Honing forum is slow these days. So... Hone Porn power, ACTIVATE!

[Kentos]

So, are the Nagura stones used to generate slurry that will in effect, change the "grit" (for lack of a better term) as you progress?

Yes. It's really cool cause you keep the same stone, just change slurry. It is a little more troublesome if you aren't close to a sink since you need completely wash off all the previous slurry before moving to a finer one. It also leads to more experimentation, as all the nagura have different characterstics despite being from the same strata. If you see Gamma's post he has a bunch, and I am sure he has a select few that are head and shoulders above the rest. Or, he may have a set for softer steels, others for harder steels, etc. Really bad for those with collector mentalities.

[casus4844]

I'll join the party !! Now in order of progression down , left to right and down


and for info on the Jnats JimR's blog is valuable http://easternsmooth.com/blog/jim-ri...uide-beginners http://easternsmooth.com/blog/jim-ri...anese-naturals. And I may be mistaken but mainaman has a video with nagura progression that I have been using http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deapGwrzghk to hone my razors.

[Kentos]

Wow nice sized tomo. I am jealous!! :)

[TnutsShave]

I was going to ask about rinsing the stones when transitioning from one to another, which you've answered. So do you get yourself a good solid base stone and then just work through the Naguras that produce the best results for you? It seems like a very customizable approach because I would expect even within a single nagura "session" the characteristic of the stone can change.

Very interesting. And expensive. As I've said on another thread...recently, as a matter of fact, you guys are just the worst kind of people. I don't think it's a coincidence that Kentos and Doc were a part of those discussions as well.

[Doc226]

Very interesting. And expensive. As I've said on another thread...recently, as a matter of fact, you guys are just the worst kind of people. I don't think it's a coincidence that Kentos and Doc were a part of those discussions as well.

Which thread.

You really did not think straight shaving was going to save you money right?

[TnutsShave]

Which thread.

You really did not think straight shaving was going to save you money right?

Ha! Nope, I knew right away I was in trouble.

[SliceOfLife]

My Jnat, Mejiro and Tomo.

This is my oldest razor stone I've still got (my DMT 600/1200 is a couple weeks older). Been through a few dozen thuris, coti's and a dozen or so synths. This stone I've kept through it all. Though the Nagura are more recent aquisitions. I actually bought the Mejiro right around the time when there was a group buy here for a full set (including Koma's for like $40)... I had been told Koma's were pointless with razors, so I passed on it and bought the Mejiro and Tomo (From Japanchefknives as memory serves). Now I wish I had gotten in the groupbuy for the full 4 (Botan, Mejiro, Tenjyou and Koma).

[MilkyLee]

Maybe another group buy is in order?

[SliceOfLife]

I doubt it'd be possible. This was Two? Years ago. And while Koma's were hard to get over here, they were at worst a bit rare in Japan. Now from what I just read, Japanese carpenters have waiting lists of people around the world they sell Koma's to the second they get any. Botans don't appear nearly as bad, yet. Tenjyou seem to be starting to dry up (most of the Tenjyou I saw were "Mejiro/Tenjyou??", not many stamped ones for sale were apparent in my 2hr googlefu

Mejiro seem pretty easy still.


If someone thinks they could pull it off though, I'd be in for sure.

[mainaman]

Wow nice sized tomo. I am jealous!! :)

This is my Tomonagura, it is standard 135x85x 25mm super nice Ozuko kiita karasu. This by far my best one, I went trough a lot of different ones till I find the best one for me.

[Kentos]

Asano nagura haven't been mined in thirty years.
From what I understand they mined a large lot at one time before the close, and it is from that lot that distributors were getting nagura from. As the pile gets smaller over the years Koma are only found here and there, and botan are getting scarce too. No one knows when the pile will be completely exhausted.

I think mejiro and tenjyo nagura are enough to get a good edge IMO. The Botan and Koma just complete the "set".

[hig789]

Thuringians anyone?

[Doc226]

Matt are you sure you have enough.

[SliceOfLife]

Aww, 15 months ago I had you beat and then some. Here's the stragglers:

I never got my hands on a <8x2" Thuri though. You have two. Hoarder.

[MileMarker60]

Here is a odd ball. Unidentified hone.
8" x 1-3/8" x 3/4", mottled green-red/purple?
It will provide a shavable edge. I would guess it to be around a 8k'ish.
This is a stone I was trying to ID for a friend and to my surprise, he said to keep.
Will it may not get a ton of use, it will be a keeper.

[paco664]

i was wondering where i left that one....

[Pat.G.Boisvert]

That is a full set of naguras. I typically set the bevel on a JNS 1K stone and then go through the naugra progression for a JNAT edge. For a coticule edge, set the bevel on the JNS 1K and go though a dilucot and finish on oil-of course.

Have you made a video of your honing technique? I've seen in your other post that you are at near 30 shaves without re-honing... You are definitely doing something right and I'd love to learn. Thanks a million.

[paco664]

Have you made a video of your honing technique? I've seen in your other post that you are at near 30 shaves without re-honing... You are definitely doing something right and I'd love to learn. Thanks a million.

it is good to know how to strop.....

a razor can be as sharp as a light sabre... but if you can't strop it properly to maintain then all the sharp in the world is temporary...

[Pat.G.Boisvert]

Just when I was about to pull the trigger on a coti you show me all these amazing jnats. Holy cow, I thought this wet shaving thing was supposed to save me money

Thats what I thought too...

[SliceOfLife]

Closeups of honing surface wet so we can see any patterning please.

Here is a odd ball. Unidentified hone.
8" x 1-3/8" x 3/4", mottled green-red/purple?
It will provide a shavable edge. I would guess it to be around a 8k'ish.
This is a stone I was trying to ID for a friend and to my surprise, he said to keep.
Will it may not get a ton of use, it will be a keeper.