Thread: Mystery Hones?

I posted these about a year ago with worse pictures

The big white one is 8.25" x 2.25" x 1.5"

the posible Ark Translucent is 7.25" x 2" x .75"

Both are very hard and natural, the whitish one seems coarser, but gets very smooth with lapping.

white one most likely arkansas stone. yellow one i have no idea .

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

white one most likely arkansas stone. yellow one i have no idea .

The one with the White and gray is translucent with a flashlight and VERY hard. My best guess having never seen a Ark Translucent is that's what it is.

Try test them or take to the Randy. You will have fun testing it.
Translucent should be finer stone.
Their grit is not same as rest of the hones but edge comes off fine. they just slow cutters and do great job with oil.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Try test them or take to the Randy. You will have fun testing it.
Translucent should be finer stone.
Their grit is not same as rest of the hones but edge comes off fine. they just slow cutters and do great job with oil.

I tried calling him today but he wasn't around, it's nice to have a hone guru in the neighborhood!!

I have tried the (what I think) Ark Translucent a few time and seems to polish pretty nice, but very slow.

The yellowish one I've tried on knives and it seems ok, but I'm no knife sharpening expert. That one need major lapping and it tears the heck out of my Norton lapping stone and my DMT plate is way to slow.

Nice stones. Yes it does help to have someone with so much knowledge close by. Take advantage and listen to Randy. Novaculite is very hard and will destroy most diamond lapping plates, I know. You might try some wet dry sand papers of varied grit starting from coarse to fine on a hard flat counter or bench top. You can at least apply more pressure on the stone that way. Be careful with these stones as they can crack or shatter if you drop them. Happy lapping, it’s good exercise.

Mike

You can start with sanding mesh for initial lapping. They last much longer than sanding paper.

The yellowish one tooks a little bit a lithographic limestone - very hard and fine and good for honing. The other is translucent arkansas. Lapidary grit and water (80 - 100 - 150 - 240) on a stout flat piece of glass/granite/cast iron plate will do admirably for initial lapping - you can make life easier for the DMT by using it to finish off with - novaculites kill them, easily - I know, my coarse plate is now quite fine!

Regards,
Neil

Hey Rod,

Sorry I missed your call today. Come over any time.
I have to agree that the 2nd stone looks to be a translucent Arkansas.
The yellow stone...well, we will just have to test it out to see where it fits.
Bring it over here and I will give you my $.02 of opinion!

I like Neil Millers suggestion to use lapping compound but I really think a bonafide machinists lapping plate would be required for best, long term results, but, thats my uninformed opinion, not based on first hand experience. I have been watching the machine tool auctions for one but no luck so far.

I will be home tomorrow so call me after 1PM and come on over.

Thanks Randy! Depending on the weather I'll give you a call after 1pm.

The yellowish stone has a serious hill in the middle sloping to both ends (both sides!), it's been a real pain to work with. A machinist lapping plate would come in handy!