My first try with a Trans Ark

Well, it came yesterday and instead of sleeping last night i thought of ways to make my new trans love me.

Based on lot's of reading here and so much experienced advice that I should really print it and start a file, I decided to leave one side alone and dress the other side to 600. 600 seems like a sensible starting point because I guessing that it is easier to go up than down in grit.

I stuck some 600 wet n dry on my mirroer lapping plate with water , soaked the wet n dry well and started rubbing in circles, up & down, figure eights etc. I lifted the stone ( not easily because it stuck down) and turned it around to do the same so I could be sure I had the whole length even.

I did this for about 5 minutes. I have to say I couldn't actually see a difference or even feel it with my fingers but it felt different when I licked it so I must have achieved something.

I sharpened a kitchen knife for 10 minutes on the 600 side, actually I have never sharpened a knife before and it is blunter now than it was before I tried. That can go back to my steel I think.

Anyway, the 600 side feels different now, smoother. It's not shiny like a mirror yet but I guess it might get there.

I honed an already very shave ready razor that could tree top arm hair ( that I honed :cool:). I spent about 25 mins with mineral oil doing several up and down on one side then the other, x strokes, windshield wiper strokes, heel first strokes at an angle that the whole blade fit on the stone and anything else I could think of.

I have just cleaned the stone and the razor.

After stropping 10 on canvas and 50 on leather it still treetops so I know that if nothing else, I haven't hurt the edge.

I don't imagine I have achived anything much on my first attempt with an Ark but I will shave after lunch and see if it's any different. Be so great if it is a nicer edge but I won't hold my breath.

OK then, I had a shave, I would like to say that it felt a little bit smoother but I've got a feeling that it's wishful thinking.

I had a 4 pass BBS shave, regardless of whether the Ark helped I'm still pleased with this razor.

It makes my shaves even more enjoyable knowing that it's my own edge. Now all I have to do is get this natural honing cracked, even if I wear my rocks out doing it.

If it's a Dan's translucent, their "true hard" stones are supposedly lapped on a 120x abrasive turntable wheel (that's what they told me). From there, I would recommend lapping 240x > 400x > 600x. Mark out a grid with pencil on the side of the stone to be lapped. Lap until the grid is gone, like you have done, then mark out a new grid, move up to the next finer sheet of w/d sandpaper, repeating this until the finest sheet. That said, if you just stay with your knife on the surface, it should smooth the stone on its own. As far as wearing it out, an Arkansas is a very durable stone.

For kitchen knives, I don't use a translucent or "true hard" stone as I want there to be a bit of tooth on the edge. Normally, a soft/hard Arkansas combo (modern "hard Arkansas" being a misnomer, it's actually at the finer end of the soft Arkansas range) used with descending half-lap counts, something like 10 > 5 > 3 > 2 > 1, gets me there before ending with some light X-passes to even things out. Much the same for me with razors and a small translucent, used hand-held rather than on the bench. I find that introducing a little backstroke (spine-leading) helps with very hard natural stones like the Arkansas.

The good/bad thing about Arks is it requires the most perfect honing stroke to achieve the best edges beside it being correctly prepped. The good is it develops rather quickly as failing sucks and striving to overcome it is primordial, at least in my case. When muscle memory kick in and you can almost hone blindly, then all other stones will be much easier to master and your Ark edges will definately improve.

I like to take my edges to 8k on synthetics(snow white) and the 300 laps on my Butterscotch translucent or go all Arkie and use my lily white(7kish) and do 300+ laps on the butterscotch to get it how I like it.

A lot going on for you.

When I started, I was given a 2x6 translucent and a strop to maintain my razor, “burn the ships”, no alternatives.

I shaved with just that for 10 years, there was no internet, no books. My barber was my only source, he gave me a couple quick lessons. You do this and this, then this.

If you are learning to hone and to finish on an Ark, it can be a steep learning curve. It will get better. You must learn to hone, then you must learn your stone. If you add other razors to the mix, you extend your learning curve, each razor is different.

