Lapping an Arkansas in excruciating detail

[ErieSurfer]

Has anyone tried anything other then SiC for roughing? I have used a product called black beauty. It is a media abrasive made from coal slag. Breaks down reasonably fast. Used it with different laps. Steel, stainless, ceramics. Leaves a very course open texture in the stone that smoothes out quickly with 60 grit paper. Just curious if anyone else has used different media.

Did you use the 20/40 or 30/60 version of Black Beauty? I had never heard of it before you mentioned it. Your description of it is interesting.

 

[rbscebu]

Last week I purchased an Arkansas whetstone, my first. It is a second-hand one from a knife sharpening bloke in Brisbane. He has told me that it is a 200mm x 52mm x 12mm black ultra-fine that he cannot use on his knives. I asked him to weigh it and it came in at 354g. That gives it an SG of about 2.7. He was asking what I considered a reasonable price so thought I would take the risk. Delivery is expected next week.

Here is the Ark that I am getting. To me, it looks good. I am expecting that it will need lapping.

 

[Pack line]

Did you use the 20/40 or 30/60 version of Black Beauty? I had never heard of it before you mentioned it. Your description of it is interesting.

Honestly i don't know. We had a pallet of it at work. Apparently we used it to add texture to seal coating on asphalt back in the 80s. The labels have long since disintegrated. The stuff is hard, would not use on a softer stone for fear it would embed into the stone. Just tried it because there is literally 1600lbs (725kg) of the stuff laying around. Nice option for wild stones i find. Still looking for the perfect-ish pennsylvania natural stone.

 

[duke762]

Last week I purchased an Arkansas whetstone, my first.

Man, am I glad to see that you pulled the trigger and got an Ark! I'll be looking for your thoughts and reports!