Wakasa Jnat

[Gamma]

I thought Wakasa stones were soft; I was suprised at how hard this one is.
It came to me as a gift, but it had a few issues. The stone had split in two, and there was a nasty fissure in the top.
It's glued up solidly now, but I still need to seal the sides a bit more in a few places though.
The L-shaped fissure in the top ran 3/4 of the stone's width, then it ran 2/3 of the way down the side. Maybe it was about 1/2" in from the edge the whole way. This was the biggest challenge. After much lapping, the top is good to go.
Why bother? Why waste that much effort on a cracked and problematic hone you ask?
Well - I have this knife, it's basically a razor; it's got a 3" blade that's just a thin flexy wedge. I think it was originally intended for cutting leather but I'm not sure. Anyway, I needed to use it, but the edge was badly chipped from the last thing I wasn't supposed to use it for.
So - I set a new bevel, and gave it a short spin on this stone - the fissures and cracks were still there mind you. After maybe 5 minutes on a 1k, and another 10 minutes of Botan slurry, I finished up with 50 laps on slurry from a Diamond Nagura. I think I could have shaved with that edge. Seriously.
So - I decided to rescue the stone from becoming a bunch of Tomo Nagura. I have to finish lapping it; I started with 50x, and stopped at 320x. I think I took 3.0mm off the top; I'm too tired to finish it now - 3mm is a lot of stone to remove.

It's a Kita, with some light figuring - possibly Kan, Nashiji, and Goma. The Goma is there for sure. Whether or not the flecks are really Nashiji, or if that little ring pattern is actually Kan is speculative.

[UPD]

Hmmm, is your little tool possibly a reed knife? I had a friend ask me about his daughter's reed knife. Evidently it is some sort of razor like device used by reed-bearing instrument players to make their own reeds. I'd never even heard of one until it was brought up.

[Doc226]

Gamma, you get the most interesting stones.

[Gamma]

Hmmm, is your little tool possibly a reed knife? I had a friend ask me about his daughter's reed knife. Evidently it is some sort of razor like device used by reed-bearing instrument players to make their own reeds. I'd never even heard of one until it was brought up.

Could be a reed knife - its not beveled though, at least Im pretty sure it isnt. Ill check tonight.

[alx gilmore]

Gamma
Here is a photo of a stone from Fukui that was presented to me. The stone is stamped Zuri-tomen-naoshi, or, To fix the tosihi surface and make it flat. Basically a hard large 1.25 pound 70x75x44mm nagura. My wife thinks it might be from a mine called Jokenji, but not totally sure about if the mine is owned by a Shinto sect but most it is. Alx

[PapaFish]

I'm too tired to finish it now - 3mm is a lot of stone to remove.

I'll say! I recently removed almost 1mm from my CNat to get rid of scratches and saw marks, so I definitely don't envy you! It was quite fast, at least by CNat lapping standards, both sides in under an hour including cleanup. What did you use to do your lapping? Sandpaper?

[Wid]

I'll say! I recently removed almost 1mm from my CNat to get rid of scratches and saw marks, so I definitely don't envy you! It was quite fast, at least by CNat lapping standards, both sides in under an hour including cleanup. What did you use to do your lapping? Sandpaper?

Under an hour? That's mere childs play; lap a black translucent arky.

Beautiful stone Keith!!!

[paco664]

Under an hour? That's mere childs play; lap a black translucent arky.

Beautiful stone Keith!!!

word...

[Gamma]

Gamma
Here is a photo of a stone from Fukui that was presented to me. The stone is stamped Zuri-tomen-naoshi, or, To fix the tosihi surface and make it flat. Basically a hard large 1.25 pound 70x75x44mm nagura. My wife thinks it might be from a mine called Jokenji, but not totally sure about if the mine is owned by a Shinto sect but most it is. Alx

Thats gorgeous, I'd love to see a full size Toishi like that.

I'll say! I recently removed almost 1mm from my CNat to get rid of scratches and saw marks, so I definitely don't envy you! It was quite fast, at least by CNat lapping standards, both sides in under an hour including cleanup. What did you use to do your lapping? Sandpaper?

50x, 100x, 220x, followed by a seriously worn 325 DMT. I will seal the stone more, then go back to 220x, then 320x, 400x, 600x, 1k, 2k, then BBW or a 5k Chosera, finally a 10k Chosera or a Jnat to top it all off.

Under an hour? That's mere childs play; lap a black translucent arky.

Beautiful stone Keith!!!

Amen, and thank you!

[PapaFish]

Well, before I look like too much of a noob...
When I first got my CNat, it took HOURS to lap (and maybe removed 0.5 mm). First on 320 w/d, then going to 100 grit dry and going through a couple pieces of that. With my new technique and different sandpaper, I cut that time drastically, from maybe 15 hours/mm to 1 hour/mm (no, I didn't actually measure time or stone removal, but you get my point). This is why I was asking, there may be room for improvement. I have found that the Norton 320 w/d paper is very very slow, but holds together well, whereas the Harbor Freight w/d sandpaper auto-slurries and works very quickly (but typically good for only one or maybe two sessions).

[Gamma]

I use 3M w/d most of the time. Occasionally I'll get the cheaper stuff though.

[mainaman]

Wakasa are great stones, I have had mine for a bout a year now it is perfect kamisori finisher.

[Kentos]

Interesting that the label on the lapping stone is in katakana instead of hiragana.

[Gamma]

Interesting in what way exactly? I don't understand any of it, but does the writing in katakana mean something?
I think there is a similar anomaly with Botan Nagura, I forget exactly, but I seem to remember reading that somewhere.