Arkansas Sharpeners Soft Oil Sharpening Stone

The Arkansas Oil Stone is a soft natural Arkansas stone measuring 5 by 1.5 by 0.5 inches, mounted on an oak block.

Natural Arkansas stone is novaculite, quarried rather than manufactured, and soft is the coarsest of the grades. It cuts faster than hard or translucent Arkansas while still leaving a fine edge. It is the stone to start with rather than finish on, and a full progression runs soft, hard then translucent.

Oil rather than water is used on Arkansas stone, and it matters. Oil floats the swarf clear where water lets it clog the surface, and a clogged stone stops cutting. Mounting on oak keeps the stone flat and off the bench, and gives something to hold that is not the abrasive surface. Explore more sharpeners.

• Soft is the coarsest natural Arkansas grade
• Cuts faster than hard or translucent stone
• Use oil, since water lets swarf clog the surface
• Mounted on oak, 5 by 1.5 by 0.5 inches