Warren in Lancaster, PA
Arkansas stones are partly metamorphosed, it is like the crystals are slightly melted together. They are good at smoothing off irregularities and thus polishing an edge, not so good at removing material from a smooth surface. So the action sort of shuts down as the surface becomes smooth. It is as if crevices do the cutting, catching on rough spots, not like the stone's protuberances are digging into the surface. There is not loose grit floating around.

Forty years ago workers were sort of mystified by the newly imported Japanese stones, not used to loose grit. Today they are expecting Arkansas stones to behave like water stones.