Black Ark $66 vs $289?

[GeronimoWSB]

Not all Black Arks are created equal. One on the market isn't even Novaculite. Natural Whetstones sells a hard black that is just hard, not in the Trans/SB category, and it is inexpensive compared to the same size Black 'Ultra Fine' sold by Dans. Dan's also sells a 'Black Ark' that is hard, but it is less dense than the Ultra Fine.

Lapping a super hard Ark is work, yeah - but it's not the end of the world if you use SIC powders. Just did one the other night, wasn't all that bad. I have another 8x3 coming soon, and possibly another 10x3 in the not too distant future, lapping them won't be all that much of a bother.

I saw dunstons I think was supposed to be non ark for short, also saw the hard black at Dan's. Might go for the natural brand to test density and take the chance, or wait a month for a Dan's or maybe a primitive. I have a custom knife that should be close to being done by Dulo, so still got to pay for that too lol.

 

[Gamma]

Well if it was from SharpeningSupplies...

It wasn't...

 

[Earcutter]

My 8x3 Black from Dan’s arrived today! It felt a little courser than I remember my 6x2 Black originally being. I even had a look at the bottom of the 6x2 to see if it wasn’t smoother to start. It definitely was!

Anyway I oiled it up and put a kitchen knife on it. More resistance than I’m used to on a Black, but I had at it anyway.

Holy mother did that thing put an edge on the knife. The paper split like like the Red Sea with Noah standing on its shore running away from the Egyptians! Wow! Ok.

Anyway, I’ll “burnish” it when I get home with some good old machete action and see if she settles down a bit before taking any razors to it but yeah, I’m pretty excited.

 

[David]

If you have a beater razor laying around I’d be tempted to try the ark as is before burnishing. You never know, you might be surprised! (Or you might just cuss me).
Either response is acceptable

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Well if it was from SharpeningSupplies, you beat me to it. I’ll be interested to hear your report, I have a sneaking suspicion that they source theirs from Dan’s. Well I did. The 9 week backorder for one now is confusing if that is the case. But what do I know?

My 8x3 Black is coming in on Monday from Dan’s. I’m pretty excited!

This may be out of date, but a few months ago I asked Sharpening Supplies where they got their Arks. They told me in an email theirs are mined and all that my Dan's.

A Sharpening Supplies Ark is a rebranded Dan's. Zero difference I think.

Call or write them and find out if you want.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[kcb5150]

If both sides are true from dan let one side wear in and don't mess with it and keep the other matte with sandpaper periodically. Best of both worlds.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

You might be interested in this Norton Translucent. This is a stone I've purchased from this vendor. They do run out of these.

 

[Earcutter]

If you have a beater razor laying around I’d be tempted to try the ark as is before burnishing. You never know, you might be surprised! (Or you might just cuss me).
Either response is acceptable

Lol!! I think that’s actually a good idea/suggestion. I’ve been “lapping” my 6x2 with 600 grit to good effect here lately. So why would I burnish it?

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Earcutter]

If you have a beater razor laying around I’d be tempted to try the ark as is before burnishing. You never know, you might be surprised! (Or you might just cuss me).
Either response is acceptable

Well, it’s not a “beater razor.” I mean it’s an inexpensive razor, but it’s also my “tester.” I’ve had it from day one. I’ve tested Cotis, synthetics, Arks, Pigs... everything I’ve owned, goes through the Dovo first. I know this blade. So I can tell you pretty empirically now that I rubbed the Dovo on the Ark that, I love this stone.

OP - I’ve never had a bad experience with Dan’s yet.

 

[GeronimoWSB]

I'm keeping that a secret for now, first I want to decide if I like it or not.

Yes please keep us updated, I'm not in a huge hurry.

 

[Gamma]

Yes please keep us updated, I'm not in a huge hurry.

If I like it I may post a photo and a passing comment, but I'll have to leave it at that. If I don't like it then it'll go back and I'll be on to something else. And so it goes.....

 

[Earcutter]

If I like it I may post a photo and a passing comment, but I'll have to leave it at that. If I don't like it then it'll go back and I'll be on to something else. And so it goes.....

