Advice on choosing some Arkansas stones

[Warren Mickley]

Soft Arkansas (Medium) is the most popular of the grades of Novaculite. It is an all-purpose stone used by woodcarvers, sportsmen, butchers, commercial knife sharpeners and even housewives. This stone is used by people who desire keen, sharp edge on their knives and tools in a minimum amount of time. Soft Arkansas stones may be white, gray and black, or pink and gray in color.[/I]

Hard Arkansas (Fine) is most suitable for fine polishing and the maintenance of a fine edge on knives or tools. Hard Arkansas is often referred to as "White Hard." However, users should be aware that Hard Arkansas often has color variations also. To our knowledge, this color does not interfere with the honing process by any means. Hard Arkansas stones are popular among woodcrafters and a variety of industries including the dental industry.

would this Medium and fine do me?

No it would not. A soft Arkansas is more of a polishing stone, closer to 8000 than 1000. To hone carving gouges you ought to have a courser stone. A nice combination would be Washita, soft Arkansas, hard Arkansas. Of these three, the Washita is the indispensable one. You also need a slip stone for polishing the flutes of gouges. A 4 1/2 X 1 3/4 slip with a 1/8 radius on one edge, 7/16 on the other, or similar. I would avoid 3" stones and tapered edges, conical stones.

[Jonas Baker]

Keep checking www.sierratradingpost.com for there 2nds from Dan's Whetstones. I got a 4x2 inch translucent Arkansas stone, and it is just as good as any vintage Norton or Pike translucent stone I have. By "just as good" I mean that it leaves just as fine of a surface on chisels/blades and just as small of a wire edge as my old pike and Norton translucent Arkansas stones. For a finishing stone, the 4x2 does work well enough if you free hand, and a 6x2 is really all you need, and these stones are a lot cheaper.

Here is what www.sierratradingpost.com has now, a few soft arkansas stones, but I haven't ever used these. I use Washita's and then translucent stones for finishing usually.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~a...s-/?perPage=24

Best,

Jonas

[David Weaver]

I got a 6x2x3/8" black stone from dans from there for $27 not that long ago (still have it), and an 8x2x1/2 translucent second for $37 at one point (that was the one I was dumb enough to sell). It's worth watching along with the specials page from dans. Sometimes the specials aren't that great of a deal, but the one I talked about yesterday looks like this: At $92, it's money in suspense at worst, and a better stone than the one that norton sells for $170.

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[Tom M King]

I just checked the Hall's website. It's been a few years since I bought some 3x10x1 stones. Mine are nice and flat. Back when I bought the ones I have now, I talked to the Son, and ended up talking to his Father about some special slipstones I wanted. They were a real pleasure to deal with. According to the website, it looks like the family has been bought out, and prices are at least double what I paid for the stones a few years ago. They are really nice stones though. I haven't bothered to keep up with what they are going for elsewhere these days, so I have no idea if their prices are competitive or not. I had originally bought a stone off ebay that was a Halls, and I liked it, so that's how I ended up going looking for the Halls.

That was also well before I ever started reading woodworking forums.

[John Crawford]

Mike: I have been experimenting with oilstones as well. I'm not experienced at this, but from what I have seen, I would reiterate:

* save a few bucks for whatever materials you will use to flatten the stones initially. Search the archives and there is much discussion about this.
* refine your grinding routine (or whatever method you use for establishing primary bevels), so that when it comes time to hone and polish your secondary bevel, you are only working a very small bit of steel. This made a lot of difference for me, but I am still playing around with it all....

[David Weaver]

Yeah, they're comparable to other premium sellers now. It's a shame they were sold, but that explains the price doubling. I did always hear that the guy was really helpful and a nice guy.

[Mike Rother]

Mike: I have been experimenting with oilstones as well. I'm not experienced at this, but from what I have seen, I would reiterate:

* save a few bucks for whatever materials you will use to flatten the stones initially. Search the archives and there is much discussion about this.
* refine your grinding routine (or whatever method you use for establishing primary bevels), so that when it comes time to hone and polish your secondary bevel, you are only working a very small bit of steel. This made a lot of difference for me, but I am still playing around with it all....

Whichever oilstones I purchase I'm to planning on using my DMT DIA-FLAT Lapping Plate to flatten. I'm also planning on trying my Tormek for the primary bevel. At least until I get the hang of it. Then maybe I'll move on to the bench grinder.

Thanks again
M