translucent = translucent?

This is my only hone, purchased as an "Arkansas stone". I've honed two razors from zero to shaving by setting a bevel on sandpaper and then using this sucker for hours, followed by stropping on shiny-smooth leather.

I have two questions:

1. All of the gray area is indeed translucent. Does that mean it is translucent grade? I'm trying to figure out what grit I'm working with. If it's any help, you can't see speckles in the stone with the naked eye the way you can with some Arkansas hones I've seen online. This one looks creamy.

2. I've read that Arkansas hones should be used with oil. Then again, some people say that they don't have to be used with oil unless someone has already done so. So how would I know if it's been used with oil before?



Here's the hone:



with a Maglite on the white part



with a Maglite on the gray part

I own a dan's wetstone trans ark, and the surface looks almost like to your stone. mine has a few imperfections and vey little marble, also my stone is much thinner than yours so clearly your stone is worth quite a bit more $$ than mine. It appears to be the real deal as far as can be told by the picture..
Not for sure but if you put some water on the stone it will bead up when rubbed if the stone has been impregnated with oil.. mine do..
I use gatco hone oil blue bottle I think it's 4 oz.
on my ark trans it makes the surface smooth like a granite counter top to the touch.
Stated on numerous sites I have read that ark trans and ark ultra fine are the finest grit NATURAL STONES.. THAT DOESNT MEAN THEY GIVE THE BEST EDGE ON YOUR RAZOR..??
I use my ark trans on singing blades just before cr 0.5m and diamond 0.5 0.25 diamond paddle and balsa.
If I were to try to set a bevel and hone... I would give up because it would take at least hours and hours. A diamond pasted strop removes more metal in a hurry than that stone.. That's how fine mine is,, I would describe ark trans as frozen block of white muddy chalk...
Hope this helps