Quote Originally Posted by JamesSr View Post
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.