Thread: Transulant arkansas stones

Lthats what I would like to accomplish one day is a smooth shave I've had one for pink lather and im hooked I loved it

Originally Posted by Kingfish

One thing to weigh in on making a choice if you are fortunate enough to find a translucent without defects like inclusions and irregular graining is that they do give visual feedback in terms of seeing the swarf while honing.

Jewlers and people who deal with gold like the blacks better for testing. either can be great polishers, especially on hard carbon steel because they cut into the steel ever so gently.

Nortons and Dan's are pretty good for modern translucent stones but the best I have used are from old stock.

I wish I had someone I knew with old stock because I'm not risking eBay for that kind of stone but maybe that's me

Originally Posted by Tylerbrycen

I wish I had someone I knew with old stock because I'm not risking eBay for that kind of stone but maybe that's me

Hey Tyler,

Check out this thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...ad-stones.html.

Regards,

Howard

Originally Posted by Tylerbrycen

I wish I had someone I knew with old stock because I'm not risking eBay for that kind of stone but maybe that's me

You and me, too. I've had a couple of translucents, a black hard and now a black translucent (which looks like a gray hard to me, it's not that translucent). The stone I got from dans was the finest (finer than the norton trans by a factor of two when they were fresh, and when they were worn in), but any of them can be used hard with tools so that they are settled in. They certainly don't cut fast, and they certainly don't leave a jagged wire edge.

For woodworking, I've been underwhelmed by them compared to ceramic stones, except for carving tools (the hardness keeps you out of trouble) and for a super-fine hard stone, I think the sypderco UF is a lot better if sharpness is important. The key with the spyderco UF for razors is the same as it is for oilstones - let the surface settle in until it's almost not cutting, leave it like that and bring a razor to it that is in very good condition from a prepolisher or other polishing stone. The spyderco UF reacts well to a hard and fine nagura (like a japanese stone scrap as a tomonagura), too, it doesn't rough up the surface but it allows it to cut a little faster until you want to clear it off. And clear and worn in, the edge on a razor is super super fine without the guesswork that you have with natural stones (in terms of whether they work with a given alloy) since the ceramic will cut everything, even when it's dulled.

Translucent and Blacks are finisher. Great for touch ups, Shaved off both for years. It is most true for Arks or better said Novaculites in particular, all naturals are different and perform differently, older Arks do seem better… to me, they seem to have fewer occlusions than newer Arks I’ve seen.

Posted a couple of threads recently on lapping Arks, search “lapping”. 80 grit Silicone Carbide works best and a pound sells for around 6 dollars Valve grinding compound can be purchased locally from any auto parts store, it is the same stuff w/grease for about the same price in a smaller quantity. ½ teaspoon of powder will lap a stone in 20-30 mins, good work out.

For the guy with 6 cases of arks, find a marble refinishing shop. They have a large flat wet grind stone and can do them all in no time. Looks like a giant record player flooded with water, I have seen them as large 10 ft. in diameter.

Trans and Blacks seem to glaze, a few light laps with a DMT 325 will refresh the stone and produce a hazy finish on the bevel and a sharp crisp edge.

Arks will eat Diamond plates, so don’t waste your DMTs. They are good finishers, give good feedback on the stone and leave a nice comfortable shaving edge. Best for micro-beveling with tape or touch ups and still a good value for the money.

In the end it doesn’t matter what the grit or hardness rating of a particular stone is, how close to perfectly flat it is, how bright or dull the polish of the bevel, all that matters, is how it shaves… for you and your razor… and you will only know, if you try it.

Originally Posted by Tylerbrycen

I wish I had someone I knew with old stock because I'm not risking eBay for that kind of stone but maybe that's me

Modine's post #9 is a good lesson on what to look for in an old stone. If it looks likes that go for it and no worries. If the pics show an oil covered stone and you can't see the unmistakeable uniformity like in Modine's pics then you are takining a chance. Be prepared to pay a little more because people who know arks can spot good ones a mile away.

Originally Posted by Kingfish

Be prepared to pay a little more because people who know arks can spot good ones a mile away.

Ain't that the truth ! I had to fight for that black hard ark and that was with 4 seconds to go.