Thread: Lapping a surgical black Arkansas

Originally Posted by roughkype

I've wondered if I've got the best surface on my Charnley. Since it's also novaculite, would this treatment translate to it?

Absolutely does! I have been playing around with my new CF, and it behaves very similar to my finest Arks. Mine does not seem to achieve the mirror effect to the same degree as the black ark though. but close!

Originally Posted by roughkype

I've wondered if I've got the best surface on my Charnley. Since it's also novaculite, would this treatment translate to it?

i prep all of my novaculite stone this way it does make a difference hards, surgical,trans cf,li,hindo

These are some pics of an early experiment with coarse automotive valve grinding paste. IIRC it is a mix of SiC & AlOX.
The stone is Spydie UF. These very quickly "break in" a DMT.

Pic #1 Factory grind marks
#2 10 minutes lapping
#3 Half an hour lapping. I think I spent 2 hours from go to whoa.
#4 Did I say it was messy ?
#5 Refreshing the paste.

I think I'd go with a belt sander on a badly dished arky but this method is a good follow up. You can even finish on a little diamond spray.

Originally Posted by eleblu05

to prep a hard or translucent/surgical black i lap them with a 325 dmt(use water) after that i use a 3x1 translucent pocket stone to rub down the stone to smooth it over(use oil ) for the last step i use a steel block(or a knife ) and rub the stone until there is swarf all over the stone(use oil) i repete this three times to get the broken in feel after this process the stone should have a smooth reflective surface and will deliver the best results thats with in your stone ability.

Hi eleblu05,

I finally did this with my Charnley last night, using a SpydercoUF and diamond paste instead of the pocket stone, then the back side of my DMT325 plate and oil like you instruct. Then I honed, and got the first good results I've had from this hone. Thank you for sharing this knowledge; I can finally be happy about purchasing this hone.

The weird thing about my hone is that from straight on it looks like a very matte surface, but if you look from a very low angle (10 deg or so) you get a very shiny reflection. This is true looking from either side of the hone, and also from the long ends.

Best wishes and thanks again!

Just to give an update on the original stone for the thread, it had quite a belly to it. It is mostly flat now, but I haven't touched it in a while. I have a DMT d8c en route, should be here today, but I'm hesitant to use it on the arkie. I was planning on using it on my shapton glass.

HAS plays dirty. It lead me to straight razor shaving, not the other way around.

Originally Posted by eleblu05

to prep a hard or translucent/surgical black i lap them with a 325 dmt(use water) after that i use a 3x1 translucent pocket stone to rub down the stone to smooth it over(use oil ) for the last step i use a steel block(or a knife ) and rub the stone until there is swarf all over the stone(use oil) i repete this three times to get the broken in feel after this process the stone should have a smooth reflective surface and will deliver the best results thats with in your stone ability.

Are you honing with the knife to smooth the stone or just rubbing the spine of the knife on the stone?

I use my front porch, concrete works amazingly well for hard arky's

Originally Posted by Disburden

Are you honing with the knife to smooth the stone or just rubbing the spine of the knife on the stone?

You makes reference to eleblu05 above.....

For me I have found that Arkies and the Spyderco UF hone all take on the apparent
grit of the last tool used to flatten them for a while. Rubbing the surface with mild steel
with lots of fluid these very hard hones calm down and begin to show their quality.

Both begin to have a glint to the surface where the grains have been polished smooth
and near flat. The same is also true for some famous barber hones. i.e. the finish
that makes a good razor edge is worn into the surface and not a function of the intrinsic
grain size.