It could be just my imagination. . .

[Michael Bulatowicz]

. . . but it seems to me that as I have worn it in and improved my skills at using my Dan’s hard black Arkansas stone, it gives me a better edge than my Sigma 13k water stone. Special thanks to Warren Mickley, whose advocacy of Arkansas stones steered me in that direction.

The surface of this pine looks pretty good to me (smoother freshly sharpened using Dan’s as the finishing stone). Yes, that’s at least one more finishing stone than I need, and I have another that was purchased out of curiosity; I might consider selling the Sigma or the other—a Norton ceramic stone similar to the Spyderco ultra fine—except that each makes a great setup for the Dan’s, but the Dan’s hard black Arkansas polishes better (for me). Maybe I’ll sell the 13k and/or the Norton after more skill development.

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Yes, it’s just another sharpening thread. I’m just curious about how many others are liking Arkansas stones as polishing stones more and more as time goes on, and others’ perceptions of relative fineness compared to other options.

Thoughts? Anyone else have a different experience?

Thanks in advance.

[Jim Koepke]

Nice image of the reflection on the surface of the wood.

Arkansas stones didn't work well for me until after learning to sharpen on water stones. Now most of my sharpening is done on Arkansas stones. It wasn't fully the stones fault for my early attempts not being so good.

Though a quality stone like Dan's does make a difference compared to the bargain stones with which I started.

jtk

[Mel Fulks]

I don’t use the slick almost shiny hard-black much. Few days ago I was having some trouble with a razor , tried the smooth glassy rock and
it improved the razor. It “burnished “ the razor and….it’s own reputation !

[Scott Winners]

My grandpa used Arkansas stone only as he aged. Unfortunately, perhaps, as he aged all he was keeping sharp were his pocket knife and grandma's kitchen knives, so the stones I inherited were heavily dished.

He did also own a Norton three stone system with the oil bath (Norton #IM313) that he had pure-T wore out. To restore his Norton system I replaced everything except the lid. I think it was my grandma's uncle Nate that was a pro meat cutter in Kansas City back in the 1930-1960 window. Both of them were socially involved with Uncle Nate on a regular basis, as their home was in north central Kansas.

I have four of Uncle Nate's knives in my kitchen. He didn't cut a lot of fish. When I am breaking down beef or pork or moose or caribou I reach for one of Uncle Nate's knives over my Cutco, and when they need sharpening I reach for the Norton.

Arkansas stone has been heavily mined for centuries. The west end of the Ouchita range is very near Wichita, Kansas; Wichita being an anglicized spelling of Ouchita. The Ouchita range, as it were, is a bit of a geologic anomaly in North America, see especially the New Madrid earthquake of 1811. If you have a good Arkansas stone, Arkansas arguably another spelling and pronunciation or Ouchita, treasure the stone. Please do make some effort to keep the stone flat for your grands if it is a keeper.

FWIW I did inherit my grandpa's favorite pocket knife immediately when he passed and that sucker was as sharp as profanity with sprinkles and tassels. I am not sure I am keeping it as sharp as he did, but I am close on the Norton 313.

[Tom M King]

I used Arkansas stones for twenty years before I ever used any kind of waterstone. You can get at least as good an edge as the Sigma 13k, which is my last step waterstone. The only reason I use waterstones as a first choice is because the stones leading up to the last step are so much faster, so the overall process is so much faster.

I have a dedicated sink to sharpening though. It's the first thing we move into an old house like I work on. It's also used for other things too, like washing hands and paintbrushes.

The oil stone kit, being so much smaller, stays in the truck for when I'm away from the sharpening sink. It's for when I have to drag out something to sharpen with. The sink sits there ready to go.

[Michael Bulatowicz]

I can't say that I perceive my present process as lacking in speed, though maybe I'm missing something. I'm still experimenting with various steels on various stones, but my usual progression recently goes something like (medium or fine India, or 1k waterstone to raise a burr) -> (soft/hard Arkansas or Norton Ascent ceramic or 3k->13k waterstone to refine the burr) -> Dan's hard black at a degree or so steeper to polish the edge at "high" pressure initially followed by low pressure, flip over and hit the back at high pressure followed by low pressure, back to the bevel briefly at low pressure, flip a few more times if the burr didn't let go. Sometimes I'll strop on hard maple charged with Autosol for steels where the burr seems stubborn. So, most often 3 stones. For a #4 Stanley Sweetheart iron, it takes maybe 2 minutes. I haven't timed myself, so that's just my best guess. It doesn't seem slow to me, but maybe it could be faster.

I do sharpen frequently, and I have concluded that this helps reduce the overall time spent sharpening.

Maybe I got lucky with this particular hard black Arkansas stone, but as I continue to use it I seem to get better and better edges. As Scott suggested above, this one may well end up as a family heirloom. The surface of the pine in my example above seems to argue that my edge is presently sharp enough, but again perhaps I'm missing something.