What's wrong with my Arkansas stone ???

shane45-1911

shane45-1911

Joined
Aug 5, 2001
Messages
4,306
I've been using some Arkansas bench stones for a couple years and they have always worked very well, as I prefer to sharpen freehand. Recently, one of the stones (medium grit) has developed a a very glossy appearance on the surface, and it feels very smooth. It doesn't seem to affect the edge when I sharpen with this stone.

Can these stones get "glazed", almost like a disc brake-shoe might? That's almost what it looks like.
 
The pores are clogged with metal particles. You need to find a way to clean the pores out. I am sure somebody will chime in here with a good way to clean it. I dont use Arkansas stones anymore, since they dont do much to sharpen the super hard stainless steels. Ever try to reprofile a BG42 blade with a washita stone? Doesnt work very good; simply polishes it. I use diamond stones.
 
You can scrub it off, a wire brush and some detergent works well. The fastest method is to just lap a new surface using SiC and water on glass, or sandpaper, just a minute or two. Even a concrete block will work for the coarse hones (you don't want a deep scratch on the ultra fine ones).

-Cliff
 
sandpaper on a flat surface is quick and easy. I dress all my arkansas stones this way about once a year, a little maintenance will keep them flat forever.
 
Sand paper (Silicon carbide) with a glass backing will work for cutting through a glazed surface. I have never been able to get Alu-Oxide to work, it is just not hard a hard enough grit. and you can forget ordinary garnet paper. To flatten a worn stone you need the silican carbide powder you buy at the auto supply store and a piece of plate glass, pour a little of the powder on the glass add water until you have a thin past and then move the stone in figure eight patterns until you see that you are beggening to make some head way and continue, checking once in a while until the surface is flat.

A. G.
 
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