The Blue Black Arkansas Stone

[@Eric-en9hk]

Brilliant video, my friend!

[@offthestone]

Thank you, brother!

[@lesliedelay392]

I enjoyed your video on the Blue-black Arkansas. They are amazing stones in my opinion. I have two. One is a Smiths 4×2×1 and the other is an 11 1/2× 2 1/2× 1/2 Norton. I got in an IM 313 oil bath system. I won it in a raffle. When I saw that stone I just had to have it!

[@offthestone]

Thank you! They are incredible stones and beautiful as well! Congrats on your stones. 11 inches is a huge one, which is awesome. The blue-black is my favorite finishing stone for straight razors

[@lesliedelay392]

I have had the Smiths since the mid 70s. I bought it along with a Smiths 3 stone set. The Norton system I have had since early 2000. I recently replaced the two synthetic stones with Arkansas stones because I prefer them. When I acquired the Blue-blacks I didn't realize that there was any other blacks until I watched some videos about Arkansas stones. I seldom strop after using the Blue-black.

[@d.eddlemon]

Interesting video. Glad you're back. After using a stone like that, are you still stropping your blade?

[@offthestone]

Glad to be back and thank you! I generally don’t strop if I’m using this as my finishing stone. Oftentimes the burr will break off while I’m on my black or blue black, so I just keep the edge as is. With that said, I have used a couple Knives Plus strops after using this as the last stone in my progression and it yielded great results! Thanks for watching!

[@dappershaves]

stropping is a critical activity that should be before and after each use, regards dapper shaves

[@JohnDoe-zb7dz]

I just received my special order blue/black from Dan's. I chose a 8x3x1/2. It turns jet black just like my black hard when wet. Hmm? In a pitch black room with a 1000 lumen flashlight I can manage to see a very faint hint of light passing. Not as much light as yours but more consistence. Overall very well cut, flattened, and consistent structure. I've been hearing folks claim all the excellent grade blue/blacks are mined out. Dan's wouldn't comment on that. I suppose I got what I paid for. Thanks for the informative video. -keith

[@offthestone]

Congrats on the blue black Ark! That’s a good size! I don’t know about whether all the good ones are mined out, but my blue black is quite a bit finer than my regular black and translucent. Perfect for straight razors. And gives a crazy whittling edge if I go through a progression and end with it.

[@JohnDoe-zb7dz]

@@offthestone Tried it out straight out the box and it definitely outdoes my hard Ark. Very flat. Not sure if I'm going to SIC lap one side or not. I may just to experiment. I have some 1200sic. Thanks!

[@offthestone]

I burnished one side of mine with sic powder 👍

[@JohnDoe-zb7dz]

@@offthestone What grit may I ask?

[@offthestone]

I used 220 and then 600

[@Yevhe_N]

nice stone, congratulations. which company sells it?

[@offthestone]

Thank you! I got this from Dan’s Whetstone.

[@dappershaves]

Dan’s produce the most consistent novaculite’s available today with high levels of quality, regards dapper shaves

[@snowwalker9999]

On Dan's website you just see the option for Black Arkansas ultra fine. Is that the same thing? Thank you for the video.

[@offthestone]

It is not the same. You’ll have to call them and ask specifically for a blue black stone. They generally have limited availability too. The regular black is a great stone, but it’s not as fine as the blue black. A heads-up, blue blacks are very expensive and are by far the finest Arkansas stone (by fine I mean they leave the finest edge finish). I use them for my straight razor and it makes for a very smooth shave! Your welcome for the video and thanks for watching and commenting! Hope you have a great holiday!

[@piecetoyou8285]

Are all Arkansas honing stones novaculite material and how can i tell if my stone is novaculite

[@offthestone]

Arkansas stones are all novaculite. I don’t have tools to distinguish between novaculite and other materials, but Dan’s Whetstone could probably help you out there. That’s where I have gotten all my recent Arks from.

[@jaffutemeslames]

Great video ! You don't use oil with Arkansas stone ?

[@offthestone]

Thank you! I definitely do use oil when I sharpen with Arks. I used to use water, but oil is way better for cleaning the load up.

[@jaffutemeslames]

@@offthestone OK, thanks for your answer.

[@d.eddlemon]

I sure struggle with that decision. I read some experts say use water, some say use oil, and some say don't use anything. All of them cite good reasons for each. So it's not clear to me. I've been going dry with diamond stones then finishing up with ceramic then stropping. It seems to work for me. It also depends what kind of edge you want. I go for a toothy edge.

[@offthestone]

@@d.eddlemon For sure. It’s all about what you’re going for. With Arks, however, I’ve used them dry, I’ve used them with water, I’ve used them with oil, and I’ve used a dawn solution with water and oil as well. The main reason I use a lubricant is to try and deter load up. I generally start on my Arks dry, but after a pass or two it starts loading up and not cutting as well. So then I grab a napkin or towel and dip it in oil and wipe the stone off. Oil does a tremendous job at removing load up off of Arks, so that’s why I use it. Water barely does anything for them in my experience. However, I love to use water with Diamond stones. Such a science! And that’s the beauty of sharpening. Gotta figure out what works for your set up and what you are going for!

