Arkie Question

**CharlieFoxtrot** · 05-05-2012, 06:12 AM

Gents, I'm new to honing and trying to experiment/maximize the tools I have. I have a DMT 600/1200, Norton 4k/8k, a c12k, lapping film ranging 1k-50k, and soft & hard arkies. Where does the hard Arkie fit into the mix? The soft seems to be a decent bevel setter, but the hard Arkie is a really slow cutter. I can't really find a definitive answer, so I'm bringing it to the brain trust. Are hard arkies more of a polisher or am I running off the tracks?

**Gamma** · 05-05-2012, 07:18 AM

You're on-point there. Soft Arks for the beginning, Hard Arks for finishing work. Some hard Arks can be used to final-finish, others might leave you wanting more polish. I had one hard ark I could shave off of; naturals vary and you have to test them out to know for sure.
I've read where someone uses a hard Ark to set a bevel, but either his Hard Ark is of the softer variety - or he has a lot more patience than I do.
I've jumped from an 8k Norton to a hard Ark, but I usually completed the edge on a Surgical Black.
You can probably put the soft ark in to replace the DMT, or to follow it. At that point I don't know if you'll need the Norton combo because you can probably jump from the soft to the hard Ark just fine.
You might try following the DMT with the softie, and checking the bevel with a loupe as you go. All Arks will do some polishing because they're composed of Novaculite - so while the DMT will set the bevel faster than the Ark, you may prefer how the ark cuts..
I have no idea how/where the lapping film fit into the picture - I've never used the stuff.
At a glance, looking at what you have - I would probably try to max out this progression -
Soft Ark, Hard Ark, Chug. Depending on my results - I'd adjust accordingly.
Setting a damaged bevel, removing chips, etc - that will all be easier on the DMT. So what condition the blade is in would have a lot to do with stone-choice too.

**CharlieFoxtrot** · 05-05-2012, 08:45 AM

I think it's time to get a notebook and take this to the next level. My face prefers natural's, so I'm going to mix & match the hones today and see where it leads me. Thanks for the input.

**Earcutter** · 05-05-2012, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by CharlieFoxtrot

I think it's time to get a notebook and take this to the next level. My face prefers natural's, so I'm going to mix & match the hones today and see where it leads me. Thanks for the input.

Great Idea! I gave the "Arkie's" a chance, but found they didn't serve too much purpose with my Coti in hand. That said, I just had a hard and soft. One day I would like to try the black or translucent.

**paco664** · 05-05-2012, 06:11 PM

i have a surgical black and a translucent arkie...

they are both SUPERB finishers.. *(it took a bit to learn how to use them properly)....

both of them seem at first to be slow cutters but if you pay attention to whats going on they actually ain't that bad..... USE OIL....

arkies are not water stones..... they love oil.... they edges that come off of them are splendiferous....

the REALLY love a splash of diamond slurry in oil..... speeds them up quite a bit and just boosts them to another level.....

i have dragons tongue/lynn melylyn/welsh slate/C12K as well at coti's and stuff......

the BIGGEST most important thing is pick a stone and learn to use it.... it may take a couple tries but you will get it.....

**Danricgro** · 05-05-2012, 06:40 PM

I recently got a surgical black Arkie. So far I have used it to finish two razors using Smiths Edgeware non petroleum (rinses off easily with water) honing solution. The edges were both outstanding, every bit as good as my Ozuku Asagi but easier to use (at least for me). Just apply the solution and do no pressure laps until the edge is where I want it.

**tomjr** · 05-05-2012, 11:34 PM

i use a translucent arki allot for a finisher it gives up nothing 2 any finisher that i have ever used. these include thuri's, coti,s, llyn m., & c12k

**CharlieFoxtrot** · 05-06-2012, 12:22 PM

The c12k is my new toy and I'm working on figuring out its personality. I have the soft and hard arkies for my knives but have been incorporating them into the razor honing line-up. Once I get the c12k down and work the hard Arkie into the line-up I may have to look into a surgical black or translucent to play with.