What's new

Definitely not Bl. Trans... Maybe Surg? NWC

Ssandstorms

Ssandstorms

So I had ordered a Bl. Translucent stone from NWC on the 27 of May.
After a month of nothing I finally receive this stone. It's definitely not translucent. Other have shown what theirs looks like. Maybe it's a Surgical Black? How can I be sure?

Also, I noticed something odd at one of the ends...

IMG_20200701_124728.jpgIMG_20200701_124731.jpgIMG_20200701_124748.jpg
 
Ssandstorms

Ssandstorms

That's what I was afraid of. Others had said that NWC SB stones usually were not. That's why I ordered the BT to begin with.

Apparently David is out in the hospital so I was working with another person this last week. Maybe he cut the wrong stone... Still pretty disappointed
 
global_dev

global_dev

Couple thoughts after researching arks for myself recently?

Is “Bl. Translucent“ short for Black Translucent?

Is finish what makes it look porous like mentioned?

Wouldn't you need to apply a light to see its light transmission? Maybe the vein is the translucent part?

The recent ark threads show you how to determine specific gravity easily and then you can tell if its 2.5 SG or above and that it’s the appropriate density.
 
SliceOfLife

SliceOfLife

Was wondering why my 8 yr old black translucent from them sold for 2x what they charge for them now... that does look like a surgical black to me.
Check it with a flashlight, but I'll be surprised if it's translucent based on these pictures.


I also suspect that porous look may just be finish related. My Surgical from halls years ago arrived looking like that and it's as smooth as any of my arks once it got lapped a bit. Check the specific gravity.


I don't think NWC even sells surgical blacks, do they? They have "Black arkansas" and Translucent black arkansas. The "Black arkansas" are crazy cheap, but I've seen a LOT of bad reviews of them. It's looking like they're selling surgical black (that does kinda look like a real SB to me) as translucent blacks and didn't update the webpage to reflect that.

Of course up to you if it's worth keeping a surgical black when you bought a translucent black.

203x76x13mm right? Whats the weight in grams?

The end is a flaw, but given where it is, I wouldn't worry about it at all if the rest of the stone is good... and that's mostly gonna depend on the SG in my opinion.
 
Ssandstorms

Ssandstorms

Bl. Translucent was my shorthand for black translucent.

I didn't have a separate light but shining my cellphones light underneath the stone emitted zero light. So I think it's not a translucent. I haven't tried the density of the stone yet, but I feel confident it's not what I ordered initially.

I don't have the metrics, but I ordered an 8x3x1/2 which should be equivalent to your numbers.
 
SliceOfLife

SliceOfLife

Got a kitchen scale to get the weight in grams?

Weight in grams / 200 should be roughly the SG if that stone is a perfect cut at those dims.

Hold the light near a corner and check in the dark... some black tranlucents only transmit a few mm, but it's usually pretty apparent if they do or don't (even when it's that minimal). That doesn't look like it'll transmit at all to me, but could always surprise you.
 
Ssandstorms

Ssandstorms

I went ahead and emailed them about it. At the very minimum they need to be aware for quality control. I'm not to excited with the thought of having to send out my stone and wait again. I don't have much choice if that's what they'd require to fix it.
 
Ssandstorms

Ssandstorms

SliceOfLife said:
Got a kitchen scale to get the weight in grams?

Weight in grams / 200 should be roughly the SG if that stone is a perfect cut at those dims.

Hold the light near a corner and check in the dark... some black tranlucents only transmit a few mm, but it's usually pretty apparent if they do or don't (even when it's that minimal). That doesn't look like it'll transmit at all to me, but could always surprise you.
Click to expand...

I'll try a separate light but the cellphone showed nothing. Not even a glow around the source.

Any other technique besides a scale?
 
Last edited:
SliceOfLife

SliceOfLife

A trained ear can tell by sound when you tap it... but that's a learned skill and requires a lot of practice.
In your case, I can't think of one... Take it to the post office and ask them if they can weigh it? Not sure if they can be more accurate than oz though and you'd want at least .1oz accuracy.

