i have heard that it is very hard to sharpen a blade, on a arkansas wheth stone, and i have met very few pple who can even put a desent edge on with one. I would like to know if anyone has any advice about sharpening with one of thease stones, please let me know, because i cannot seem to put an edge on with one
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sharpening question
- Thread starter proedge84
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2001
- Messages
- 9
Diamond stone, waterstone, ceramic, it does not matter what kind of stone it is, the key to great edges is consistency. If you cannot hold a consistent angle then you will never be able to achieve a good edge. Read the Sharpening FAQ. Also read the Razor Edge Book of Sharpening. Although outdated in some areas, this book will explain the basics. You should also try a honing guide as recommended by Joe Talmadge. He has proposed a most excellent idea that over time muscle memory will allow you to do a better job without the guide, because the motions involved are the same. Also, if your Arkansas whetstone is clogged up, you need to take the clogged portion off. This can be accomplished by rubbing it against a diamond stone or by lapping it off. The sharpening systems that are so popular today with housewives have attained that status through making consistency a much more simple task, either by using an "up and down" visual indicator or some other type of clamp device. This should reveal to you that consistency is where it's at. Hope this helps.
Greetings,
I used an Arkansas whetstone for years. I did not use it on highly alloyed blades, because at the time I didnt have any. Probably the most complicated alloy I used it on was 12C27. On softer alloys, they work fine, but be prepared to sharpen frequently. It was my experience that they would not rebevel an edge. They would also take a LONG time if the edge was really dull. I had a soft Arkansas stone and dropped it. It broke and I got a new one. The new one never seemed to cut like it should. Both were from Smiths, a well known company. Based on my experience, oil is required. The stone's surface clogs quickly if it is not used. This may have been the source of my frustration on the second stone. I used oil when I first got it, but later stopped. It could also be that I got harder and more highly alloyed blades. To make a blanket statement, I would like to paraphrase Wayne Goddard. Arkansas stones can give a good edge, but the cutting action is very slow (compared to Crystalon). I have better things to do with my time.
One thing I found neccessary from time to time was flattening the surface. They dish out in the middle surprisingly fast. I used wet 220 grit sandpaper. One advantage is that Arkansas stones are easy to modify. I curved the corners of mine to sharpen a Benchmade recuved blade. The steel was ATS 34 and the Arkansas stone wouldnt cut it in reasonable amount of time. This was when I stopped using them.
I have never tried the black or translucent super fine grades of these stones. Have fun trying, but I hope you have this weekend free.
I used an Arkansas whetstone for years. I did not use it on highly alloyed blades, because at the time I didnt have any. Probably the most complicated alloy I used it on was 12C27. On softer alloys, they work fine, but be prepared to sharpen frequently. It was my experience that they would not rebevel an edge. They would also take a LONG time if the edge was really dull. I had a soft Arkansas stone and dropped it. It broke and I got a new one. The new one never seemed to cut like it should. Both were from Smiths, a well known company. Based on my experience, oil is required. The stone's surface clogs quickly if it is not used. This may have been the source of my frustration on the second stone. I used oil when I first got it, but later stopped. It could also be that I got harder and more highly alloyed blades. To make a blanket statement, I would like to paraphrase Wayne Goddard. Arkansas stones can give a good edge, but the cutting action is very slow (compared to Crystalon). I have better things to do with my time.
One thing I found neccessary from time to time was flattening the surface. They dish out in the middle surprisingly fast. I used wet 220 grit sandpaper. One advantage is that Arkansas stones are easy to modify. I curved the corners of mine to sharpen a Benchmade recuved blade. The steel was ATS 34 and the Arkansas stone wouldnt cut it in reasonable amount of time. This was when I stopped using them.
I have never tried the black or translucent super fine grades of these stones. Have fun trying, but I hope you have this weekend free.
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2001
- Messages
- 2,491
Arkansas stones do not cut nearly as fast as diamonds or ceramics, but they will put an edge on a knife. I use a white hard Arkansas and a black hard Arkansas to put an extreme polished edge on some of my knives.
If you really want some good information on sharpening, the FAQ feature would be a good idea. Joe Talmadge has posted some great stuff. Good luck.
If you really want some good information on sharpening, the FAQ feature would be a good idea. Joe Talmadge has posted some great stuff. Good luck.
I used the Arkansas stones for years before I got a diamond steel. The trick to sharpening with the arkansas stone is the honing oil. It is similiar to cutting oil and will remove the impurities as you sharpen and will keep it from getting clogged up. Also, after you get the edge sharp, start to lighten up on the pressure so that the grooves in the edge will become shallower and will strop out easier.
The final sharpness of the blade will be determined by the last part of the sharpening process.
I hope this has been a help to you.
The final sharpness of the blade will be determined by the last part of the sharpening process.
I hope this has been a help to you.