Ok Eli. I went back some years. Hardly unknown but no where the popularity they now have.
Happy?
Happy?
I haven't been hanging around these forms for long, perhaps I am mistaken?
hiWashita. I guess it's authentic. How to tell? I'm not crazy about using it for a bevel setter because of its size. It seems to work well following the 1k shapton
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As little as three years ago you would get some pushback for stating that you could get a shaveable egde from a Arkie. I got some from known honers but I knew I was right because I was doing it myself. So not too long a go. It made me better in the long run because I had to learn how to verify myself. Never looked back after that just try to share my experience, hopefully it could help someone.
I have heard about Arks being used by barbers and such of yore, and seen 'em mentioned in old shaving books and such.
As has been said, the level of finish or dressing of the surface has soooooo much to do with how it will perform.
Do you have a reference for this?
I have never seen a barbers manual reference Arks.
Yet Gamma does not subscribe to this thought and uses water - not oil?
Through my own experiments it DOES make a difference to me, but they are still so slow and the edge no better than other hones of much quicker action.
I gave up on them long ago.
They are certainly capable of producing very sharp comfy edges but so are many other hones at a much quicker rate.
I'll keep an eye out, but don't have a reference at hand.
Here's a reference of sorts, not what you have in mind probably, but I'm just seeing what I can find within B&B as I also watch football on tv. Link.
I hope I've not reported something I can't eventually (or much sooner) find. Worse would be something non-existent. I'll keep an eye out, but my library is very unorganized.
Happy shaves,
Jim
There are some that prefer water and others that prefer oil yet others like water soluble Smith's honing solution, Ballistol, WD-40, mineral oil cut with kerosene or any other concoction worth trying out. I personally use Baby Oil.I guess I'm just not following along very well. Is the difference in experience, water vs oil or stone surface prep?
As has been said, the level of finish or dressing of the surface has soooooo much to do with how it will perform.
Yet Gamma does not subscribe to this thought and uses water - not oil?
With Arks, surface condition matters a lot.
OK thanks for clarifying that for me.There are some that prefer water and others that prefer oil yet others like water soluble Smith's honing solution, Ballistol, WD-40, mineral oil cut with kerosene or any other concoction worth trying out. I personally use Baby Oil.
There's also debate about the impact of surface prep...for me it matters...others say no.
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I concur with you and Keith on this, while my SB I use on razors does show reflectivity at a pretty low angle I never actually burnished it and it performs way better than when I had a more reflective burnished finish on it.Keith just doesn’t burnish his stones to a high polish like many of us do. I tried his approach of keeping the surface of the stone more of a matte finish (on black and trans) and must say that it works better than extreme burnishing and they cut much faster as well. A well done ark edge is damn hard to beat IMO. Yes, they’re slower than synths and jnats, but that just means we get to hone longer.
NEW guy hereI concur with you David, while my SB I use on razors does show reflectivity at a pretty low angle I never actually burnished it and it performs way better than when I had a more reflective burnished finish on it.
There had been comments in the past about how my experience with the coticule surface prep effect on performance didn't line up with his experience with any of the coticules he's ever owned or tested, but I can't argue with what my face tells me...and I can't argue with his experience either.
So much YMMV with this it's hard to know what is definitively and objectively true across the board.
I certainly don't have anything figured out except for what works for me at this point.
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Keith just doesn’t burnish his stones to a high polish like many of us do. I tried his approach of keeping the surface of the stone more of a matte finish (on black and trans) and must say that it works better than extreme burnishing and they cut much faster as well.
Then you’ve got it all figured out, Chris! All that matters is what works for you.I certainly don't have anything figured out except for what works for me at this point.
I guess I'm just not following along very well. Is the difference in experience, water vs oil or stone surface prep?