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arkansas honing stones

The black and transulucent Arkansas stones are very slow cutters. The grit rating is also subject to opinion. My own tests using them on knive bevils with some pressure showed a scratch pattern more like 2,000 or 4,000. I've read posts by people that say they work fine on razors if used with a very light touch. I haven't tried mine on razors yet. As for the price, you can get a larger Chinese 12K stone for that price.
 
thanks for the info... I think I'll stay clear

do you know a good source for the chinese 12k (preferably in uk/europe, but not necessarily)
 
The black and transulucent Arkansas stones are very slow cutters. The grit rating is also subject to opinion. My own tests using them on knive bevils with some pressure showed a scratch pattern more like 2,000 or 4,000. I've read posts by people that say they work fine on razors if used with a very light touch.

Well, you should always use a very light tough with razors once you've formed the bevel, so arkansas hones aren't anything special in that regard. Tim Zowada did some microscope comparisons of edges honed on various hones, and the fine arkansas stones compared favorably with the coticule and chinese 12. This has been confirmed in the shave by several members on SRP and here. It is slow, but the chinese 12k is no speed racer either, and you haven't seen slow until you play with a Shapton 30k or a Japanese kamisori stone. The Chinese is cheaper however - it depends on what you're looking for. The arkansas have a feel that some people love (ok me), you can use it with oil (I'm more likely to get water in the pivot during honing than shaving) and it has a very traditional air to it. Straights are about the journey as much as the destination, after all.
 
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