Thread: Surgical Black Arkansas v Translucent Arkansas

henders; I like to put a professional-quality ruler atop the hone, hold at arm's length to the sun, and look for light peeking through. But you can kind of tell by the feel of the blade on the stone to me.

I used an 'xx' DMT and it was an absolute battle, but I won and the DMT lived on to lap another day. Perhaps the "coarse" DMT just doesn't have enough muscle for this one?

Originally Posted by hendersr

Whats a good way to test if they are flat?

Draw a pencil grid on the stone and check as it is being removed. Here is a tutorial on flattening a waterstone. I definitely like the sink for lapping stones. Washing the swarf off as I go inures a more accurate lapping IMO.

As kwigibocity said, the DMTXX is a much coarser plate @ 120 grit than the DMTC @ 325 and will eat most stones for breakfast including barber hones. If I have a tough job I start with the XX and finish with the C when I'm almost there.

Old thread, but hey, further validation never hurts. I have both a surgical black and translucent that are about 10 years old. I have gotten very nice edges from both. Just today I shaved with a Dovo that was 'refreshed' on the translucent. With my particular stones, I prefer the feedback from the black, the translucent feeling a bit gritty. On the razor, however, both give really great shaves.

Speed: Arky's might be 'slow', but coming from a woodworking/knife/axe background, I am dedicated to the idea of using the coarsest possible stone at all levels. Once the razor is ready for the final stone, an arky isn't that slow.

JG I like what you said except for the using the coarsest stone, I look close to see just what stone is needed, because I don't like to spend time taking out deep scratches that did not need to be there in the first place. Conserve Razor steel....

Originally Posted by jgjgjg

Speed: Arky's might be 'slow', but coming from a woodworking/knife/axe background, I am dedicated to the idea of using the coarsest possible stone at all levels. Once the razor is ready for the final stone, an arky isn't that slow.

Interesting to read my own post in this thread back from 2010. At that time I had only used my Arks on pocket knives. Since then, old dog learning new tricks, I have used the translucent, and the black hard on razors, and found that as you say, if the razor is ready for the finisher they aren't that slow. I liken the edge feel (on the face) to a real fine coticule edge, which I happen to like.

I've found the same thing, my translucent gives a very nice edge after an 8k Norton when used with oil

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Interesting to read my own post in this thread back from 2010. At that time I had only used my Arks on pocket knives. Since then, old dog learning new tricks, I have used the translucent, and the black hard on razors, and found that as you say, if the razor is ready for the finisher they aren't that slow. I liken the edge feel (on the face) to a real fine coticule edge, which I happen to like.

I know this is an old post but I have to say I have recently fell in love with my old Norton hard ark, which happens to be a grey/translucent variation 2x4x1inch. It is funny considering I have had this stone sitting around before I started honing razors and after being discouraged due to the majority of posts I seen at the time where all against arks as a razor hone. Well I chased after everything from a y/g Escher to a La Veinette coticule and everything in between! Now I'm not saying that my ark is better than my y/g or Lv but I am saying I love it just as much! The edges thus far I have achieved where very nice, it mowed through effortlessly and with how sharp it surprised me that there was no irration! I now am on a mission to get a complete line up of arks, well just got a vintage smiths soft so I'm looking to complete with a hard and washita. Another thing I wanted to say is about the speed, I don't understand why anyone complains about that? I mean if you're like me then you enjoy the zen like feeling of focusing in on your honing! To be honest I get a displeasent feeling when I'm finished and I have nothing to hone LOL Anyway if you're in a hurry grab your synthetics. Well that's all I got. Thanks for all the great info guys

Originally Posted by JamesSr

I know this is an old post but I have to say I have recently fell in love with my old Norton hard ark, which happens to be a grey/translucent variation 2x4x1inch. It is funny considering I have had this stone sitting around before I started honing razors and after being discouraged due to the majority of posts I seen at the time where all against arks as a razor hone. Well I chased after everything from a y/g Escher to a La Veinette coticule and everything in between! Now I'm not saying that my ark is better than my y/g or Lv but I am saying I love it just as much! The edges thus far I have achieved where very nice, it mowed through effortlessly and with how sharp it surprised me that there was no irration! I now am on a mission to get a complete line up of arks, well just got a vintage smiths soft so I'm looking to complete with a hard and washita. Another thing I wanted to say is about the speed, I don't understand why anyone complains about that? I mean if you're like me then you enjoy the zen like feeling of focusing in on your honing! To be honest I get a displeasent feeling when I'm finished and I have nothing to hone LOL Anyway if you're in a hurry grab your synthetics. Well that's all I got. Thanks for all the great info guys

I've got a small variety of stones, and for the exact same reason. When I first started honing razors I was actually considering just going with what I was familiar with - Arkansas stones. I've used them on knives for years. But, I was dissuaded and ended up with a set of Nortons instead because of things said about Arkansas specifically, and naturals in general. Which isn't entirely a bad thing. But from there it branched out. Barber hones, Cnats, Welsh Slates, a Coticule...And of course, eventually I got the set of 8x3 soft & hard bench stones and a few translucents to go with.

Out of all of that, the Arkanstones are my favorites. I may get the same high quality and very keen edge off my Welsh Slates, a more comfortable one from my coticule or Cnat, and a faster one from my synthetics and barber hone. But I'm happiest when I bring the Arkies out to play. I will say the Welsh Slates come in a close second. I could live happily with just a 1K bevel setter and 3 stones set of Arkies. Black or Translucent to finish, either is fine by me.