Thread: VG10 & the Arkansas

My kitchen knives are VG10 - you think a soft and black Arkansas will do the job?

I have used Arkansas stones my whole life. Sure they are a little slow but i Love em. Sharpen and polish all in one. They take very little metal. And the edges seem to last. Was thinking of getting a Soft and a Black for the kitchen knives only.

But now I am reading that the "super steels" don't do well on Arks. Is that true?? Anyone have any experience before I drop my money's on em? Moreover, if you do use them, do you do anything post Ark? Strop? Paste?

Thanks in advance!

Wow with all the hone crazy dudes here, I thought I would come home to find massive dissension on the topic lol!!

Nothing lol... crickets... maybe this post/bump will help .

I do some of my knives with the Edge Pro Apex, but still do most of my work freehanding with the Soft, Hard and Black Arkansas stones and find that they work fine on any steel. I have a selection of bench strops with diamond spray and green compound that I finish them off with. I never use any compounds with my razors, but I find that they do a fine job to finish off knives. With most kitchen knives, I stop at the hard Arkansas and don't use the Black Arkansas. In the kitchen, a slightly toothy edge is more functional. Unless I want a really "showy" edge on a pocket knife, I usually stop with the Edge Pro Apex at 500 grit. I have grits up to 8K but only use them on edges that are more for show than go.

Thanks for your input Ace.

I have brought some/many of my kitchen knives up to 8k. It would seem that I don't need that "tooth" when they are that pollished lol . But it is excessive I guess.

That said, I am finding my VG10 blades are dulling quickly. More so than my other steel kitchen knives. They have a steeper angle, so I can only imagine that that's what's doing it... that and the fact that my wife can't use a steel lol.

I don't know why I am hoping the Arks will do a better job of it - maybe I am just looking for an excuse to pick one up lol - I always wanted to get a Black and run a straight over it. Some claim they shave off them with pleasing results.

Anyway - thanks.

I tend to use more obtuse angles than most guys do, mainly because I don't want to change the blade profiles of my new knives just for the sake of sharpness. The fact is that most of my EDC knives are not going to see any duty heavier than opening an envelope. I've found that angles as obtuse as 30 degrees per side, if stropped on a strop block with green compound, can get "hair whittling" sharp and still be sturdy. Most guys take them down to 20 degrees per side and even more narrow with kitchen knives. I like sharp edges, but I haven't found the need to re-profile my EDCs to achieve the sharpness I need.

I've worked with the Black Arkansas for decades. It wouldn't surprise me if it would do well with SRs. It's just that I have all the stones I need for those already.

You'd think some of the knife nuts would chime in David but the knife forums could be worth a shot too. Quick search found this:
Sharpening VG-10 - - Powered by FusionBB

Originally Posted by onimaru55

You'd think some of the knife nuts would chime in David but the knife forums could be worth a shot too. Quick search found this:
Sharpening VG-10 - - Powered by FusionBB

Hey that was helpful - thanks!

Yeah I guess I could have googled it, but seriously, who has stones like straight guys lol? It still weards me out when I read the knife forums and see them talking about 800 vs 8,000 lol!!

That said, many seem happy with the Arkansas Stones... I just wonder if those guys have access to 12,000 Nani's and .25 diamond sprays lol!!

Anyway - if anyone here goes crazy on their kitchen knives or use Ark's on em... let me know.

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by earcutter

Hey that was helpful - thanks!

Yeah I guess I could have googled it, but seriously, who has stones like straight guys lol? It still weards me out when I read the knife forums and see them talking about 800 vs 8,000 lol!!

That said, many seem happy with the Arkansas Stones... I just wonder if those guys have access to 12,000 Nani's and .25 diamond sprays lol!!

Anyway - if anyone here goes crazy on their kitchen knives or use Ark's on em... let me know.

Thanks!!

I think you'll find the guys with Jknives & chisels are as loopy as we are .

I use fine diamonds for "bevel setting" on my Bill Moran designed Spyderco hunting knife out of vg10 & on most all of my knives. I finish the edge on BBW and I am pleased. I skinned and de-boned 5 white tailed deer when I got this knife and after I was done I washed the fat/natural grease off the blade and it still shaved. I ordered another just like it the next day. I haven't messed with an Arkansas blade as I'm too dang impatient. That vg10 is some awesome steel from my experience. What kitchen blades do you have in vg10?

Originally Posted by earcutter

Hey that was helpful - thanks!

Yeah I guess I could have googled it, but seriously, who has stones like straight guys lol? It still weards me out when I read the knife forums and see them talking about 800 vs 8,000 lol!!

That said, many seem happy with the Arkansas Stones... I just wonder if those guys have access to 12,000 Nani's and .25 diamond sprays lol!!

Anyway - if anyone here goes crazy on their kitchen knives or use Ark's on em... let me know.

Thanks!!

One of the 'heavy hitters' on knife forums is Dave Martell. He had a website, maybe still does, that for a time was Keith DeGrau's distributor (HandAmerican) and he also sold Shapton pros from the low grits all the way up to the 15k, maybe the 30k IIRC. To find out what works with the exotic steels I would figure there is more info where the knife guys lurk. Those guys do more of that type stuff than use razor cranks. IME with S-30V and ATS34 razors I had to revert to diamond plates to get far enough along to have some results from high grit synthetics. I don't know if more patience would have yielded results with the stones alone, but I was working at it quite some time before going diamond. Did the trick though. I've got Arks from Washita, Soft Ark, Translucent, Black Hard. I think everyone should have 'em if they're into honing. I take my pocket knives to them and occasionally a razor. Nice comfy edges finished with the translucent or the black.