Let's Talk Arkansas Stones

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by DaltonGang, Mar 17, 2017.

  1. Robert1955

    Robert1955 Well-Known Member

    Bloody slow cutter... Can take me 20 to 30 mins to get a blade shave sharp from my black ark
     
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  2. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    i'm going to try this i found the trans ark to cut faster when it was rougher. ill keep the other side smoother
     
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  3. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    i lapped flat trans ark to 500 grit
    tried it out raised a swarf quickly. at that finish i very much noticed and liked that it had input as opposed to none on smoother side.
    then to 1200 grit side...
    finished very sharp and much faster than before
    it will be a day or so before decent test shave
     
  4. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    any one have microscope images of razor's edge

    one image finished on a an ark lapped to lower grit

    another image with edge finished on same ark lapped to higher grit

    curious if there is dramatic difference
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2019
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  5. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    Please don't take offense, but this thread might as well be in Swahili. It's THAT difficult to follow. Yes, I know, I am a honing :whacky024:
     
  6. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    If any terminology baffles you, please feel free to ask, or PM, any of us. Thats how we learn.
    Oh, I forgot to start, by saying "Jambo".
     
  7. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    I have a “surgical black” in bound.

    Curious about surgical vs translucent
    I understand they are very similar,

    What are the nuances, character differences between the stones?

    Anyone using both? Comments?
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2019
    Edison Carter likes this.
  8. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    From everything I have read, nothing different, ar far as what they can do. . Then again, a couple of sellers say the Surgical Black is at a higher polishing rating. The Transl, is much costlier, and looks better, if that means anything.
     
  9. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    As @DaltonGang Said...The Characteristics of Both Stones are the Same in My Experience...:happy088:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
  10. Timwcic

    Timwcic Well-Known Member

    I may be off, but this is just my opinion. I have asked the same question before and never got a answer. The two stone are basically the same in characteristics and performance. The difference is light transmission. Light will travel thru the translucent, will not thru the surgical black. Thus is only in reference to vintage stones. I have no newly mined stones
     
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  11. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    I’ve read where some will what seems to me lap mindlessly on SB arks and trans.

    At what point does this high lap count exercise have a diminishing return?

    Those of you that lap on your burnished arks dry... is this and finisher? Pre finish? and what is comparison to finishing dry vs lube?
     
    Edison Carter likes this.
  12. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    Black translucent ark?

    I got into a discussion with friend about them, he said there is a trans white and gray but not black...... he said that that is a hard black or true hard black or surgical black.

    On second thought black translucent is a bit of an oxymoron since black tends to absorb light...???

    Quick internet search shows trans arks as white or gray stones with the rare exception and jarrod’s stones.

    went home and checked my trans convex ark from The superior shave, and a dan’s trans white/gray with flashlight. The black trans was slightly translucent when light shined from side. The white trans also .5 inch thick was easily translucent through .5 thickness.

    Asking the hive was there or is there such a thing as black translucent? or is that just A result of recent marketing?
     
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  13. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    Reached out to Arkansas expert who lives in arkansas......

    “ pretty much a marketing ploy say in the 1950's.. Called it Surgical Black. Well.. the surgical black is just translucent with color.. same grit in it and same density...As the opaque translucent stone”

    This answered a lot of my questions. Now to test.
     
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  14. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Good to know. That confirms what a lot of us have believed already. Best thing is, the Surgical Blacks are much much cheaper, and easier to come by, in larger sizes.
     
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  15. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    My next question is how a “true hard” ark fits in the mix,
    I’m told density is similar ....
    I recently acquired one, and will be testing it soon.

    @Zykris has a true hard, I think, any one else comparison, True hard to the more noble arks
     
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  16. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    I was aiming for a true hard but alas didn't acquire one just yet. True Hards, according to Dan's Whetstone, are also known as multicolored translucent. Tend to have the same density range as Translucents.

    I only have soft, regular hard, and now two surgical blacks. Still one day I'll get a true hard or a translucent to add to the matrix.
     
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  17. Timwcic

    Timwcic Well-Known Member

    My Washita Family Portrait​

    Did some housecleaning today so time for a family portrait of some of my favorite Washita’s. Have a few more but they did not make the cut. They are 3/4 to 1 1/4 thick and up to 9” long. At one time, easy to find at the markets but slowly getting harder to find quality rocks


    AAF42ABE-4BC5-4138-9701-7F6C761067D7.jpeg 3728AE4A-3796-43AF-89D5-0BFDC48B9906.jpeg B9655B7A-17DD-4989-85A4-85970FD4E15D.jpeg

    These three are my go to bevel stones. All are on the softer, easier to use stones


    D1B6C839-868B-4DB3-B4C8-5D0802F6636C.jpeg

    These three are my oddities, two Woodworkers Delight and a combo Washita-India stone


    A430DEF2-93EB-4D10-A307-D540DCDB51D8.jpeg

    A pair of labeled No. 1 Quality Washita


    6C9323B9-4D14-44FE-8BD9-24AE29B661E8.jpeg

    And my lucky to have babies, three Lily White Washita and a Rosy Red Washita. The bright white soft in the middle is used also on bevels


    C27D713F-CA5B-4FE9-AF51-D3419560892C.jpeg
     
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  18. brit

    brit in a box

    wow .cool collection..
     
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  19. Timwcic

    Timwcic Well-Known Member

    Thank you. Every one was found, after many years of hunting, in the wild., mostly flea markets
     
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  20. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    I've been seeing many dirty 6x2 or larger Arkie Translucent stones, for a decent price. Must resist. You guys still using your Arkies??

    ..
     
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