No photo, no “passing comment.” I’m sorry you didn’t like it.

 

[Ufgoodies]

No photo, no “passing comment.” I’m sorry you didn’t like it.

the question is how long of a process is it for him to decide if he wants to post a photo and comment. Gamma is pretty thorough.

*edit* if he doesn't like it he should put a comment "decline to comment" so we know

 

[Gamma]

the question is how long of a process is it for him to decide if he wants to post a photo and comment. Gamma is pretty thorough.

*edit* if he doesn't like it he should put a comment "decline to comment" so we know

My reference to new stones I would have to lap was a counter to an earlier claim about how hard it is to lap Arks.
It was not about the new stones themselves, their source/s, good/better/best, etc. I wasn't going in that direction and I really don't want to get into that right now.
Lapping Arks is work. but no one dies in the process. That was my only point.

 

[GeronimoWSB]

My reference to new stones I would have to lap was a counter to an earlier claim about how hard it is to lap Arks.
It was not about the new stones themselves, their source/s, good/better/best, etc. I wasn't going in that direction and I really don't want to get into that right now.
Lapping Arks is work. but no one dies in the process. That was my only point.

I am not worried about lapping, just usefulness of the stones. BUT I have went through alot of past pages and read several comments from you and a few others, and learned alot. Still deciding lol, got it down between two brands and a couple different sizes lol. Really just needed a finisher but it goes that way.

 

[GeronimoWSB]

And I realized the price isn't that bad, I just over think stuff . The Dan's Black and a translucent are the only expensive ones imo at 1" thick.

 

[Earcutter]

And I realized the price isn't that bad, I just over think stuff . The Dan's Black and a translucent are the only expensive ones imo at 1" thick.

Overthinking is half the fun! And price is subjective. It took me a while to justify jumping from 6x2 stones to 8x3 stones. But that’s a personal thing I figure.

Rich or poor, I want to say that translucent’s are horribly overpriced with respect to strictly function. If a black is harder or as we like to think of it, finer than a translucent, then paying two times the amount for one when transitioning from a hard to the black works just fine seems indulgent. Don’t misunderstand me, indulging is a good thing, but not necessary. Being able to shine your flashlight through a stone you just used to sharpen a knife on is pretty cool though!

I have done a bit of overthinking myself to be fair. Clearly Dunston Arks are inferior. That’s a given. Moving on outside of those, if you’re getting a quality black, who cares where you get your soft or hard. I note however that soft and hards are all closely priced no matter where you get them.

Dan’s blacks really are more expensive. Considerably more in some cases. As in 50% more. Is there value for that 50%. In my case yes. I’m not into lapping. Assuming I’d need to. But more importantly, the density and consistency is there. I’m well pleased. There’s just no worries.

I’d recommend Dan’s in a heartbeat. And as much as i’m fine with the superior shave, man that convex thing isn’t selling me. But I haven’t tried it.

Good luck!

 

[Gamma]

I am not worried about lapping,

Never meant to imply you were; the lapping comment in question came from someone else.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Overthinking is half the fun! And as much as i’m fine with the superior shave, man that convex thing isn’t selling me. But I haven’t tried it.

Sharpening Supplies is a lower priced vendor of Dan's stones.

Not that I have a huge collection of Arkansas stones, but I have a few. I'm not sure the translucents get the edge sharper but I like using the translucents. I like them a bit better than the Hard Blacks.

Now the convex stones are another matter. I've been using Jarrod's Double Convex Ark 8x3. The more I use it the more I like it and the better my edges are. It's pretty much all I'm using now after the Chosera 1K.

A Convex Norton White Translucent 8x3 is on the way to me. Don't know if I'll like it more than I like the Black Translucent on the DCA, and doubt the edges will be better, but I am eager to give the Norton a spin.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Biglo13]

How much $$$ did that set you back.
I have a dans trans white... it feels a bit faster, and provides more feed back that, surgical, and hard black

Curious to see how the convex trans white works out for you.