The best advise would be to get a good pre-finisher, a good 8k Naniwia Snow White, or 12k Super Stone, perfect that edge, so you take a fully honed edge and mirror bevels to the Ark and improve that edge.

Finish one side to a clean 600 grit and burnish the heck out of the other after 2k wet & dry. Run all your kitchen knives on the burnished side to get some mileage on it and do laps on your razor. Try pressure, no pressure, different strokes, different lubes. Stay on it and it will shave, but one day it will be a smoking edge.

The only way to learn to hone is to hone. Arks can be frustrating, but folks have been honing on them for hundreds of years. They are not magical stones, but they can make magic.

Well said, Marty

I am enjoying this thread, and taking notes for improving my Ark game, which has never been up to my JNats.

All this said, and admitting my Ark edge is only a passable grade of C+, I find Arks to be rather 'dead' compared to other stones I've used in terms of feedback.

I'm still learning my primitive true hard from Dan's so don't think I'm an expert...disclaimer finished.

I polished mine to 1K and then spent several nights burnishing with a big'ol chunk of carbon steel. Its got a satiny finish with some hazy reflectivity.

For lubrication I've tried water, water/dish soap, Smith's solution, Smith's solution/water, and traditional oil. I don't have very sensitive skin and couldn't really tell much of a difference in the shave. I've been using oil, since I find it easier to see the blade under cut and also easier to feel the blade "stick" to the stone.

I've found this stone really makes me work my Norton 8K to as good a finish as I can get. For a while I was test shaving the 8K edge before moving to the ark. My best edges have been when I can't see the 8K striae and the bevel gets a kind of hazy look. Then I do 50 or so laps on fabric and then stay on leather until the bevel regains it's high polish.

The performance of my edges were a little hit and miss at first, but I went all in the last couple of months with practice and it's paying off. I'm getting much more consistent results and love the feel of the shaves. I expect this stone will only improve with time and more practice.

I'll never regret purchasing the stone, I enjoy it every time I pick it up. :D

These are the most astute words of wisdom I can think of when it comes to honing stones---from gssixgun--

"No amount of money spent on a Stone can ever replace the value of the time it takes learning to use it properly"
Very Respectfully - Glen

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Originally Posted by JellyJar

I'm still learning my primitive true hard from Dan's so don't think I'm an expert...disclaimer finished.

I polished mine to 1K and then spent several nights burnishing with a big'ol chunk of carbon steel. Its got a satiny finish with some hazy reflectivity.

For lubrication I've tried water, water/dish soap, Smith's solution, Smith's solution/water, and traditional oil. I don't have very sensitive skin and couldn't really tell much of a difference in the shave. I've been using oil, since I find it easier to see the blade under cut and also easier to feel the blade "stick" to the stone.

I've found this stone really makes me work my Norton 8K to as good a finish as I can get. For a while I was test shaving the 8K edge before moving to the ark. My best edges have been when I can't see the 8K striae and the bevel gets a kind of hazy look. Then I do 50 or so laps on fabric and then stay on leather until the bevel regains it's high polish.

The performance of my edges were a little hit and miss at first, but I went all in the last couple of months with practice and it's paying off. I'm getting much more consistent results and love the feel of the shaves. I expect this stone will only improve with time and more practice.

I'll never regret purchasing the stone, I enjoy it every time I pick it up. :D

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That's a great post... thanks for sharing.

You know the term beginners luck?

I killed the edge on one of my beaters.

I spent maybe 3 hours on the rough side of my Washita, then I spent about 2 more hours on the smooth side, it is about 50% burnished so it's still a work in progress.

I was suprised that it actually cut stomach hair.

I moved onto the rough side of my Translucent for about 2 hours and tested it on my stomach again, it was starting to tree top so I moved onto the smooth side for about 2 more hours.

Outback wasn't wrong when he warned me that a full progression on Arks was a very slow process!

Anyway, when I finished the blade is stained (I used glycerin) but it was treetopping well.

I just had a shave with it to give it the ultimate test.

It shaved fantastically, I am BBS.

