Hard Transluscent Arkansas Stone

[Jack Norfleet]

I have a Tormek and a set of water stones for initial shaping, sharpening and polishing but I don't want to deal with the water for quick touch ups.

What do you think of the Hard Translucent Arkansas stones? Is there a better choice such as black Arkansas or India stones? This is just for touch up honing at the bench, not for full sharpening.

[harry strasil]

I use a piece of thick leather, rough side for removing burrs after stoneing, smooth side with jewelers rouge for finishing and for quick stropping while using.

[Bob Barkto]

Of the ones you mention the hard translucent white arkansas would be best I think.

The current production, reconstituted "Black" stones are not the same as a natural black hard arkansas stone. They don't polish as well as the translucent whites in my experience. They seem closer to a fine India but don't cut as fast as an India would.

As Harry suggested, consider adding a strop as a final step. You can strop a few times between honings. It's about as clean, easy and fast as it gets

If you let the edge get a little too dull then you might want to start with a med. India. They are more coarse than the arkansas stones. But at that point going back to the Tormek might make the most sense.

[David Weaver]

I might be off base here a little, but I think a touch up with a 12,000 grit or so waterstone is about as easy as it gets.

Two squirts from the spray bottle onto the surface of the stone, 3 or 4 strokes, and you're back in business. I'm not sure a translucent arkansas can come close to that level of sharpness if you compare the results under a microscope.

Now, if you're talking about having to do touchups with waterstones that have to be soaked, I can understand that.

I wouldn't want to give up the level of sharpness that you can get fast from a good polishing waterstone, though.

[Elizabeth Hohnbaum]

Hi, I use a Norton IB8 with mineral oil and finish with a piece of translucent arkansas stone. After a Very Close encounter with a chisel edge, Read Very Sharp, Didn't Hurt, Bled Like Hell, Healed with NO Scar, I started wearing an old pair of yellow tanned elkskin or deerskin gloves while sharping and honing. I use the top of the glove left hand thumb area to wipe off oil to check sharpening progress and as a final strop. Elkskin is a little spongy and Deerskin gives a better grip. Both wear like Iron and stand up to water without shrinking, drying out or cracking like cow, goat, or pig skin. Your mileage may vary.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Where do you get your deerskin/elkskin gloves, Elizabeth? I've got a couple of pairs that have strategically misplaced holes (in the forefingers, where I get pinched between blade and stone), so they need replacing. Thing I like about them is the tight fit, no chance of catching them on the odd tool; but my source of custom made has dried up.

Pam

[Don Dorn]

There are so many ways to do things, I'm not sure any one thing is sure fire. I use a Spyderco Fine Ceramic Stone after I'm done on the Jet. I like it because they don't wear and always remain flat. No lubrication necessary and it's great for final honing and touch-ups. I used to use waterstones but they are too messy for my taste and keeping them flat is just something I decided not to mess with anymore.

I'm sure I could probably get them sharper yet, but to me, sharp is like a golf game in that it's something we chase and never really know when we have acheived it. For me, it's the ease of an edge slicing a piece of paper with no effort and decided on that after the hair on my forearms was gone. The result is a chisel or a plane that easily does any job I ask of it.

[Don C Peterson]

I have a hard black Arkansas stone and really like it. I also have a strop which is the final step for most of my sharpening. As Bob mentioned, make sure it's a natural stone, not some sort of "equivalent". Also, don't bother using "honing oil" on it, the standard honing oils are too thick, I like to use kerosene, or mineral spirits.

I also employ a strop with the green polishing compound as the final step for most of my sharpening. Like has been suggested, you can just go to the strop several times between sharpenings.

[Greg Cole]

One more vote for the strop and green stuff.....
Pam,
Cabela's our about any outdoorsy geared place should have deerskin style gloves.

Cheers,
Greg

[Pam Niedermayer]

Cabela's our about any outdoorsy geared place should have deerskin style gloves.

Thanks, Greg; but my problem with off-the-shelf gloves is the fingers tend to be too long, so they get caught on things. My problem with Cabela's is they behave like Walmart, to say nothing of the fact they're 20 miles away.

Pam

[Bill Houghton]

Last I looked, Pam, my local Ace hardware carried them. If yours doesn't, let me know offline, and I can check to see whether mine still does; if they do, you can probably talk yours into ordering them. I'd offer to buy and mail, but this is something that needs to be fit to the hand (and you may not be ready for a vacation to wine country just to buy a pair of gloves).

[Ted Owen]

Golf gloves work for many purposes. They're what I use for turning, and they fit tight. Shorter-fingered versions are called "Cadet."

Golf supply stores carry real cheap brands. As they're going to get water, oil, shellac, etc. on them, it's not worth spending much $.

[Elizabeth Hohnbaum]

Hi Again, I get my deerskin gloves at Home Depot. They do have womens sizes but you may need to try on a couple of pairs to find a pair that fit. Also, WalMart has them in the summer and spring in the garden dept. They also might be in the mens clothing section. I hope this helps.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Thanks, Bill, Ted, and Elizabeth. I checked out Home Depot about a year ago, will do again. Bill, Ace is a great idea, will go by there real soon. Ted, I haven't played golf in years, didn't even think of golf gloves; but you're right, they're always tight and woman's versions are available, bet I have some still hanging about.

Pam