[@offthestone]

I do have to rephrase actually-I use water with my Arks with a straight razor but oil on my Arks with knives

[@ALEX-gd5pu]

Nice video. Do you ever run across any old Norton blue black's?

[@offthestone]

Thank you, Alex! I haven’t. Have you?

[@ALEX-gd5pu]

I have around 10 or so in my collection lol form 4x2x1 all the way to 10x2x1

[@offthestone]

@@ALEX-gd5pu HA! Nice, man. That’s crazy 😝 Maybe they are rare because you have most of them 😂

[@ALEX-gd5pu]

Lol not even close

[@ALEX-gd5pu]

I'll send you one for a video if you would like. Just got to figure out how to get ahold of me

[@Yevhe_N]

did you buy it randomly in a store somewhere or to order on Dan's website?

[@offthestone]

I bought it right from Dan’s and I’m glad I did! Best finishing stone for my straight razor 👍

[@Yevhe_N]

@@offthestone this is great! and I recently purchased Dan's black stone, and it is partially black translucent. I was surprised

[@offthestone]

That is awesome! Congrats. I love their black Arks 😀

[@Seraph137]

What is the Specific Gravity of your blue-black?

[@Master...deBater]

Using an online calculator, my trans blue/black Ark came out with a SG of 2.79. I'm sure it wasn't as accurate as the water displacement technique...but who has time for that!

[@cameronchicken8439]

where do you find these?

[@offthestone]

@Cameron Chicken84 I’ve only gotten these from Dan’s Whetstone Co. Not sure who else sells them.

[@tompossessed1729]

Were did you get a blue black stone on a unrelated note I estimate the blue black to be above 16k mainly because the 16k Sharpton produces a edge less crisp then a spyderco uf from word of month and first hand experience with a friend Sharpton

[@offthestone]

I got the stone from Dan’s. Yea, that stone produces a crazy fine edge! Wouldn’t shock me if it were finer than 16k.

[@Master...deBater]

@@offthestone Well they're certainly finer than 12k. I use my trans black ark after my Naniwa 12k super stone...and it definitely improves the edge. It also improves the edge produced by my super fine Ozuku Asagi...which is also finer than the 12k super stone.

[@offthestone]

@@Master...deBater Nice! It’s definitely one of my favorite finishing stones

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

Arkansas stones are not good sharpening stones. They are however great edge mirror finishers polishers

[@offthestone]

I disagree. Soft Arks (soft and Washita) would be classified in the medium sharpening stone category. These stones remove metal pretty quickly from softer steels. I’ve used them countless times to sharpen dull kitchen knives and I’ve solely used my soft Ark to sharpen my bushcrafting knife when it’s dull. I’m not saying I’d use them on super steels, but they work well with a lot of high carbon stainless steels i’ve sharpened. A sharpening stone removes metal from knives, and that’s what Arks do. I would generally recommend people to use them as finishing stones because they do it well, but the soft Arks can maintain softer steels.

[@jeffhicks8428]

are they though? they're obsolete old timey burnishing rocks. a much cheper naniwa super stone or any decent finish stones will do a much better job in much less time.

[@diavalus]

@@jeffhicks8428 no, they are not obsolete. Don’t get me wrong, synthetic stones have some advantages, but if you want a sharp and smooth edge, Arks are just a better option.

[@Master...deBater]

@@jeffhicks8428 Yes...they are! Especially for straight razors. My trans blue/black Ark improves the edge from my Naniwa 12k super stone! In fact...it also improves the edge from my Ozuku Asagi, Coticules, and Escher hones as well! They're named Novaculite (Razor Stone) for a reason! From your comment I can safely say that you've never used one to finish a razor...correct???

[@thewalnutwoodworker6136]

Someone needs a pop filter! I found a stone at my local flea that I thought was silicon carbide stone but for $3 I bought it. I get home and spray some degreaser on the stone and this black gook flows off revealing a butterscotch Arkansas color. I run it through my normal degreasing routine of boiling a pot of water, dropping in my stones and poring in some degreaser and letting it sit for an hour. I find that this stone measures 5 7/16 x 5 3/8 x 1 1/8. This stone has one natural fissure and is translucent. I am debating if this is just an really old cut of translucent or a really hard Washita. This stone is oddly dense compared to my other stones. Do you have a way I can contact you?

[@offthestone]

You can email me at [e-mail]

[@Naddan49]

Tap on the stones. A Washita will sound lower, like dunk dunk dunk, while a black or trans will sould higher tink tink tink.

[@dappershaves]

what a wonderful find! regards dapper shaves