This is one of those "is it just me, or..." posts -- something I've always wondered about but never seen discussed.
So, I've used a ton of Arkansas stones. They're my go to, and my favorite sharpening media. However, I've always felt that the Soft Arkansas is kind of the worst of the bunch.
It seems to me that the "Hard" (usually white, though Dan's come in all kinds of colors) variety is almost as quick as the soft... sometimes, I would swear, even quicker, and doesn't clog or get burnished nearly as bad. And yet, it produces a much finer edge. It's actually a surprisingly quick stone that can take out deep scratches left by a coarse diamond plate, and yet leave you with a really keen edge. I've got tons of stones that leave a similar finish, but can't do that. It seems unusually fast for its grit compared to the Soft, and, indeed, to many other stones natural.
I've always wondered if it was just me who notices this and thinks so, or if others feel the same. My go to these days, if not a Washita, is just an India and a "Hard" Arkansas, followed occasionally by a strop or black/translucent, depending on whether I really need that extra sharpness or not.
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