Nice Rick. Can't wait to see it. We need to start a show off your arkansas thread.
Arkie Collection: Lot's of pics so take a look
- Thread starter oakeshott
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- #82
Thats a big hunk of rock. Do you prefer a big stone for razors, Rick or do you need all the real estate for other things like knives and chisels? Please post pics when it arrives....a month from now.
Buying one is like WD's sight unseen deal. You can't pick it out, you just take what they send. I like the element of surprise.
Cleaned up the edges on one of the primitives this evening and used the SiC to put a tiny, tiny chamfer on the edges. It was brutal, but after about 40 minutes, I think it's done. With the SiC on the w/d paper and the paper on a marble tile, the problem was that any real pressure with the sharp edge of the Arkie cut through the paper. Had to use light pressure and patience.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Very interesting post Mark! Thanks for investing the time for us. Maybe I'll dig my Arks out!
Cheers, Steve
Cheers, Steve
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- #84
Would love to hear more experiences. I feel as if I'm only just figuring out what's capable with these stones and I've been using one or more for at least a year now. Of one thing I'm sure, they have a natural place, the very hard ones, as finishers. Exactly what the impact is at the finish seems to vary. Sometimes it's a touch of additional keenness and sometimes it transforms the edge into a comfortable coti-like finish.
Of course, I've had a few edges go wrong and come off as harsh but in every case it was on a new arkie that hadn't been worn smooth with use. It seems that by adjusting the honing medium (water, oil, soap) and pressure, one can dramatically alter the influence of the stone. This isn't news, I'm sure to people who've been working with them for years, but it's an interesting puzzle for me to figure out. It takes so much time, however, to suss out the variables and still have a personal life with wife, kids and job that I don't know how the rest of you ever manage to keep track of everything.
Never mind my secret life as a Chippendales Dancer and undercover agent.
He gave me a quote right away, then an invoice. I'd rather not put the price out there but if you want to know just pm me.
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- #87
Nice call Rick - I'd like one of those myself. First, though - I have to locate a vintage Norton Ark that seems to be lost in shipping. Pfffft.
Ouch. What's the deal with shipping lately?? Seems like everyone is having stuff either get lost or show up in pieces.
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- #90
Thanks to a heads up from a member here on one stone, I stumbled across this one and bought it instead. There are some vintage black arkies that are pitch black and not translucent. They're pretty common in the pen knife size (i have one) and I have another in a 4x2 but it's pretty thin (though spectacular as a razor hone). This is a just a hair under 7 inches long and a generous 2x1 in width and height and is that deep ebony color that I've been looking for. Granted, the color is no guarantee of anything, but I've had good experiences with others, so I was happy to take a gamble on this one.
The other nice thing about it was it had clearly been prepped by someone who knew what they were doing. All 6 sides, with some work, are useable and the edges have been very delicately chamfered. While it appeared flat under very close scrutiny (on both sides, btw), I decided to grid out one side and see what happened with 2k grit sandpaper. Now I know why ignorance is bliss. What they didn't tell me is that knowledge makes your arms sore and your back ache.
I spent exactly 1hr and 20 minutes, non-stop, lapping one side under running water using 3 brand new sheets of 2k w/d. I was near despair until suddenly, in the last 20 minutes, the speed of progress increased and I was done.
Here's what it looked like when it arrived.
And after lapping.
And wet
Now all it needs is 100 hours of steel. Actually, I have another plan for it on the advice of another member and will document that once I've tried it.
Now I'm officially out of the arkie business.
The other nice thing about it was it had clearly been prepped by someone who knew what they were doing. All 6 sides, with some work, are useable and the edges have been very delicately chamfered. While it appeared flat under very close scrutiny (on both sides, btw), I decided to grid out one side and see what happened with 2k grit sandpaper. Now I know why ignorance is bliss. What they didn't tell me is that knowledge makes your arms sore and your back ache.
I spent exactly 1hr and 20 minutes, non-stop, lapping one side under running water using 3 brand new sheets of 2k w/d. I was near despair until suddenly, in the last 20 minutes, the speed of progress increased and I was done.
Here's what it looked like when it arrived.
And after lapping.
And wet
Now all it needs is 100 hours of steel. Actually, I have another plan for it on the advice of another member and will document that once I've tried it.
Now I'm officially out of the arkie business.
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Thats a beauty Mark! I would agree it must have been someones jewel at one time.
Nice blackie... cool score!
Beautiful stone mark! I love the color and size.
