I was issued a HB13 Norton in my Tool and Die Apprentice tool kit. Old school tool maker rule of thumb. After grinding a die section, remove the resulting burr with the Ark. Actually work the edge so that it's not razor sharp. This will make it stronger and last longer. The theory behind this is that if the burr was left on the die steel and was taken off my the usual shearing forces, the resulting imperfections would cause early dulling or chipping because of pressure and abrasion. The Ark would also remove the base of the burr by forming a minute, radius. Any highly stressed steel being rolled onto the edge is removed.
The use of an Ark in this situation is ingenious. With some of our low clearance dies, (.0015" or .0381mm) you have to watch what you are doing with the Ark, but the edge should still, be very, gently, broken. Everything else, well, there is only so much you are going to accomplish with this stone. Any dulling effect it has on the D2 is self limiting. There's only so far you can go with it. Yes, given an unlimited amount of foul language, pressure and time, it may be possible to round a 90 degree, edge on D2 beyond the useful level of dullness with an HB13. HB13's are actually the mysterious and usually missing, gauge block hone. Usually a Norton HB13, Trans or Black.
A few of the die sharpening procedures sound a lot like any other sharpening procedure. Same terminology comes up now and then. I went on to learn how to produce many freaky, sharp knife edges on that stone, never realizing it was a Trans Ark. Refreshing of that stone was done on the ferro-concrete, shop floor, with aluminum oxide grit from grinding wheel dressings. I've sharpened a whole bunch of hunters knives on that tiny stone. I used it way out of proportion to it's size. I've still got it....and some of it's brother's and sister's......great, grandparents too...cousins.....
The use of an Ark in this situation is ingenious. With some of our low clearance dies, (.0015" or .0381mm) you have to watch what you are doing with the Ark, but the edge should still, be very, gently, broken. Everything else, well, there is only so much you are going to accomplish with this stone. Any dulling effect it has on the D2 is self limiting. There's only so far you can go with it. Yes, given an unlimited amount of foul language, pressure and time, it may be possible to round a 90 degree, edge on D2 beyond the useful level of dullness with an HB13. HB13's are actually the mysterious and usually missing, gauge block hone. Usually a Norton HB13, Trans or Black.
A few of the die sharpening procedures sound a lot like any other sharpening procedure. Same terminology comes up now and then. I went on to learn how to produce many freaky, sharp knife edges on that stone, never realizing it was a Trans Ark. Refreshing of that stone was done on the ferro-concrete, shop floor, with aluminum oxide grit from grinding wheel dressings. I've sharpened a whole bunch of hunters knives on that tiny stone. I used it way out of proportion to it's size. I've still got it....and some of it's brother's and sister's......great, grandparents too...cousins.....