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

[Gamma]

wwo!
HOw do they differ from 50's black nortons? And to the modern dans?

That would be a very long discussion.

One thing to note; Norton's hard Arks, black or otherwise, during the 50s were a mixed bag of tricks, all good but not all the same.
Modern Dan's black ultra fine are simialar to Preyda's surgical black, both are very good stones. but they have a different personality than similarly structured 'true hard' Black Arks from 'back in the day'. .
Compared to other super dense Arks, they have a different feel when lapping and under the blade too. Even when just handling the stone, you can tell there is something different about it. In a very general and highly subjective opinion sorta sense, these have a feeling that suggests a mashup of traits from two specific types of vintage black arks, with an added spin to spice it up.

 

[Stoneseeker]

That would be a very long discussion.

One thing to note; Norton's hard Arks, black or otherwise, during the 50s were a mixed bag of tricks, all good but not all the same.
Modern Dan's black ultra fine are simialar to Preyda's surgical black, both are very good stones. but they have a different personality than similarly structured 'true hard' Black Arks from 'back in the day'. .
Compared to other super dense Arks, they have a different feel when lapping and under the blade too. Even when just handling the stone, you can tell there is something different about it. In a very general and highly subjective opinion sorta sense, these have a feeling that suggests a mashup of traits from two specific types of vintage black arks, with an added spin to spice it up.

Gama

I read on here an old timer saying the old arks made a slurry? Ever see this?
Also the two stones in your photo has small white inclusions, are these a sign of the special mine they hail from?

Thank you
W

 

[SliceOfLife]

A really friable washita may slurry under a heavy tool. Doubt it will under a razor.

 

[David]

Scott @life2short1971 had one of the prettiest translucent Norton’s I’ve ever seen that he said auto slurried. It looked like a stick of butter- no flaws or fissures. He’s on vacation right now (he’s always on vacation) but when he gets back maybe he can chime in.

 

[Gamma]

Gama

I read on here an old timer saying the old arks made a slurry? Ever see this?
Also the two stones in your photo has small white inclusions, are these a sign of the special mine they hail from?

That was probably my post that you read. That story referencing oldtimers describing two types of black Arks, one like a gemstone crystal and the other that would slurry is from a thread in a blog on the net somewhere. I put more creedence/importance into the observation and description of different types of hard black Arks than the existence of slurry.

I suppose it could be possible that a super dense ark could possiblhy be comprised of an extremely friable microcrystalline silica. Perhaps a stone like that, if it existed, could slurry under a razor with typical use. Never saw or heard of a novaculite Arkansas stone like that. In an typical geological sense, the formation of a translucent ark would have surpassed the point where such qualities would be present in a stone qualified as 'translucent'.
But after having/using way more than my fair share of Arks, no super hard Arks slurried under a razor here.

The patterning in the 2 stones I posted above are similar, but not unique to this type of stone. Softer black arks can have identical markings, lines and a cloudy pattern too. The only unique visual character that I can isolate is a particular lustre at a given level of polish.

 

[life2short1971]

I’ve had new old that would slurry under just a razor with oil. I’d spend hours lapping and making the surface perfect only to have the stone lose its finish and would start with a very light granular sound that would just ramp up more and more as I used the stone. That would make a great edge for knives but no way I would put a razor to my face with that edge...

 

[Stoneseeker]

hi

I am watching an ebay auction for a BAD *** 8x2 tansluscent that is a PERFECT norton and trying to not buy!

I want this one, but it's already out of my range................

 

[Stoneseeker]

hi

I am watching an ebay auction for a BAD *** 8x2 tansluscent that is a PERFECT norton and trying to not buy!

I want this one, but it's already out of my range................

BOOM!

someone grabbed it for $300!

 

[David]

Wow. Might be time to sell some Norton’s.

 

[rideon66]

I am guessing because it was a Norton Pike. Still crazy.

 

[SliceOfLife]

This spring has been good for stones in general. They bounced hard after last year. I’ve seen multiple lily whites around $200, arks up in the sky, and Normal sized Eschers in the $300-500 range

 

[Bowmaker]

Dan's hard self slurry in white section of stone. It doesn't seem to crash the edge but I don't care much for it and the feed back is different.

 

[life2short1971]

If its making slurry on its own its not a good stone for razors especially as a finisher. I would ask for a replacement or refund.

 

[life2short1971]

Dan's hard self slurry in white section of stone. It doesn't seem to crash the edge but I don't care much for it and the feed back is different.

How long have you had this stone and did you burnish it?

 

[Bowmaker]

If its making slurry on its own its not a good stone for razors especially as a finisher. I would ask for a replacement or refund.

It's not a finisher and it is mainly for knifes as a replacement stone for a Norton 313 sharpening system. From what I can gather it's not unique to this stone but probably all in this color pattern which is usually the case I think. Never be able to keep that stone flat either.

 

[Bowmaker]

How long have you had this stone and did you burnish it?

About a year. I don't burnish Arks, intentionally.

 

[life2short1971]

Ok gotcha. It sounds like it would be perfect for knives. It doesn’t have to be perfectly flat for knives unlike razors if your just using it freehand.
Its a good looking stone too.

 

[David]

Here’s a new one, a massive piece of black hard Arkansas. 12x3-1/8 and 1 inch thick. Light penetrates about 1/2” deep and it literally sings while you’re holding it in your hands. It’s lapped flat up to 400x SIC and ready for a test drive. I believe this is a Norton. It has a stamp on the side that reads:
Hard Arkansas-Made in the U.S. of A, the stamp is identical to the ones used on the later mined (70’s-80’s) Norton’s.

 

[David]

Top pic is what’s left of the stamp on my stone, bottom pic is from the 11.5” black norton that sold on eBay a few weeks ago

 

[Bowmaker]

Preyda did some big Arks not to long ago, I think they called them their professional series 12" x 3" x 3/4. One came up on the auction site not to long ago but it had a stock photo with a dealer that was less then perfect. Price was good but I couldn't confirm size or anything on the stone. I passed because I didn't need it but probably should have anyway.