I own, except one 8X3x1 inch Black Surgical I have. It is a true black stone much darker that my C 12K and much harder it feels like wet glass.

I lap these with DMT 300 & 600, 8x3 inch plates then on each other, but even the diamond does cut very slow just to remove pencil marks.

While I do say the stria does appear similar to the C 12K. It’s that hazy cloudy stria pattern. Not the straight line stria off an 8 or 10K. I do believe these two particular stones may be higher grit than 12K because of the resulting shave.

Again they are naturals and grits can not be measured and will vary from stone to stone, much like the Coticules and the resulting wide discrepancy of user comments and personal likes and dislikes of the Coticule.

So if you have a Black or true Translucent handy, put a diamond plate to it, raise a slurry, turn a few laps and see what you think. You will only need a splash of water as it will float on the surface which makes for minimal clean up. I do believe the hard Arks are under rated.

Try it, works for me.


I have just read and seen hi bud gl’s latest post and set of You Tube videos, “Using High Grit Japanese stones to sharpen a razor”. Wow very impressive, can’t wait to try the progressive slurry on my Black Ark.


Marty

Hello,
I'm using a black surgical as finishing stone many times with water and a small quantity of liquid soap (if possible I prefer to avoid the oil on my stones)and that gives a decent edge and a nice shave...maybe it is not the finest solution but one possible...i think these stones are pressure sensitive...

regards

This is another one of those finishing hones that fall into the "It will work" category, but again you can use 30 or 50 or 100 strokes on a particular razor and there is little consistency to it use all the time. I have one and used it on a hundred or so razors a few years back and had about a 50-50 hit ratio first time through. When it worked it worked and when it didn't, it was back to the hone. I even tried it with a Nagura from Japan Woodworker and the slurry did cut down the number of strokes, but not the consistency.

Fun to play with though.

Lynn

One thing I've been experimenting with successfully is using a Surgical Black Arkansas spritzed with 1 micron Boron Carbide compound spray. This is something that the owner of Handamerican (his name escapes me at the moment), has mentioned on a couple of other forums, and it works very well. The combination of the Surgical Black and the Boron has a strange synergistic effect, where the end result is greater than the sum of it's parts.

Kindest regards,
Alex