The 1x6 Arkansas Dota Creek stone is a fine grit stone mined from Dota Creek, Arkansas. Jonathan Coe sources several other Arkansas-based natural stones from the region, adding a greater selection to the classic lineup of Arkansas stones. The Dota Creek is used for edge refinement and routine maintenance and light repairs and for finish sharpening. It is roughly equivalent to 4K - 6K grit.

1" x 6" x 5mm in size and mounted to a steel blank, it is used with water or oil dripped onto the surface before use. Air dry after use if water is used. With oil, you can choose to clean or not between uses.

Abrasive Material: Highly Compressed Shale

Ideal place in a sharpening progression:

• Starting grit for routine maintenance, light repairs and further edge refinement
• For establishing a very fine working sharp edge
• After coarser natural and synthetic sharpening stone grits (1K - 4K grit)
• Before progressing finer synthetic stones and finer natural polishing stones.

The Arkansas Dota Creek sharpening stone works on almost all types of knives, scissors, tools and chisels, including those made with abrasion resistant steels. While the 1x6 size is meant for use with the Edge Pro, Hapstone and TSProf sharpeners, it is also a great size for a slip stone, field stone or a pocket stone for knife repairs and sharpening on the go.

This is an oilstone which can be used with oil or water. This stone can also be used in a mix and match progression of other synthetic and natural sharpening stones, as well with other brands such as Naniwa, Shapton, Suehiro, Imanishi, Spyderco, King, etc. Simply wipe the blade clean before and after switching stone types.

On More Traditional Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel Edges the Arkansas Dota Creek stone will establish very refined edge on kitchen knives made from makers like Henckels, Wüsthof, Gunter Wilhelm, F Dick, Victorinox, etc. and knives made with steels like X50CrMoV15, AUS6, and 440B.

On the higher end of the hardness spectrum of traditional steel edges made with steels like 1095, 440C, 52100, Aogami White, O1, Shirogami Blue, W1, etc., the Dota Creek stone will start bringing out a matte finish on these harder steels, and a refined sharp, toothy cutting edge. It also preps the edge for further polishing refinement by finer grits.

On Carbide Forming Steel and More Abrasion Resistant Steel Edges such as D2, M2, S35V, S90V, VG-10, etc., The harder density of the Dota Creek stone abrades the matrix steel less aggressively, bringing out a more burnished surface with an sharp even edge that is ready to use, and is also ready for further refinement.

Hacks and Tips:

• This stone has some naturally occurring oils, which make it more friendly toward using oil as a lubricant, but water is just fine as well.
• Using water keeps the stone slightly more aggressive. Using oil creates a paste that, over time, imparts a slightly finer finish.
• By cleaning the stone of oil between uses, the stone is more aggressive at the start. Keeping the old “seasoned” oil on the stone adds more refinement and more polish.
• Clean loaded stones with warm soapy water
• This stone will need to be flattened periodically. Use a coarse diamond plate, silicon carbide powders or coarse (120-220 grit) wet dry sandpaper.

Comparable Stones: Arkansas Black, Arkansas Translucent