So my father has taken a mild interest in my interest in maybe playing around with eventually restoring razors and eventually honing. For some reason he has two stones that he thinks he wants to give me as a gift. Arkansas and Hard Arkansas is what he called them. Should I take these with a smile? Or should I look a gift horse in the mouth?
A Gift? Arkansas stones from Dad
- Thread starter j_fro
- Start date
Take them with a smile. I use a hard (translucent) ark to finish on.
hug him and tell him thanks.... helluva dad you got there....
Don't listen to these guys. Your dad is trying the oldest trick in the book. Accept the stones, send em to me for proper disposal and buy a coti!
Seriously though, that's a cool offer from your Pa.
Seriously though, that's a cool offer from your Pa.
Yeah, my father-in-law gave me an arkie in a box. I'm not sure what it is, they use it to sharpen dental scalpels. Take it with a smile. At the very worst you can use them on your knives.
Only take them if they have been lapped. LOL
nice dad, great dad.
No lie.
- Thread starter
- #9
Okay, I have found no satisfactory answer to what to use for lapping an Arkansas...
so, i take it these are not good stones to hone on?
120 grit wet or dry on a piece of glass or granite progressing as far as the carpal tunnel you develop will let you go...
wait till you try a black surgical.....
you take it wrong... they are excellent stones *(IMHO)... as i have said i have translucent and surgical black and they are excellent finishers...
you just have to learn them... you must use pressure to speed the cutting *(something most will gasp at when referring to a straight...)...
they will make a splendid edge tho.... patience is a key with arkies...
I find pressure with the translucent is helpful up to the last bit of laps, then very light pressure. Also; the Arkansas edge is a brisk edge compared to most edges I have come across. Not harsh mind you but certainly crisp. Kind of reminds me of a diamond edge (at least my stone)
Lapped or not this is a nice gift. If they are not lapped then I recommend power lapping if possible to get to a stage of flatness that you can hand lap to finish. If the surface is polished, which is likely, the reflection in the surface should be true and not watery or wavy.
I spent an hour using a horizontal wet grinder power lapping my black surgical Arkansas, and I have spent an hour lapping by hand. It needs more lapping, but is usable for razors.
Phil
There was a bit of levity invoked in our posts, sorry you missed it.
- Thread starter
- #17
I am seeing the old man this weekend so I will see what they are like then. Thanks for the advice so far. These seem like tools I should consider after getting some practice and technique on other stones.
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