Finally bought an Ark

Alum of Potash said:

Given its uniformity on both sides, I'm wondering if that stone wasn't intentionally dished like that. Placed on a large, pedal-driven, water-wheel grind-stone or something to achieve the desired effect.

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Could be. The seller pointed to a stack of 3 old hand planes and said they were purchased together. That's all I know about its origin. The dish on both sides isn't even...it falls off to one side, so whatever he was honing he did it consistently.

Here's what it looks like nestled back in its box. The box has 4 tiny nails driven in each corner, I'm guessing they were to keep it from sliding around when in use?

I was wondering how it looked in the box. Thanks for posting the pic. That other box behind it, with the labels, that looks like some fun travelling!

The box behind it holds my smaller stones and slurry stones/nagura. I got bored one day and started copying my labels and glued them to the box.

Very nice in any case, and definitely a conversation starter while waiting for a Greyhound in a big-city bus station. ;-)

And yeah. The tacks/nails at the corners are to keep it from sliding on a work bench. You'll find them a lot on shop stone cases.

Very likely the person using that stone honed chisels or plane blades.
Some old carpenters used their washita stones thin side up.
It makes sense if you consider how honing a chisel/Plane could be done with a sliding stroke.

Cheers.

Dcaddo111 said:

Here's what a 30 minute soak in simple green does to a crusty old Washita.

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I just snagged one of these WB-6 Washitas off the bay and haven't played with it much. Do you use it on razors and/or knives? Do you include it in a progression of some sort?

Thanks,
Jeff

A "Mechanics Friend"is the same grade as a #1 Washita.

jeffus said:

I just snagged one of these WB-6 Washitas off the bay and haven't played with it much. Do you use it on razors and/or knives? Do you include it in a progression of some sort?

Thanks,
Jeff

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Jeff, congrats on your WB-6. I don't use mine for razors very often, more for tools and knives, but if you wanted to use it for razors it should make a great mid range stone. They're very dependent on surface prep so you can speed it up or slow it down by roughing or smoothing/burnishing the surface. If both sides are usable you could keep one side rough and one side smooth and cover quite a bit of ground.

dta116 said:

A "Mechanics Friend"is the same grade as a #1 Washita.

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Thanks Dave. Mind if I ask where you got that info? I'm always curious about anything washita.

David, I have been studying and collecting the Arkansas stone for years now. I can't tell you where I got that info because I have collected so much over the years I have it all in a section of my OneNote file. (Love that program). I do know I like my "Mechanics Friend" better than my "Woodworkers Delight" which is also supposed to be a Washita #1. Of course they are natural stones and will vary. They both look very similar like a lot of my other top Washitas. There is just something about the Washita stone that is extremely appealing to me. I have maybe 30 true Washitas' and MANY more other Arkansas.

First is a Norton #1 - Lilywhite - Woodworkers Delight - Scope shot of Washita. Can't put my hands on the Mechanics friend at the moment. I think it's boxed.
I always have a couple of my favorites on the sharpening bench at all times. I use the Washita in nearly all of my progressions.

Nice Dave! I don't have that many, but I may have 10-12. Some are NOS LW's. I love them as well.

I have been told Norton graded the Washitas' #1-5, Rosy Red, and Lilly White (which was originally purchased by the military for combat duty). I have only seen labels on the Lily White and the No 1's. They also made a Rosy Red but I have missed out on those because they seem to be rare and expensive. They are supposed to be a softer Lily White (of another color of course).
At any rate it is fun to hunt these things. There is no telling what you may uncover. My Lily White came to me as an unknown black greasy blob in a box until I cleaned it up to discover this beautiful stone.

The Washita is, in my opinion, a very underrated stone. You can use it as a one stone solution (as they did in the military with the Lily White). I have done it and it make for a very usable shave.

I've shaved off a lily white, but wasn't very pleased with it. Maybe I need to try again and adjust my technique.
I've been chasing a Rosey red for years now, but no luck.

Dcaddo111 said:

Jeff, congrats on your WB-6. I don't use mine for razors very often, more for tools and knives, but if you wanted to use it for razors it should make a great mid range stone. They're very dependent on surface prep so you can speed it up or slow it down by roughing or smoothing/burnishing the surface. If both sides are usable you could keep one side rough and one side smooth and cover quite a bit of ground.

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Thanks David,

I was planning on seeing what it will do after a 1K, in the hopes that it could be a mid-range. It came with both sides flat.

Here are the other two Ark scores:



I have only played with the WB-8 once, and it didn't appear to remove any metal at all. I have yet to give it hundreds of passes though. I wonder how fine it is. Probably too fine for tools.

Jeff

Dcaddo111 said:

I've shaved off a lily white, but wasn't very pleased with it. Maybe I need to try again and adjust my technique.
I've been chasing a Rosey red for years now, but no luck.

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Yeah, the Lily Whites were used for knives and carving tools. Razors will require a very delicate touch. It still will not get you to the best shave but man, what a stone.

I just unwrapped this NOS Norton Hard Arkansas. It's a little black beauty with a nice streaking pattern in the middle of the stone. It even came with a coupon for free Barney Dolls.

Forgot to add...light penetrates this stone about 3/16 of an inch along the edges.

Just a beautiful Hard (trans) Black David. Send in and get those Barney dolls as well. What a deal.