The Soft Arkansas Stone is a good extra-fine stone. It is the least dense & coarsest grained of the natural Arkansas stones & good for starting an edge on your tools & knives; commonly used after synthetic or oil stone. Use a few drops of mineral oil to prevent glazing while sharpening.   *Note* Grain on stones will vary from stone to stone. No returns based on grain configuration.,Arkansas stones are natural, quarried mineral stones mined in the Ouchita Mountains near Hot Springs, Arkansas. They are special & unique stones related to flint & have a hardness a little greater than steel files. Due to their special crystalline structure, not only do Arkansas Stones sharpen but they polish at the same time, leaving a smooth surface on tools. They are fine grit stones & are mainly used for putting a final edge on your tools.,We source, manufacture & sell a natural Arkansas product. Our factory is located right in Arkansas & we are proud to claim 100% made in USA products. Our products comply with the FTC standards, & have since we were founded. We take pride in every part of the process to bring you the industry standard for sharpening stones. But we are especially glad to offer such a great product sourced in the beautiful mountains of Arkansas, USA. Soft Arkansas Slip Stone with Leather Pouch ~ 3" x 1"