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Arkansas Love...Let's see those Arks!

Got an over sized slip stone in a lot. Semi translucent and very clean edges and shape. Not exactly a razor hone but lucky Arkansas find.

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That's the hard in the middle? Yeah, looks like the same stone.

What was sold as a soft a few decades ago is called a hard these days.

The smaller stone you've got on top looks like a semi-translucent #1 Washita to me.
Yes, the hard is in the middle and the other one is the soft that is very soft.
That small stone is one of those hard soft combinations. They do have that mottled washita look to them. I had never checked them till you mentioned it but it does pass light as does one I have with a buck knifes label. They are really hard though. Kinda think maybe Smith's was the source for Buck knifes.
 
Got an over sized slip stone in a lot. Semi translucent and very clean edges and shape. Not exactly a razor hone but lucky Arkansas find.

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You have some really nice stones. That semi translucent does look a lot like my Smith's. I think a guy probably could get a shaving edge off of them but I have never tried it. Not sure if I am skilled enough to do it but I am going to give it a try.
 
I did hone on the Smith's hard. The edge was keener than I got off my newly purchased coticule but a step behind my black arks. I think a guy could do a little better if he played around with the surface finish a little. I just dress my arks with a well worn fine diamond plat of unknown grit followed by the flat back of a chisel, sometimes.
 

duke762

Rose to the occasion
The seam on the left lower is not an issue, the light spot in the center is a texture change(hate that in a fine stone) and the right upped 1/4 pure trash. The stone should have been crushed and used under someones drive way.

Have you used a good straight edge and looked for light. I have a hunch that the problems could be solved by an aggressive lapping. I think it may be one or two things. One would be the blacker areas I'm seeing where you describe a texture change. If it's a new stone, it may well be embedded lapping grit from the factory. The lapping material can break down during factory lapping and become a problem in a more porous stone. I got a regular hard from Dan's loaded with lapping left overs. I assume you got it new but if it's been used, I'd say the dark areas are low and it's loaded. Can't hurt to try even though it's a pain.
 
Have you used a good straight edge and looked for light. I have a hunch that the problems could be solved by an aggressive lapping. I think it may be one or two things. One would be the blacker areas I'm seeing where you describe a texture change. If it's a new stone, it may well be embedded lapping grit from the factory. The lapping material can break down during factory lapping and become a problem in a more porous stone. I got a regular hard from Dan's loaded with lapping left overs. I assume you got it new but if it's been used, I'd say the dark areas are low and it's loaded. Can't hurt to try even though it's a pain.
It's a good suggestion but yes, it's been lapped in an effort to fix it's problems, coarse and fine diamond plate. I thought I might be able to smooth it out but I can't, it's full of open pores.
 

timwcic

"Look what I found"
This was a rescue a few months ago. Finally got around to cleaning and taking for a test drive. A Pikes Reversible Oilstone. I looks 100% original having the clasp, tension screw, and red oil felt mats. The stones are 6 x2, a Soft/Washita and a Translucent. The trans is a interesting variegated tri-color. Took two weeks of soaking and cleaning to get it to look like this. A nice old piece of history

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timwcic

"Look what I found"
Thanks David @Dcaddo it is a nice score. Both stones when I broke down were black bricks. It toke some love and elbow grease to get it there.
 
Lol to both of you, in the past week I have received/bought a 10"*3"*1 black and trans black, a nearly NOS g bar Gem and a what I hope is a minty Damaskeene. Also what was said to be a turkey washita, same weight or so as my Dan's soft though. Oh and an emisar d1s flashlight lol.
 
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David

B&B’s Champion Corn Shucker
Just bought an 8” boxed Norton Hard Ark on the bay for 40 bucks. I didn’t need it, but for 40 bucks I had to.
 
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