Thread: Proper activities for a first date w/ jnat

Utopian: I'm confused about your Chinese hone usage, as I haven't seen the sharp/smooth issue between the slurry/water on the Chinese hone in the way you describe. To me, you get sharp and smooth off of the water.

It would probably be more accurate to describe the smoothness the slurry gave as more forgiving, rather than say the water only finish was harsh. I used water only for most of the last 4 months. I did find the c12k slurry gave a different feel. For info's sake - I'd run 20-40 circles on the 12k with slurry, followed by 20 or so x-strokes. Though I've done without any tape/microbevels, I've liked the edges resulting from doing final laps with one layer of tape on a completely dry 12k stone. Between 7-25 strokes, depending on how hard the blades are. There are lots of other ways, but this has been good lately.

I have found with the asagi I have from So, no matter how wicked sharp my blade is, a light slurry on the asagi always makes the blade smoother. Although I too love to experiment, that stone is hard to beat and quick too.
For example, I finally learned how to finish with my German water stone and the results are superlative, but that asagi does it Soooooo much faster. Have fun.

Kingfish. I appreciate your kind help here. I'm sort of enthralled these days w/ slurry's affect on smoothness. Riooso's edge on that Williams blade is just strange. 'Doesn't feel that sharp, but clears the face better than any blade I have. I'm sort of thinking that maybe first, I should test the affects of the thickness of the slurry. Then, maybe how many refreshes of the slurry, and how long to run any given slurry. I'm dying to get my hands on it. 'Should be later this week. Thanks again for the tip on slurry & smoothness. Smooth is big medicine to me.

Like everyone has already said experiment. Initially I would lap it, make sure and take a pic prior to rubbing off kanji. With a new natural stone I have found it helps to first start with the slurry to see how fast or slow the stone is. If you do not see the slurry turning grayish after 20 to 30 X strokes you “typically” have a slower stone.

All than means is that it is a finisher and you may need to do 100 strokes to start to polish your edge. J-nat particles get finer and finer when used. Each one is different. So-san usually asks you about your experience then try’s to pick a stone for the steel (str8 razors), and your skill set. I hope this makes sense. It will be a good stone, have fun.

Mike

I'm with Ron on this one. Try it out as many different ways as you can and see what the results are like!

More strokes, less strokes, slurry, no slurry, slurry diluting to water and so on and just see which edge you like.

I do 25 with a medium slurry, 25 with a light slurry, 25 with water and then 25 strokes to dry on mine, that works very well.

Good luck and keep us posted!

The only variable about testing how "fast" a stone keep in mind that, for instance, a new TI made with C135 steel it will take longer to get the slurry to turn color. That steel is very hard indeed.

By the way did you get the stone yet?????


Take Care,
Richard

Speaking of 'Proper Activities'. Don't forget the most important step when testing. Send some prayers of thanks to Shogun Minamoto for letting you use his rocks.

Oz, is there a diety of any kind I should be supplicating for freight companies?

'Sure appreciate all the help here. 'Really would rather bypass the HAD bug - I'm in the wrong tax bracket for it. 'Hoping one good rock should satisfy for quite a while.

Sigh. tick tick tick goes the clock -waiting for the lovely blue rock.

Originally Posted by pinklather

Oz, is there a diety of any kind I should be supplicating for freight companies?

LOL.. None that I know of mate but you could make one up if it makes you feel better

I choke a little with embarrassment, having posted that I couldn't chime in about how beautiful a new photo of a prized rock was - that its what it does is the beauty. I was fine with that view until I touched the working surface, which felt like silk. Then I started thinking it was pretty. sheesh, these rocks are something.

The Atoma was not with the stone when it arrived. Not everyone seems to think the atoma is necc. but it was a done deal by then. So a quick check w/ a straight edge showed some dishing - needs lapping. My other waterstones, I lap under running water with a dmt 325 grit. Is this okay w/ the asagi? The only other plate I have is a 8k grit dmt. Most threads say not to submerge, much less soak the stones. Is there a way to lap them flat w/out the running water?

Also, in lieu of the atoma, I've used a synthetic ruby stone to raise slurry on the c12k. Would this be suitable for the asagi?

I appreciate your help, Gents. 'Pretty excited about playing w/ this rock. Fortunately, the lovely bride is busy most of the wkend, so I can play alot! The objective is an edge as smooth as Riooso delivered on that Williams blade. If I want a little more bite, just water supposedly returns that bite quickly. Wish me luck!