# Dan's Whetstone Company Customer Service and Product



## ssnvet

So the stone is purdy and Dan's in nice…. please comment on how it works.

I've used soft natural Arkansas and a man-made mediumhard Arkasas…. but never the translucent or surgical black, so I'm curious how well these work for getting a great edge.


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## cakman

Ill report back on how it works later today after I get home and give it a go.

I already knew the type of stone I was looking for so I did not ask about the differences between the stones. As helpful as they were, I am sure they would have given more details about that if I asked.

How did you like the two types you used? It sounds like a soft Arkansas followed by a medium hard, and then the translucent would give you quite a polished surface.


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## mveach

I have used a hard Arkansas for ever. It does a fine job.


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## ssnvet

I go from med. India to the med hard Ark. and it has always worked well enough…. Results are good, but not exactly speedy. My soft Ark is a slip stone, for odd shaped blades (and 1/3 of it is broken off), so I don't use it often.

lately, I've added the step of going to a granite plate with wet/dry sand paper on it…. and while that works, the paper doesn't last very long.

I've never used a water stone, or powered system, so I don't have much to compare with.


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## cakman

I finished sharpening 4 chisels last night that had been flattened and sharpened up to the extra fine of my diamond stones. The sizes were a 1 1/4", 1/2", 1/4", and 1/8". I started off trying to use mineral oil on the hard translucent stone but the mineral oil I had was too viscous and did not allow the stone to cut, just created a film over the stone that the chisel skated over. Instead of thinning out the mineral oil with mineral spirits, I grabbed some baby oil and tried that. Much better. After about 10 light strokes I started to see very light particles in the slurry on the outsides of the path the chisel traveled over the stone. It seems like the oil was carrying away the shavings like it should. I inspected the back of the wide chisel and sure enough was starting to see a more clear reflection of myself where the stone was cutting. I continued until i had a an even scratch pattern (although you cant see the scratches, they are so small) all the way out to the end. I followed it up with a few strokes on the strop and the surface was nicely polished and flat.

There are a few other observations I should mention about this stone that might be of interest. First off, this thing is HARD and SMOOTH and FLAT. I put the straight edge of an engineers square to it and its flat.

After examining the surface of the stone, I noticed that a few areas of the pinkish purple circles had an exposed core that was softer than the rest of the stone. Picture a knot in wood, similar thing. This might be a defect and one of the main reasons why this stone is considered a second. It did not have an effect on how the stone performed so no worries.

If you look closely at the picture, there is a small crack on the right hand side in the middle of the stone. I tried running my finger nail over the crack to see if it would prevent me from using that side and I couldn't even tell it was there. I don't think I will ever be hindered by this small crack. I am very pleased by this.

I guess one of the last things I noticed was how easy it was to sharpen the back of the 1/8" chisel. On the more course surfaces of the diamond stones, I had to be super careful about how much pressure I applied so I wouldn't gouge the edge of the chisel into the stone. With the hard translucent stone, no matter what kind of pressure I put on it, it glided over the surface smooth as silk. It was a nice feeling and points to how hard and smooth and flat this thing is.

So after an hour and a half of use, I still give this thing 5 stars, and I stand behind my 5 star rating of the customer service I received from Dan's.

Now I have to go scrounging around the kitchen drawers looking for stuff to sharpen.. I wonder if the girlfriend would mind if her metal spatulas can shave the end grain of soft pine like butter? hmmmmm


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## BigJohn

I ordered the 8×2 x 1 hard black and hard stones about two weeks ago from Dan's and haven't heard anything from them. I don't know if there is a back order or what. Last week was Christmas week maybe that is part of the reason for the lack of communication. I was charged within a day of ordering. Hopefully they will come soon. Can't wait to use them.


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