Yeah, it's not Translucent if that's the case... Looks like a Surgical black to me, but it'd be good to know for sure. They will probably let you know what they think they sent you; from the looks of that stone, I have a hard time thinking they will argue it's translucent, so my guess is they'll say they shipped you an "equivalent" surgical black.

Then you'll have to decide if you want to keep it, ask for a return or maybe ask them to refund the difference between what you paid and what they charge for a "Black Arkansas", because like I said, they don't sell surgical blacks... if the stone you bought isn't translucent (and it looks like it's not), the closest thing they have to what they sent you is their "Black Arkansas"... and you shouldn't be paying for a translucent black if they sent you a black arkansas.


(Black translucent in this size is $143, Black Arkansas in this size, but 1" thick is $66)
 
Last edited:
A

Adonay

Could anyone tell me on which topic have the relative gravity test to know if Ark is a finisher? I´m curious to know.
Thanks
 
timwcic

timwcic

"Look what I found"
This is not carved in stone, but for a general rule for me personally when checking gravity of my ark, 2.5 through 2.6 would be the surgical black neighborhood. 2.6 and above would be uber hard and translucent stones.
 
Ssandstorms

Ssandstorms

timwcic said:
This is not carved in stone, but for a general rule for me personally when checking gravity of my ark, 2.5 through 2.6 would be the surgical black neighborhood. 2.6 and above would be uber hard and translucent stones.
Click to expand...
How do you measure for this? @SliceOfLife mentioned a specific weight given my dimensions but I assume that's a shortcut to the actual math involved.
 
timwcic

timwcic

"Look what I found"
Ssandstorms said:
How do you measure for this? @SliceOfLife mentioned a specific weight given my dimensions but I assume that's a shortcut to the actual math involved.
Click to expand...

I measures specific gravity by using the method in the link. Measure stone dry and write down the weight. Use a container that will allow you the submerge the stone without touching the bottom or sides (very important). Use string, dental floss, fishing mono to suspend the stone in the container and write that weight. That divide the two for the SG. The vintage black trans in the picture has a SG of 2.72

Quick Test Method for Determining Specific Gravity of Mineral Specimens

Quick Test Method for Determining Specific Gravity of Mineral Specimens by John Betts, lecturer, author, photographer, mineral collector, and part-time mineral dealer.
www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com

6939A448-011D-403D-81A5-3856F509B16B.jpeg
D83E934A-05B4-40EA-B8E9-3D2709E8EFBF.jpeg
 
J

jherm77

I read the title as "definitely no bisexual.
Transsexual...maybe surgery? No wrong choices."

Had to make sure I was in thr right forum.
 
SliceOfLife

SliceOfLife

You can also suspect the stone with packing tape BUT... be VERY careful that it does not slip off (I grip by the stone until it is 90% submerged then grip the tape, and then do the same in reverse when removing the stone... pull it 10% out then grip the stone).

I found this actually affects the displacement less than doing 2 loops in 40lb fishing line did... but both are so minimal, use whichever is easier for you... but like I said...

Be EXTREMELY careful that the stone does not slip out of your method of suspending, and only hold it by that method when absolutely necessary to get a reading... otherwise grip the stone itself so you don't drop it.

I had a few scares, and a good hard arkansas is brittle, banging it on a glass container or granite counter will EASILY chip it.


Yeah Jason, the Trans abbreviation probably has the meaning you assumed for most of the web... but not for us stoners.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Coticule width and honing
Replies
16
Views
2K
bmiller3230
B
TheBeast
First Arkansas and Couticule
2
Replies
25
Views
5K
bmiller3230
B
huck1680
The New Smart-Helix Shaving Brush
Replies
8
Views
786
huck1680
huck1680
C
Test of Blades Made in India
2
Replies
26
Views
5K
Pinto90
Pinto90
Hercule
Musings of a first-time beard owner - feel free to advise
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
Hercule
Hercule
Top Bottom