Natural stones. Surface treatments?

O

Omega Leather Works

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Jun 13, 2007
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Hey guys. Pretty straightforward questions. Is the edge you get off of a natural stone dependant on how the surface was cut/treated at the factory, or is the stone going to be consistent regardless?

On my translucent Ark, I expected a somewhat finer finish. Is there something I can do to tune up the surface for my preferences?
 
Aside from it breaking in with normal use I'd say no. Novaculite is rated by density (specific gravity?), all the abrasive particles are basically the same size from a soft up to a surgical black or translucent. Think of them as functioning like a cheese grater - sharp edged voids do the work, rather than projecting abrasives. The higher the density the smaller the voids become, this is why Arkies polish as they grind. Attempts to lap them beyond their characteristics will usually lead to the stone glazing up and then it won't grind well, and will have serious trouble cleanly removing metal. I spoke to one of the Arkansas sellers and he said the stones are flattened at the quarry on 400 grit sandpaper. They generally do smooth out with use, and you can lap them flatter etc, but attempting to polish them to a finer grit will only take you so far. You might try oiling it up and just hogging away with a larger knife etc to smooth the stone down to its natural state.
 
Interesting. 400 grit was exactly what I had in mind. I have no idea who cut these stones, so I can't ask about them. I could always shoot Dan's an email I guess and see what they recommend. It's not a large stone, and seems to be perfectly flat (the edges are nicely chamfered too) so maybe playing around with it isn't the best idea. Things to ponder anyway. :)
 
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