Choosing your Arkansas Stone Grade

                 

Natural Arkansas Whetstones are available in four grades.  Some users believe color is the determining factor in grading Novaculite, but should be aware that it is not what determines the grade of the stone.  The same colors may even be seen in more than one grade.  Color in the stones is caused by trace minerals that dispersed through the rock during the sedimentary formation and subsequent geologic activity. Novaculite is 99.9% pure silica.  Please go to our F.A.Q.'s for more information on stone grades and how the stone compares with different grades of stone grits.

Different grades of Novaculite also have a noticeable difference in texture. The softer the stone, the coarser the surface of the stone feels, such as the Soft and Hard Arkansas stones; harder stones have a smoother, even glassy feel, such as the Surgical Black and the Translucent stones.

 

 

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Soft Arkansas is the most popular of the four grades of Novaculite. It is an all-purpose stone used by wood carvers, sportsmen, butchers, commercial knife sharpeners and even housewives who desire keen, polished edges on knives and tools in a minimum of time. Soft Arkansas stones may be white, gray and black, and pink and gray in color.             Return to Top

 

 

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Hard Arkansas is most suitable for fine polishing and maintenance of a fine edge on knives or tools. Hard Arkansas users should be aware that Hard Arkansas often has color variations, too. This color does not interfere with the honing process by any means. Hard Arkansas stones are popular among woodcrafters and a variety of industries including the dental industry.  Return to Top

 

 

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Surgical Black Arkansas is one of the finest grades of abrasives available today. Most commonly used for industrial applications where an extremely fine polish is required. Surgical Black Arkansas stones are black or blue-black in color.  Surgical Black Arkansas stones are available in all published sizes and shapes.  Surgical Black Arkansas stones are also used among woodcrafters and a variety of industries including the dental industry.  Return to Top

 

 

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Translucent Arkansas stones are the finest grade of abrasive available today.  Translucent stones may be a uniform, translucent shade of gray, white, red, yellow, brown and sometimes even pink--often within the same stone.  Most commonly used for industrial applications such as the dental industry where an extremely fine polish is required.       Return to Top

 

The texture of the finished stone surface may vary from the natural texture of the stone because the stones are manufactured using fine grit to remove all cutting marks from the finished stone. With use, users may notice a slight change as they get through the surface finish and reach the true abrasive quality of the stone.

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