Quote Originally Posted by adrspach View Post
This is why it puzles me. It looks like the white side is soft with big ish crystals. The coloured side sems to be harder. The stone probably never seen oil. I have compared it with my Washitas (I have 4) and it looks somehow more grainy than them and my ones are somehow uniform in colour.
According to Saint-Gobain Abrasives, this is a breakdown of the stuff they quarry:

...The harder formations of Arkansas stone range from black to pure white through whites containing various shades of yellow, red and gray.

True Hard Arkansas is glass like and translucent in appearance. This stone will produce a mirror finish on cutting edges.

Soft Arkansas stone is opaque and milky white in color and can contain shades of yellow, red and gray. Its structure is more open and will develop a honed cutting edge.

Still softer, Washita Arkansas stone is a good deal coarser than Soft Arkansas. Also opaque, it has an attractive grainy mixture or white, red and gray colors. It produces a good sharp edge rather than a fine
finish...

It sounds like you are describing the soft white washita from what can be inferred from the above.

Regards,
Neil