cutting an arkansas stone

J

John Frankl

Joined
Oct 16, 2001
Messages
1,917
Hello All,

I just came into possession of a very old, potentially very nice, translucent Arkansas stone. The problem is it is horrible gouged both top and bottom. The good news is, it's about an inch thick, so I think I can get a like new 1/2" thick stone out of it.

I would appreciate any and all suggestions regarding ways and places to get this thing "slabbed". I am thinking local granite/marble counter/tile places? Any other thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

John Frankl
 
try your local rockhound club, they should know how to cut it and who can provide that service. mike
 
Depending on just how badly dished out it is you may be able to true it up by putting a couple of hands ful of sand on a cement slab (side walk/shop floor, etc) and work the stone around in a figure 8 pattern. This will grind the stone down to flatten it out.
If your stone is really bad it will still work, but you might be a very old man before you get it trued up.:D

-Mike-
 
Use a master stone to true it up.It is a very coarse stone with holes in it used to re-dress Japanese water stones.A coarse 3X10 diamond stone will work fine ,too.Get everything wet and lap the ark. stone until it is flat.After dressing you can make the surface smooth on wet or dry sheets (wet) placed flat on a sheet of glass.When it is done,scrub it clean of grit and it will be new.Don't try to cut it with a diamond saw,it will most likely crack.It only needs a small amount of the surface dressed down.
 
bladsmth said:
Use a master stone to true it up.It is a very coarse stone with holes in it used to re-dress Japanese water stones.A coarse 3X10 diamond stone will work fine ,too.Get everything wet and lap the ark. stone until it is flat.After dressing you can make the surface smooth on wet or dry sheets (wet) placed flat on a sheet of glass.When it is done,scrub it clean of grit and it will be new.Don't try to cut it with a diamond saw,it will most likely crack.It only needs a small amount of the surface dressed down.
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it's about an inch thick, so I think I can get a like new 1/2" thick stone out of it.
Click to expand...

I was thinking that would be a lot of work if he had 1/2" of stone to take down:eek: for the money
 
Raymond Richard said:
I guess it depends on how much time your willing to invest in re surfacing it. Maybe this might be the best bet: http://www.bizrate.com/buy/products__cat_id--12150125,keyword--arkansas
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interesting
the translucent stones are big bucks at Hall's
http://www.hallsproedge.com/bench.htm#5

I guess also
you have to watch out for reconstituted stones,, (stone dust glued into a stone) Halls stones are the original Arkansas stones so if a price is way off I'd be wondering why..at least if your looking for the Arkansas stones anyway.
just food for thought..
Ray your right time is money..with the SS I use the Arkansas type stones won't cut it anyway, the pun is intentional :D
 
A vibratory lap will flatten it.
Just put it on it with grit and water, then come back and check it every now and then...
Don't have one any more, though...
Find someone who does lapidary work around there.
 
I live in arkansas and seconds are are pretty cheap around here,
Let me know what you are looking for and I'll see what I can do.
 
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