Beginner question about arkansas stone

[Dan Masshardt]

I'm just jumping in to the hand tool world and considering what stones to buy etc. I've been reading the threads and I'm not trying to rehash the whole question.

I have a bunch of odds and ends I acquired some time ago including this old Arkansas stone. Or so labeled.

My question is - is this stone something I can work into a sharpening setup or is it too old / obsolete / cheap to bother with.

Thanks!

[Matthew N. Masail]

it is a finishing stone, possibly quite a good one. pare it with a fine indian stone and a strop and you have a good oil stone setup. of coarse oil stones require more skill to be effective with than water stones, but those are skills worth learning.

[Michael Ray Smith]

Here's advice from the perspective of someone who was a beginner not too long ago and is still far from an expert: Keep the stone, but if you're just starting out with hand tools, don't use it right now, unless the money you have available means you need to make-do with what you have. There are a couple of other ways that are probably easier and more fool-proof than either oil or water stones.

In my opinion, the so-called diamond stones (not stones at all but small diamonds bonded to steel substrate, an option that's wasn't available not very many years ago) are the easiest way to sharpen tools. DMT is one of the more common brands. They work and they are difficult to damage -- you don't need to worry about making or keeping them flat, and you don't have to worry about lubrication. A little water is all you need, and frankly you don't even need that. They work fine dry, but you'll need to clean them with some soap and water, and using a little water (or my favorite, a spritz of Krud Kutter degreaser) on the stones while you're sharpening allows you to go a lot longer before you have to give them a really good cleaning.

Another easy and reliable method is to use wet-dry sandpaper with some water on a flat surface (either glued down or simply held in place by the surface tension of the water). If you glue it down, you don't really need the water, but again the paper will last a lot longer if you use it. The method has been around for ages, but it gained popularity in the last few years when somebody gave it the name "scary sharp." You can spend a fifty bucks or so on a dead-flat block of granite, but there are lots of other things that are probably flat enough. Some people use glass (and if you really want to make sure the glass is flat, try salvaging some from copiers or scanners -- I've read that they use very flat glass to meet the optical requirements), and samples of granite, quartz, etc. used for countertops can be flat enough. Buy several grades of sandpaper -- from about 220 grit up to the finest you can find, at least around 1500 to 2000. I recently found some rolls of sandpaper about 4 inches wide that have pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back. I'm sure it's made to be used with some specific piece of equipment, but it works great for hand sharpening on a granite or glass plate.

[Maurice Ungaro]

It's totally a crappy stone. Send it to me, and I will dispose of it properly!
In all seriousness, that is a fine stone. Make sure you use honing oil with it. You can also use a light mineral oil.

[Jim Koepke]

Dan,

If that was a yard sale find for a few bucks, you would be getting a boat load of "YOU SUCK" responses from everyone.

You have a fine Arkansas stone that others would by happy to own. Another coarser stone and strop as Matthew suggested will keep you in sharp edges once you get the feel for sharpening.

About the only way to damage such a stone is by dropping it or dropping something on it.

What other "odds and ends" do you have?

It is likely you already have all you need but the experience.

jtk

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks guys.

I'm thinking of getting a 1000 diamond stone, then one other higher grit than maybe this one?

Do these Arkansas stones have an approx grit rating or is it more polishing?

[Dave Cullen]

Here's a comparison of different sharpening stone grits:
http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Sh...Chart-W21.aspx

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks guys.

I'm thinking of getting a 1000 diamond stone, then one other higher grit than maybe this one?

Do these Arkansas stones have an approx grit rating or is it more polishing?

Some charts put them on par with a 1200 water stone. In my experience they are finer than a 1200 water stone. The Arkansas stone will get smoother with use. My next finer stone is a piece if jasper my wife gave me. The hard Arkansas stone leaves a hazy appearance. The jasper brings it closer to a mirror polish. A few licks on a strop and it is as mirror like as with using water stones.

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

Do you know the manufacturer of the stone? As Jim, I've also heard they're finer than a 1200 grit waterstone. I would definitely keep the stone, but the question is do you want it in your beginning line up?

[Dan Masshardt]

Do you know the manufacturer of the stone? As Jim, I've also heard they're finer than a 1200 grit waterstone. I would definitely keep the stone, but the question is do you want it in your beginning line up?

I think that is the question. I have no 'need' to have in included it my sharpening setup now, BUT if it takes the place if another $100 stone of some type, that might help it find it's way in. Haha.

It's in a norton box...

[Tony Zaffuto]

I would view it being a vintage Norton hard arkansas as a very, very good thing.

[Archie England]

That appears to be a translucent Ark stone. IF so, then it's a fantastically good high end finishing stone (rivaled by the Black diamond). These can be expensive!!! Sounds like you've got a good one. So long as it's 6-8" long and over an 1 1/2" wide, you should be in great shape-for that level of stone working.