stones have. It is not an easy process because their hardness makes them slow to resurface, but with effort it can be done. We find the most efficient tool for the job is a diamond stone like the DMT Dia-Flat. It is so polish as the sucking on the stone beggan to apear , when honning on it . This type of oil will not harden and gum up stones like a vegetable based oil eventually will. can tell this is a translucent because it transmits light toward the center of When used without water or oil, Arkansas Stones will become clogged with the waste material from sharpening which will make them work dramatically more slowly. Although many sharpeners will profess a preference for one or the other they are the same density, and therefore the same grit. The top has been lapped and polished & the edges have been A stone soaked in water can dry out between uses however, meaning that a generous amount of water needs to be applied to the stone with each use. Because it’s a smaller piece, it can be used hand-held fairly All Rights Reserved. Being a "made by nature" product, there is of course some variation between individual stones. The Soft Arkansas is a bit finer than both the Fine India and the Fine Crystolon stones, and it makes an excellent next step from those types. However, they are quite hard and this wearing is not a quick process the way it is with water stones. easily. While they can, we recommend using honing oil. The Hard Arkansas is in the middle of the Arkansas stones, and the Hard Black and Hard Translucent Arkansas stones are the finest. The less dense, or softer the stone, the coarser it is. I do think this stone is NOS and never used, even though the box Can Arkansas Stones be used dry? Practically speaking, many sharpeners rarely or never have a need to level their Arkansas Stones. wood box; both are very clean but some glue remnants remain.Â, The stone’s bottom is uneven, and it will rock a bit if used SharpeningSupplies.com | Middleton WI 53562 | 800-351-8234. And a Hard Black or Hard Translucent Arkansas will leave a very refined edge that is approaching mirror fine for those who like to have the best edge possible. The coarsest Arkansas Stone we carry is the Soft Arkansas. Can Arkansas Stones be used with water instead of oil? A Soft Arkansas stone will leave an edge with a bit of tooth which some people may find sufficient, but which we find to be a bit rough. Dimensions: 4.9 x 1.8 x 1.0” / 125 x 46 x 25 mm. edges of the stone show the glow from ambient light. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Over time, the glue dried out – allowing the stone to be removed easily. I Yes. Arkansas stones are graded by density, not color, and blacks and translucents have the same allowable density range. to hone on the stone and this gem proved itself beyond question. Another indicator - the very This is a smaller stone in its original oak box. Copyright © 2006-2020 Wingra Direct LLC. This is a smaller stone in its original oak box. The main difference between the two is that when oil is used, some of it remains in the stone after a sharpening session, so the stone is always at least partially charged with oil the next time it is needed. The more dense, or harder the stone, the finer it is. sold, there was no ‘translucent’ grade, only hard and soft grades existed. In the rare event that you would decide to, Arkansas Stones can be flattened by rubbing them against an abrasive on a hard, flat surface. The true test though, it