Getting serious about a Black Arkansas stone

[HVenture138]

So yeah, Back Arks

As I window shop for the next stone in my collection I keep coming back to a Black ultra fine 8x3x1 from Dans whetstones.

Now while this is a pricy stone to begin with I’m most worried about the hidden costs in both money, time, and effort. As I see it these concerns canbe broken down into two roots.

1: how flat do these stones come?
This kind of Novaculite is very hard, so are we looking at many hours of flattening
with diamond plates and other abrasives or are they pretty well flat right out of the box?


2: How important is burnishing? I’ve read a lot of conflicting info about this.
Some say a Black Arks potential can only be realized when fully burnished and others will say that burnishing is only about feedback. And even others will say that it doesn’t matter at all just make sure it’s flat and a matte surface is just fine.

Perhaps it’s worth mentioning that I’m well equipped for flattening but I wonder how many diamond plates and reams of sandpaper (I don’t care for SiC on a glass plate) I’ll have to sacrifice before I have a stone fit for straight razors.

Thanks for sharing your experiences

 

[LJS]

Dan’s stones are probably the flattest you can buy. If you are going to buy one brand and hope not to flatten it would be Dans. Likely the most ready to use from purchase. Not trying to endorse or say they have anything special, but probably your best bet. Buy and use.

If you were to have to flatten any stones, SIC powder from gotgrit dot com and a nice flat tile from a home improvement store is all you need. You will go through piles of any sand paper and can burn out diamond plates quickly all while spending hours making little headway - or do what works and works best which is cheap SIC. Your time your call

I’m not going to get into all the pros cons and opinions on finish and burnishing but will say you can easily do any of that at home with little/no expense. Want to burnish? Use it. Put some carbon knives or chisels to the stone - burnished now. It’s that easy.

One last suggestion, use a commercial oil to start. Experiment after you learn something that already works.

 

[David]

+1
Dans will come as flat as any.

SIC is hands down the best way to lap an Ark.

Take it up to around 600 grit and try it for several shaves and go from there. I used to be a big advocate of burnishing, but now I keep all of mine dressed to around 600 grit.

 

[hydro-magic]

When I bought my surgical black from Dan's I told them I was going to use it for straights and to please send me a good flat one. They did and it didn't need any lapping. I did burnish it a bit with a wide chisel but I probably could have done ok without that. A glassy finish won't do much cutting.

 

[Bowmaker]

They need to be dressed for razors, the coarser stones too. Snap, crackle, pop like rice krispies as the new stone sheds loose grit.

 

[Earcutter]

+1
Dans will come as flat as any.

SIC is hands down the best way to lap an Ark.

Take it up to around 600 grit and try it for several shaves and go from there. I used to be a big advocate of burnishing, but now I keep all of mine dressed to around 600 grit.

+1 on the silicon carbide to lap. A Black will kill a diamond stone in no time flat. Don’t do it.

Yes I suppose there is some “controversy“ as to if you should burnish it or go to 600grit and be done with it. Like David, I too was a big fan of the burnishing, only to be sold on the 600 grit now. But who cares - figure that out on your own. I mean every stone has two sides. Burnish one, 600 the other. Tell us what worked best for you later. I’ll say this, using the 600 side followed by the burnished side isn’t going to mess things up.

Yes the stones are pricey. Hopefully your estate knows that so that it stays in the family. A stone passed down through generations is stupid cool.

I think you’ll love the edge you get from the black. Remember, with a black you can go and go. It’s pretty dang hard to “over-hone” on a black. Get a med 8x3 as well and use that on your knives before hitting them with the black. You’ll love the edges they give knives too me thinks. Especially your kitchen knives. Using them On your stone isn’t going to hurt the blacks abilities to work your razors.

Hope you enjoy your investment. I know I’ve liked every stone I’ve gotten from Dans... And let’s just say, it’s more than one lol.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I lapped several arks on my 220 DMT. Dozens even. Didn't kill them.

SIC is great if you need to remove masses of material, but SIC always left pockmarks in stones I didn't like, so I always finished with diamond plates or sandpaper.

I've bought a number and NEVER had a new one need flattening. Even with vintage ones it's EXTREMELY rare outside of 1" wide stones. Some probably benefit from a bit of polish, but I'd use Sandpaper over SIC for that personally... because of the pockmarking issue I've run into.

In my experience the best way to prep an ark for razors is to use it with something bigger. I tend to buy them, only lap at all if they are REALLY nasty, then do a few hrs of knife honing with them to "prep" them for razors. Polishing them to 2000 grit like I've seen some people do makes them really pretty mirrors, but is unnecessary in my opinion.

600 grit like a few above me have recommended sounds like a good medium to me. Should keep it from being a "scarred" surface, but not overly shined up.

 

[David]

I have a very old primitive translucent that's dished over 1/4' in the center. Someone used the heck out of that thing.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[David]

Pics or it didn't happen.

You’d think I’d know that by now. Someone (I like to think it was Jeremiah Johnson lol) shaped this stone up with a hammer and made a box for it. I’ve never had the heart to lap it.

 

[SliceOfLife]

She's a looker. I'll be some poor sap was using that to hone up an adze and spent years getting that dish in there until it was just perfect... then got arthritis.

 

[Earcutter]

Beautiful! Function is as functional does. I’d have to lap that thing.

 

[David]

Beautiful! Function is as functional does. I’d have to lap that thing.

I have a bigger one that looks similar that I lapped and use often.

 

[Alum of Potash]

SIC is great if you need to remove masses of material, but SIC always left pockmarks in stones I didn't like, so I always finished with diamond plates or sandpaper.

I've bought a number and NEVER had a new one need flattening. Even with vintage ones it's EXTREMELY rare outside of 1" wide stones. Some probably benefit from a bit of polish, but I'd use Sandpaper over SIC for that personally... because of the pockmarking issue I've run into.

Can you elaborate on your pockmarking issue? I may have had something similar happen once.

 

[David]

I've ran in to the pockmarks but I think they are caused by the stone itself rather than the SIC. Some of the translucent and blacks have what looks like little tiny bubbles in them and when you lap into them they leave those marks. I just finished up lapping a 12x3x1 Norton Black on 400x SIC and it's smooth as glass-no marks at all.

 

[Earcutter]

I have a bigger one that looks similar that I lapped and use often.

Not this again. Pics or... lol. I’m just kidding, I’m quite sure I’ve seen it in other threads. Maybe drooled even. I love rock in their “natural“ state.

BTW. I loved the Jeremiah Johnson reference.

 

[Squancher79]

View attachment 1101750

¡good gracious look at that old thing!

 

[David]

Not this again. Pics or... lol. I’m just kidding, I’m quite sure I’ve seen it in other threads. Maybe drooled even. I love rock in their “natural“ state.

BTW. I loved the Jeremiah Johnson reference.

This one is 6x3 and 2 inches thick.

 

[David]

My apologies to the OP for taking this thread off topic.

 

[HVenture138]

My apologies to the OP for taking this thread off topic.

By a moderator no less! It’s okay, I’m enjoying it. I mean how often in life do you get to witness a digression so esoteric that it descends into speculation that a particular rock quarried in the Ouachita Mountains was worn concave by an adze.