hard Arkansas stone

I sharpened with my hard arkansas stone ($5 Smith Stone) for about 5 years before I was introduced to the Spyderco ceramic stones. They sharpen softer steels (You'll get arthritis before you can sharpen a dull S30V knife on them) with time, but are best when you use a medium arkansas stone first.
 
I never let my knives get too dull and i have a stone for the ones that are too dull to work on a fine grit?
 
I never let my knives get too dull and I have a stone for the ones that are too dull to work on a fine grit?
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What stone do you already have?

As far as Arkansas for sharpening, depends on the grade really. If it’s a true hard Arkansas, it will be very fine / smooth, and won’t remove much metal, more polishing / burnishing. It will bring back an edge if it’s not too far gone though, and can be used for maintenance. Also it does better on softer, simpler steels. Softer Arkansas are coarser and thus remove more metal, but generally in the western system crystolon (silicon carbide) or India (aluminum oxide) stones are used prier to Arkansas, in my experience these work much better.

I sharpened with my hard arkansas stone ($5 Smith Stone)
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I've never come across a true hard Arkansas (hard, translucent, hard black, etc.) for that little, unless it’s a pocket size. There generally $40 for a slip stone size, about $100 for a bench stone, the quality and fineness between these and the cheaper ones is night and day.
 
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