Thread: Honing w Hard Arkansas stone (aluminum oxide)?

I just ran into an aluminum oxide Mundial hard Arkansas stone (white). Because of the price of the stone, i figured I had noting to lose. It seems to be of good quality. Does anyone out there have any experience with these, or use the frequently? Is it recommended to lap this type of stone?

thanks

Travis

Well, as far as I know there is no alumina in Novaculite, the cryptocrystalline quartz from which Arkansas hones are made. I'm rather curious what exactly you bought... do you have a link or pictures?

Novaculite varies in effective grit, but some are very fine. They tend to be slow cutters, but if you get the right stone it will put a very nice edge on a razor-- if you are willing to put in a few hundred strokes.

Lapping an arkansas is important, as with any hone, but be ready to use up a LOT of sandpaper getting in lapped. Once lapped you ought never need to flatten it again, those are HARD stones.

Arkies eat sandpaper for lunch

They take Hours and Hours on a DMT 120

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Well, as far as I know there is no alumina in Novaculite, the cryptocrystalline quartz from which Arkansas hones are made. I'm rather curious what exactly you bought... do you have a link or pictures?

Novaculite varies in effective grit, but some are very fine. They tend to be slow cutters, but if you get the right stone it will put a very nice edge on a razor-- if you are willing to put in a few hundred strokes.

Lapping an arkansas is important, as with any hone, but be ready to use up a LOT of sandpaper getting in lapped. Once lapped you ought never need to flatten it again, those are HARD stones.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Thanks, as I have trouble pronouncing some of them there words.

I'd bet its a combo hone , Ali ox on one side Ark on the other. Probably a knife hone but try the Ark it may be useful but not likely a finisher. & yes lap it flat.

Ah my mistake... it is not aluminum oxide. Attached are a coule pics of the stone. I believe to be an hard arkansas, not extra fine. So once this stone is properly lapped, do you use it primarily as a finishing stone? Would it serve well for occasional touch ups as well? I'm also curious what you have found to be effective material to lap this stone with. From what I'm beginning to understand, I'm wondering if using this stone is worth the effort...

If you like playing around with stones, Arkansas can be fun to experiment with. If you're looking to start honing I would recommend some good middle-market synthetics-- Nortons or Naniwas come to mind.

Originally Posted by tdaugh

I just ran into an aluminum oxide Mundial hard Arkansas stone (white). Because of the price of the stone, i figured I had noting to lose. It seems to be of good quality. Does anyone out there have any experience with these, or use the frequently? Is it recommended to lap this type of stone?

thanks

Travis

When you get it -- audition it.
You may need to clean it with a kitchen
cleanser like Comet and a green Scotch Brite.

After trying it you will know a lot.
If you have multiple hones to use
in a progression lapping is key.

A smooth light hand and lather can make
a razor hone out of a lot of rock...

Black hard Arks & translucent Arks are more like finishers but you won't know till you try it.
Coarse water based valve grinding paste on flat glass is quite effective for lapping Arks but messy.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Black hard Arks & translucent Arks are more like finishers but you won't know till you try it.
Coarse water based valve grinding paste on flat glass is quite effective for lapping Arks but messy.

+1 on the grinding paste.
Glass, steel, or the now common granite tiles
work ....