I am disappointed that I can't figure out how to shine the blade up again without losing a finger and as far as the shave, it was fantastic but I couldn't tell the diference between the Arks and the synths. Actually thats not quite true, the synths to 12k seems a bit sharper. I am going to put that down to the smooth sides of both rocks not being fully burnished and my complete lack of experience with naturals.

I'm not unhappy with the results of my first real start to finish Ark razor but i also know that it was more luck than judgement.

If anyone wants to know my method:

Just hone away for hours and hours and hours, eventually it has to get sharp, but OMG it is sloow. Lucky I can't think of anything more fun than playing with my razors eh.

Could always send out the stone and razor to a honemeister to see what they can do with it as well.

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Originally Posted by STF

If anyone wants to know my method:

Just hone away for hours and hours and hours, eventually it has to get sharp, but OMG it is sloow. Lucky I can't think of anything more fun than playing with my razors eh.

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Speed and fast aren’t high priorities for me when working with Arkansas stones, and I realize this a new experience for you. Finishing on an Arkansas shouldn’t take quite so long as hours and hours. So keep developing your skills and work on cutting that time down. I admit I don’t watch the clock when I finish on an Arkansas. As someone complimented me (I think a compliment), I’m king of lazy honing / finishing with Arkansas stones. Pop on your favorite Netflix series, play two or three episodes (note I didn’t say watch them), and hone away. Skill and technique first, then lazy honing.

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Originally Posted by Christian1

Could always send out the stone and razor to a honemeister to see what they can do with it as well.

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Er, No - I'm not giving up, I will learn this stuff eventually even if I feel like I'm shaving with a brick for a few months first.

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Originally Posted by STF

Er, No - I'm not giving up, I will learn this stuff eventually even if I feel like I'm shaving with a brick for a few months first.

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I was never a send it out guy either. I learned it all on my own, mostly by watching the videos and practice. Occasionally I’d buy a new razor honed by the seller and it would come in shave ready. I learned what a shave ready razor was suppose to feel like. Now I trust my own honing whether Arkansas, coticules, or Shapton Glass synthetics.

I thought I would give you all a quick update and thank you for the advice and support you gave me and continue to give me on various threads.

I had a lightbulb moment with my honing on synthetics and have since got my gold dollar to treetop hair and had an amazing BBS shave with. It turned out that all I had to do was listen to the advice I was given and actually act upon it.

Anyway, I was super impressed with my GD edge so I took it to my trans ark for 30 minutes and then stropped it, with 6 on Cro Ox for luck.

I shaved with it and the edge feels so great, in fact I had to check if I was shaving with the spine so close that the blade was off my face. I won't hold my breath but I would be so happy if my other razors had an edge like this.

I did take one of my razors and set the bevel on a washita, turned it over and spent a few hours on it before going to the rough side of my trans for a few hours and then the fine side for another couple of hours. It took a long long time but I have to say, I got a really nice edge and a lovely shave.

My next goal I think will have to be to cut the time taken down because although I love my arks, I can't spend all day on every razor I hone.

I told ya they were slow, but perfect for creeping up, and squeaking out the best of an edge.

When I'm honing I feel if I can't take a razor from bevel set to finish in an hour then it's time to move on to another razor and come back to that one another day. You got to have limits. Spending 4 to 6 hours on one razor is just crazy!

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Originally Posted by Gasman

When I'm honing I feel if I can't take a razor from bevel set to finish in an hour then it's time to move on to another razor and come back to that one another day. You got to have limits. Spending 4 to 6 hours on one razor is just crazy!

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You can bevel set to finish on only Arks in an hour?

My goodness, I definately need to speed things up!

He's saying he won't spend more than an hour, honing. He'll come back later, to hone on it some more.

Even if you can do it faster it's not like you're going to lose much metal as slow as the arks are. I find honing to be cathartic. I don't usually have that much time at once to put into it. I will sometimes do a couple of hours or more but if you can devote that amount of time to it then that's great. The bottom line is you got a buttery smooth shave out of it and that's the whole point. Even if it could have been done in less time or strokes if you enjoy it and you're getting good shaves then you're certainly not out anything. I'm really glad that's working out for you Steve. You've certainly put your heart and soul into it.