A good start would be a soft Ark 8"X2"X1/2" for $29.51 USD and a Black Ark the same size for $102.23 USD. then go to some place like Amazon for a Med India for $26.58 USD and you will be set for life.
My only comment on this is if you can afford it, get 3" wide stones. If you have a jointer plane you will appreciate the wider stone.
Originally Posted by
Andrew Pitonyak
And Dan claims that their Black is finer than the Translucent, and it costs less as well.
Of my Dan's stones, the black is finer than the translucent.
My 'rogue' translucent stone is every bit as fine as Dan's black Arkansas stone.
A smooth piece of jasper is also a close match.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)