About Our Company

About Arkansas Oilstones

ArkansasOilstones.com is located in beautiful Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. America's first federally-protected land preserve, Hot Springs is nestled in a valley of the Ouachita mountain foothills.
Our family has been quarrying, cutting, and processing novaculite into quality natural Arkansas sharpening stones for over 40 years. 
​Our mission is to provide a great product, information, and service. We strive to educate our customers on how best to care for their blades and keep them razor sharp using the same stones and techniques that have been used for centuries.

Arkansas oilstones, also called whetstones, are made from novaculite (from the Latin word novacula, meaning razor stone). It is found in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and has been mined since prehistoric times for arrow heads, spear points, and sharpening stones.   
Since novaculite's composition is primarily silica, like other cherts and flints, it was an important raw material for the indians living in the region.  
​An Arkansas whetstone is much less abrasive than man made sharpening stones such as aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or diamond stones.  The natural Arkansas oilstone will actually polish the knife's edge as you sharpen the blade.
Natural Arkansas oilstones range in color from white, gray, red, pink,to blue-black and black.  The color is not necessarily an indicator of the grade and since the stone is naturally occurring, it is sometimes difficult to determine the actual grit of the stone.
We buy whetstones directly from local quarries, stone cutters, and finishers, and every attempt is made to accurately present the correct description and characteristics of the sharpening stones we sell.

Grades and Descriptions

• Washita -  The coarsest Ark. stone (400-600 grit) Produced in limited quantities
• Soft Arkansas - Medium Grade (600-800 grit)
• Hard Arkansas- Fine Grade (800-1000 grit)
• Black Arkansas-Fine Grade (800-1000 grit)
• Translucent Hard Ark.- Extra fine grade (1200+ grit)
• Surgical Black Hard Ark.- Extra fine grade (1200+ grit)

The translucent and surgical black are more expensive because they are harder to cut and finish than the other whetstones and the translucent stones show all flaws, cracks,impurities, etc.