Thread: Coticule slurry on an Ark.

Originally Posted by cau

I understand the desire/need to experiment, I really do. But if you have a decent coticle with slurry stone for dilucot to 8K+, and the black/trans Ark for finishing, I don't see why one would want to put garnet slurry on the finish stone. Why would you need to speed up the finisher? Isn't that what the coticule was for? Seems like a step back. Is the Ark with slurry faster than the coticule with slurry?

Well, the original topic was regarding a soft Arkansas stone - which is the coarsest readily available Arkansas stone as Washita have become a rare find of late. So the point is to speed up the bevel setter - not the finisher.

As for using coticule slurry on a Black/Translucent, think of it as a way to one stone hone with just that rock. Which you would do for the same reason you would one-stone hone on any other hone. And not everyone has a coticule to transition from. I have 3 translucents, no coticule. Just a small coticule rubbing stone.

That makes sense. I've only followed patches of this thread. And I may be convoluting this thread with the other ongoing Ark thread. Sorry.

No problem, I'm happy to clarify when and where I can.

Well, today I received my Soft Arkansas stone, 6 x 3, from Dan's Whetstone. It came in a wooden box that fit perfectly. The customer service, before I continue, was top notch. Very personable people who made me feel comfortable with my purchase, even though it was a small one compared to other models. I chose a half hour later to order a 6 x 3 surgical black—and I may pick up a nice, cheap pocket translucent stone from them. Wonderful people. Really.

I grabbed a beater Gold Dollar I practiced with when I was seriously new to honing, which has an uneven, but not necessarily "impossible" bevel, and began to hone. I should note that in the last week my honing skills have improved TREMENDOUSLY. Many many breakthroughs this week. For example, I finally learned how to max out my coticule, CONSISTENTLY, without any so-called tricks. (dilute often because of auto-slurry, not the slurry you see; I tried this with a BBW and got the exact same result in the exact same time, go figure).

The slurry building was dead easy. I built a nice, thick, milk slurry. I'm convinced it wasn't necessary. I have a few coticule slurry stones I keep in a miniature domino snap-case. Stones from La Veinette, LVRR, two combos, e.t.c.

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Like many have said, the blade began to quickly stick to the hone. Maybe about 20 strokes or so. Very perceptible suction. Undercut was gorgeous. I wasn't even using pressure.


I took a good number of laps before I diluted. I wasn't worried about auto-slurry here, so I took my time, great feedback. Really enjoy this stone.

Down to misty slurry, I began to dilute every 8-10 strokes, as I would on a coticule. Not a finger drop, I'm talking about either dipping the razor in a cup of water or sprinkling a good amount. Really spreading those garnets out. And x stroke, and dilute, and x stroke, and dilute.

HHT 2 off the stone. A bevel setting stone. Unreal. Again, I didn't even use pressure.

Off to the coticule!

dilucot procedure. I actually started with a milky slurry, crazy, but I was just having fun in the mud! Same procedure here, except I diluted often as I had finished on the arkansas. And x stroke, and dilute, and x stroke, and dilute.

HHT 3 on some parts of the blade.

FINAL REMARKS

I won't be needing a bevel setting stone, as I do like the allure of naturals and this one fits so perfectly before a coticule or BBW that I don't see (gulp) a chosera purchase in my immediate future. (I'll probably make up a reason to buy one in the future).

Still, I need to hone some other blades before I declare this stone a holy grail in the progression. I didn't have to remove much better on this guy, I knew that because the swarf wasn't crazy. I didn't use pressure. For example, if this was a NEW gold dollar, I'm not sure what would happen. Obviously I'd use more pressure to get into that heel and remove the amount of steel GDs are known to require.

Good stuff though. Thank YOU OP! This stone knocked it out of the park for me! I think, for restores, or for the tough guys, a rough stone might be in order, but this bad boy has a permanent seat in my honing briefcase.

I have every reason to believe this is a method worth pursuing. I achieved a VERY nice, polished edge tonight.

Stay tuned for shave results!

Nice looking stone!

Originally Posted by earcutter

Nice looking stone!

eh.... couldn't you just run a soft-ark slurry on a black ark and use it PHIG style?

As in... coticule dilucot, then black ark slurry to finish? Wouldn't that work too?

Originally Posted by J743

eh.... couldn't you just run a soft-ark slurry on a black ark and use it PHIG style?

As in... coticule dilucot, then black ark slurry to finish? Wouldn't that work too?

Based on my experience lapping them, I'm going to say no - these stones are rediculously hard and don't slurry well at all. This is where the softer coticule comes in. Much easier to build a slurry, abrade rapidly, and can be made very fine via dilution.

Originally Posted by Marshal

Based on my experience lapping them, I'm going to say no - these stones are rediculously hard and don't slurry well at all. This is where the softer coticule comes in. Much easier to build a slurry, abrade rapidly, and can be made very fine via dilution.

not even with a pocket soft arkansas to use as a rubber? Bummer. O well. Back to the drawing board...

Honestly calling the Soft Ar Kansas stone 'soft' is a complete misnomer. It's soft in relation to a hard/black/translucent Arkansas, but it's still technically novaculite, and still very hard and abrasion resistant. You might be able to work up a slurry with a diamond plate, eventually. But I wouldn't expect the diamond plate to last long with that kind of abuse.

Originally Posted by Marshal

Honestly calling the Soft Ar Kansas stone 'soft' is a complete misnomer. It's soft in relation to a hard/black/translucent Arkansas, but it's still technically novaculite, and still very hard and abrasion resistant. You might be able to work up a slurry with a diamond plate, eventually. But I wouldn't expect the diamond plate to last long with that kind of abuse.

So, just to update this whole thing....

I've noticed soft arks, at least, mine, tends to clog and glaze VERY quickly, to the point where it wouldn't cut as fast. It's as if the minute I took a razor to it, I got me some serious burnishing going on. I've since relapped it, but coticule slurry seems to bugger things up. A wonderful experiment for sure, I'm not sure of it's repeat-ability. I can't put it into the right terms, but the cutting power is off now...

Has anyone taken a SOFT ARK slurry to a soft ark? I feel like that would speed up the stone and give it it's own cutting power without glazing.

I have another natural bevel setter incoming, but tonight's project, taking the hack saw to a wet soft ark, and seeing what some slurry can do.

I might try dmt 325 slurry first.