arkansas stone preperation question, wet or dry

timwcic · Oct 24, 2016

I have two arks lapped and wet/dry to 1000 grit. One is a trans and the other a SB.
I have the steel all ready to go, a large chisel and a clean piece of steel to rub the stones on.

Two Question, Do I burnish wet or dry and what is the end results, a reflective surface???

Any other input, thanks

David · Oct 24, 2016

I burnish under running water. I find it much faster and it lets the stone reach a mirror finish. When I use oil to burnish (and not everyone is going to agree with me here) the auto slurry from the chisel or knife keeps the surface to more of a matte finish. How I test arks to see if they're hard enough to finish razors well is to give them a mirror finish with burnishing under running water, then I'll switch to oil with a razor and see if it maintains the finish. IME, not all trans or black arks are hard enough to finish razors. They will still finish ok, but I've had some that don't give me the light saber edges that trans arks are known for. In short, some of them auto slurry, even with razors.
Here's what my Norton black looks like after burnishing for reference.

EDIT- The black is dry in that picture.

Adamandlupe · Oct 24, 2016

Dcaddo111 said:
I burnish under running water. I find it much faster and it lets the stone reach a mirror finish. When I use oil to burnish (and not everyone is going to agree with me here) the auto slurry from the chisel or knife keeps the surface to more of a matte finish. How I test arks to see if they're hard enough to finish razors well is to give them a mirror finish with burnishing under running water, then I'll switch to oil with a razor and see if it maintains the finish. IME, not all trans or black arks are hard enough to finish razors. They will still finish ok, but I've had some that don't give me the light saber edges that trans arks are known for. In short, some of them auto slurry, even with razors.
Here's what my Norton black looks like after burnishing for reference.

EDIT- The black is dry in that picture.

I just can't get over how beautiful some Arkansas stones are! Maybe I'll have to buy one for myself for Christmas! I know that the final prep step for these stones is rubbing steel on them. I wonder if i could find a big steel plate to rub the stone on...it seems like it would speed up th process if you could just rub the stone on metal instead of rubbing metal on the stone.

PapaFish · Oct 24, 2016

Dcaddo111 said:
I burnish under running water. I find it much faster and it lets the stone reach a mirror finish. When I use oil to burnish (and not everyone is going to agree with me here) the auto slurry from the chisel or knife keeps the surface to more of a matte finish. How I test arks to see if they're hard enough to finish razors well is to give them a mirror finish with burnishing under running water, then I'll switch to oil with a razor and see if it maintains the finish. IME, not all trans or black arks are hard enough to finish razors. They will still finish ok, but I've had some that don't give me the light saber edges that trans arks are known for. In short, some of them auto slurry, even with razors.
Here's what my Norton black looks like after burnishing for reference.

EDIT- The black is dry in that picture.

With my big Trans Black I have achieved a mirror finish over much of the surface using AlOx paper. I'm talking look straight at the at the surface, and clearly see your eyeball in living color. The funny thing is it was like 80 grit paper, and cut like crazy until the stone and the paper lapped themselves against each other and then polished both surfaces. I would have just left the surface like that, but before the stone would fully polish, a piece of grit would break free from the paper and put a DEEP scratch in the surface. Good thing that stone was so far from flat that I had to lap WAY past those scratches... yeah, good thing

David · Oct 24, 2016

Adamandlupe said:
I just can't get over how beautiful some Arkansas stones are! Maybe I'll have to buy one for myself for Christmas! I know that the final prep step for these stones is rubbing steel on them. I wonder if i could find a big steel plate to rub the stone on...it seems like it would speed up th process if you could just rub the stone on metal instead of rubbing metal on the stone.

I've tried that before. Problem I had with it is there's lots of surface tension and the stone pretty much just stuck to the plate, but you might have better luck than I did.

kcb5150 · Oct 25, 2016

I would burnish it wet. Mine still seems to be getting better and I have done many blades on it

timwcic · Oct 25, 2016

Dcaddo111 said:
I burnish under running water. I find it much faster and it lets the stone reach a mirror finish.

kcb5150 said:
I would burnish it wet.

Thank You Gentelman

Adamandlupe · Oct 26, 2016

So, follow up question; what would happen if you burnished on the stone dry? What would this do to the stone? I'm assuming it would not be advised. Can you burnish it under water (like in a full sink) as opposed to under running water?

David · Oct 26, 2016

If you try it dry it will load the surface of the stone and give you trouble. Under water would be extreme overkill IMO. Under running water works best for me.

SliceOfLife · Oct 26, 2016

I'm a big proponent of "breaking in" arkansas through use. Grab a beveler and all your friends and family's dull knives and scissors. Edge them on the beveler and then see how polished you can get them on the Ark. Repeat until done.

SliceOfLife · Oct 26, 2016

Dcaddo111 said:
I've tried that before. Problem I had with it is there's lots of surface tension and the stone pretty much just stuck to the plate, but you might have better luck than I did.

Also, remember pressure. Putting a chisel edge to an ark will probably exert as much psi as you could exert with his suggested method if you stood on the stone and managed to drag yourself around. Arkansas are hard. With the low PSI of a large ark on a steel plate, you're probably not going to accomplish anything; there's just too many points of contact distributing that pressure. I mean a chisel is what... maybe 1-2 sq cm bevel? Vs the full surface area of a 200x50mm ark (100 sq cm). 1/50th the amount of force being applied to any given part of the stone.

KW Driver · Oct 26, 2016

quick backtrack question, SIC powder is slurried wet I presume? and the burnishing is hereby answered.

kelbro · Oct 26, 2016

KW Driver said:
quick backtrack question, SIC powder is slurried wet I presume? and the burnishing is hereby answered.

Either wet or dry. I've tried both. Mostly prefer dry. Doesn't work any better, just less messy.

KW Driver · Oct 26, 2016

thanks.

Adamandlupe · Oct 28, 2016

SliceOfLife said:
Also, remember pressure. Putting a chisel edge to an ark will probably exert as much psi as you could exert with his suggested method if you stood on the stone and managed to drag yourself around. Arkansas are hard. With the low PSI of a large ark on a steel plate, you're probably not going to accomplish anything; there's just too many points of contact distributing that pressure. I mean a chisel is what... maybe 1-2 sq cm bevel? Vs the full surface area of a 200x50mm ark (100 sq cm). 1/50th the amount of force being applied to any given part of the stone.

Ha. Good points. I guess i am always trying to reinvent the wheel.
I will probably try lapping film before getting an ark anyhow. The Arkansas stones are just so darn gorgeous!

timwcic · Oct 28, 2016

I think I am getting there. All the advice is paying dividends. This is the results after one hour of burnishing on my black.
Used water in a spray bottle and a five in one painters knife. Happy with the results. Butterscotch trans is next

McVeyMac · Oct 29, 2016

It is looking good. That is what you are looking for!

SliceOfLife · Oct 29, 2016

Haha, your picture says Wiener.

timwcic · Oct 30, 2016

Got my trans done. Reflects the ceiling light and I can see my smiling face.
I now have the prettiest edge on my 5 in 1 it ever had.

David · Oct 30, 2016

Nice looking stone!

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