I believe many gems are overlooked in the Arkansas family just because they are not trans/black/labeled/name brand. It's fascinating to have a bit of the stones history. I've always wondered where my vintage rocks have been and how they were used.
Arkansas Love...Let's see those Arks!
- Thread starter David
- Start date
I believe many gems are overlooked in the Arkansas family just because they are not trans/black/labeled/name brand. It's fascinating to have a bit of the stones history. I've always wondered where my vintage rocks have been and how they were used.
- Thread starter
- #202
That’s a beaut. Those early Pike hard arks are really something special. I don’t know if they were in a better lot of stone, or if the QC was just that much better at the time but they are very consistent and super performers. Sadly you don’t see them in larger sizes very often.
- Thread starter
- #203
Me too Dcaddo. My high school machine shop teacher had a can of sperm oil squirreled away for tapping holes. Truly funky smelling stuff. If I had to hone with it I'd be using an electric razor.
timwcic
"Look what I found"
To give the antique and vintage Arks some company, a contemporary soft Ark. A SB-8 by Norton. A bright, evenly colored white stone that is not as aggressive, uncommonly fine, compared to other softs that I have.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
How's it perform and what do you use it to do?
There’s a very off color joke in that story.
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- #208
Nice stone. Was that a wild find?
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- #209
Here’s a little NOS soft Norton that I’ve never had the heart to open up. It’s still wrapped in the original tissue paper.
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- #210
And a hard black norton, also marked as a jewelers stone.
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- #211
And one more NOS Hard Ark/Fine India reversible stone. These are neat stones, but the way they are made is not very functional.
timwcic
"Look what I found"
I just played with it with some mineral oil so it would clean up easily. I did not want to soak and load with oil. Just ran a beater and a few kitchen knifes for a test drive and get a feel
It was a semi wild wild. It was on the local internet classified ads. When I saw it I hoped it was a reissue Lily White. Was told is was a soft. Said it not what I was hoping for and made a offer the both. Seller was motivated. The other is a anniversary crystolon that was never used
timwcic
"Look what I found"
Just got the same reversible. Got to take apart and clean. What sold me was that is has 30%-40% of the old pike label. They look good put lousy functionality
Here are mine, the translucent is quite small, like 4” x 1” small, but looked so interesting I had to have it. The surgical black is 4”x2”x1” and works quite nice.
Larry
Larry
The ark in my hib reversible set was beautiful quality, but I hated using the thing as intended. It's impossible to keep neat as a regular usage proposition. It's not typical for me to sell something off so quickly unless it is a hindo but I really soured on it fast.
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- #217
It might take some getting used to but I don’t see why not. You could ask Jarrod to convex it for you (not sure if he’d do that or not) to speed things up.
Thanks I couldn’t remember if the hard were considered finishers but as long as it’s flat I don’t see why not.
I also have one of the convex ones from jarrod but I tend to use the lapped flat side more often these days lol
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
How hard is it? Like old hard (meaning maybe hard black translucent level hard) or new hard (meaning not as hard as current hard black)? It is all so confusing...
A hard black will definitely finish a blade. A (current) hard won't.
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- #220
Those old hard Norton’s are hard to beat IMO.
