Inexpensive Straights, Hones, Strops, etc. for Beginners.

I think the grit is the BASE STONE not the slurry?

Because of course slurry would make every stone a little bit better right.

 

You have to wrap your head around the fact that the 12k means nothing other than your Naniwa SS 12k has a higher grit rating when compared to a Naniwa SS 10k or 8k

If you take a Naniwa SS 10k it doesn't compare to a Naniwa Chosera 10k if you look at the striations under a Microscope, not the same type of grit, or binder, or density of grit...

Both are 10k but if you were to compare just the scratch patterns from honing a SR they are NOT the same.. I know it sounds crazy, but it is true

When you say polish more, it may or may not but it will be a different polish and a different face feel, the important question is will YOU like it better

Make sense yet ???

 

Yes! I always thought it was kind of confusing when some people were comparing a 20k to the 12k.

or some 10 k to a 12k

 

I never blow smoke

I told you honing is a deep hole

Understanding hones and stones is even deeper.., and your use of the words "common knowledge" is accurate, most people have no clue
None of this is important for getting a half decent shaving edge, it only matters if you are going to chase that last 1%

 

Yeah I was just playing with ya

you’ve taught me a lot brother

 

Yeah it comes to the science and what my stones are made out of I can’t really tell you too much.

but what I remember is they are some type of aluminum resin bonded something?

 

Natural stones can have Inclusions, sedimentary stones are formed by layers and layers of the material being laid down and formed under pressure, inside those layers and layers might be a piece or layer of a harder mineral, This will chip an edge, THAT is called a Toxic Inclusion or even layer
Sometimes you can pop that out or lap it out

 

Is that why people use cashew lacquer?

 

It must be harder to lap them too right? Compared to what I use anyways…

 

Stick with the Naniwas. JNats usually create a kasumi, or frosted finish. Some of them can polish very well on clear water, but if you want polish, avoid naturals. The advantage of natural razor finishers is not polish.

It isn’t common knowledge because it’s 100% wrong. Different synthetic whetstones and abrasives use different grit rating standards. What Glen said is accurate. And 1000 grit sandpaper is not the same grit as a 1000 grit whetstone because they use different grit rating standards. This will help get you started in understanding synthetic grit ratings.

https://www.fine-tools.com/G10019.html

Hope this helps,

Steve

 

You could write a book chapter on all the different kinds of toxic features, not just cracks. Bottom line, toxic features can scratch steel or release coarse grit/chunks. There are very few toxic features in stones in commerce, they’re uncommon. People just don’t sell toxic stones, there are too many decent ones to bother. You can find used stones that have been worn down over decades into a toxic layer or feature. They’re natural, it happens.

No. Most fine grit JNats are layered stones and can have layer cracks. Cashew and urushi are used to seal the SIDES of the stone to prevent water from possibly entering cracks or between layers. Lacquer is not used on the surface of the stone. There are many JNats that are NOT layered, probably the most familiar are Mikawa nagura. Also Aizu, Ikarishi, Binsui …. These are never lacquered in Japan. You often see Mikawa nagura lacquered in the west, but not in Japan.

Lapping is pretty straightforward on most JNats.

 

@Mike-R41 You are getting hit with a ton of info really fast, read it think it through it ask questions about anything that is confusing...

@Steve56 is REALLY knowledgeable about J-Nats listen to what he tells you especially about how to buy them

 

I will add, some of my best shaving razors have frosted edges. Mirror finishes, and ultra high "Grit Ratings" are over rated, most of the time.
If you want an Ultra High polishing stone, get an Arkansas Surgical Black.

 

Or a Suehiro Gokumyo 20k. It makes a very nice edge for a synth, maybe the best. MTC kitchen usually has the best prices, and you can get 15% off, I think, on your first order for the emails. Expensive for a synth, but a lifetime stone. It’s hard, almost like an Ark, but unlike an Ark it’s blazing fast. Think 20-40 finishing strokes instead of hundreds.