# Is it possible to resurface/flatten Arkansas stones?



## bennypapa (Jan 15, 2018)

I have an old, soft Arkansas stone that I want to keep and use for sentimental reasons. The problem is that it is not flat and it is slow as hell. Is there a way to flatten and resurface Arkansas stones?
Thank you.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Jan 15, 2018)

The same way you flatten a waterstone. Diamond plate, wet/dry sandpaper...


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## StonedEdge (Jan 15, 2018)

Bennypapa, I was in the exact same exact situation as you. I have multiple high quality Arkansas, all flat, but just clogged with metal dust and oil gunk.

I've found a low grit diamond plate (Atoma 140, for example) followed by a higher grit wet/dry sandpaper to condition the surface brings them back better than new. 

The fresh stone layer exposed by the process is a dream to use.


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## Grunt173 (Jan 15, 2018)

Should you also boil the oil out of the oil stone first,before flattening? That would make sense to me,otherwise,I think you would just be moving oil gunk around and still clog the pores up.Just a thought as I have never boiled an Arkansas stone before.


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## galvaude (Jan 15, 2018)

Unless you want to kill a diamond plate in the process I would use silicon carbide powder to flatten and finer one to condition the surface.


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## StonedEdge (Jan 15, 2018)

Grunt173 said:


> Should you also boil the oil out of the oil stone first,before flattening? That would make sense to me,otherwise,I think you would just be moving oil gunk around and still clog the pores up.Just a thought as I have never boiled an Arkansas stone before.


 I've never boiled one, but I have propped one up and poured boiling water on it repeatedly. A lot of stuff comes out as it dries. Probably a good thing to do before resurfacing it.

It isn't too hard on a low grit diamond plate. I'd be worried of creating an uneven surface with some other abrasive powder used in conjunction with a not perfectly flat object


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## bennypapa (Jan 15, 2018)

Hmm, in addition to thinking about how to fix my stone now I'm also wondering about how stones were cut and flattened in the days before diamonds were commonly available. 

I don't have a low grit diamond plate so that's not an option for me right now. I think I can get silicon carbide powder locally and I have a glass plate i can use for a flat surface so that might be an option.


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## chinacats (Jan 15, 2018)

bennypapa said:


> Hmm, in addition to thinking about how to fix my stone now I'm also wondering about how stones were cut and flattened in the days before diamonds were commonly available.
> 
> I don't have a low grit diamond plate so that's not an option for me right now. I think I can get silicon carbide powder locally and I have a glass plate i can use for a flat surface so that might be an option.



Should do fine but be careful not to make a mess--sic everywhere.


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## brooksie967 (Jan 17, 2018)

Don't use a diamond plate..... you're just wasting your time and money doing that. Another member mentioned using SiC and that's the best and only real way to do it. 

The nice thing about trans/black arks is that depending on the surface that you leave you can really vary how abrasive the stone acts. Lots of guys use them for straight razor finishers after lapping them very smooth and burnishing them.


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## driver (Jan 17, 2018)

bennypapa said:


> ...I think I can get silicon carbide powder locally and I have a glass plate i can use for a flat surface so that might be an option.



For my opinion - that's the only one way to make a quality flattering.
For soft Arkansas we should take CCpowder 300grit(FEPA-F).
Glass suppose to be 12x24" and 1/2" thick.
Move a stone like You write #8.
To water good to add a bit soap.
But anyway that depends on how deep the saddle on stone, may be we should take first just sand and concrete plate for sidewalk.


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