Thread: Proper activities for a first date w/ jnat

They can be quite pretty eh ?
No probs with the DMT C for lapping, of course as long as you're sure of it's flatness & no probs submerging the Asagi. They are very dense hard stones & will not suffer at all for the time it will take to lap. Of course if you had the Atoma you wouldn't have to worry about the plate sticking to the stone as you lap
I would not use a synthetic stone for slurry. Just use the DMTC for now. It will work just fine.
Enjoy !

I'd have gotten that one all wrong.

'Will use the dmtc for slurry.

'Sure appreciate your kind help.

No problemo amigo . Look forward to hearing your experiences.

I always use a small DMTC file size and pick up most of my slurry from the typical places on hone that get less use and never the middle. My stone stays flat for very long time.
I have never use Atoma, but many including So swear by them. Please let use know how you like yours in comparison.

Congrats! Do as So speaks of and seal the edges of the Atoma with epoxy so that water can't get behind the diamond mesh. Just lap the thing under slightly running water with the Atoma and you will be good to go. I have a bit of a hard time making slurry with the Atoms because it sticks to the little recesses in the Atoma but what I do is stand it on end above the stone and wipe it with my index finger so that the slurry ends up on the stone. Sometimes when I am lazy I will use a little DMT card but really the Atoma will keep the stone flat every time you make slurry so that is good. I use a spray bottle to wet the stone and control the slurry density.

You honing bastard! Let us know how you do with it. I am really excited for you.

Take Care,
Richard

So-san suggested for prioritizing smoothness, to try some dry honing.

Each blade at this point is shaving sharp from a c12k. After Asagi, 40 strokes canvas, 50 latigo.

Slurry the thickness of whole milk - opaque

Ontario 6/8 1:1 hol. Pitting on blade, including in bevel. Thick slurry, 20 circles, 20 x-strokes. No graying of slurry (maybe slow stone?) 20 more x-strokes, strop. Improvement over c12k in both sharpness and smoothness. atg strokes smooth, very good stubble reduction.

Vom Cleff (soligen) 6/8 1:1 hollow: 35 strokes on dry stone. Very smooth, and more keen.

Dovo inox 5/8 1:1 hol. thick slurry, 50 strokes, refresh slurry, 50 more strop. More smooth, more keen

Jos. Allen & Sons non-xll 5/8 1:4 hol This went south. Tried same thick slurry x 25 laps, refresh, 25 more, refresh, 25 more. Super smooth, not so keen. Tried 35 water only, some keenness returned, but still not good.

Thinner Slurry: 2% milk, somewhat transluscent.



Will edit, append more results as they happen. Again, Thank You, Gents for your kind help. If ever I wished I could grow beard faster!!

Originally Posted by riooso

I have a bit of a hard time making slurry with the Atoms because it sticks to the little recesses in the Atoma but what I do is stand it on end above the stone and wipe it with my index finger so that the slurry ends up on the stone.

Not a bad idea. I usually slide the Atoma to the side of the stone then tilt it to break any seal. I get a lot of the slurry to stay on the stone that way.

I tried two blades w/ the slurry the consistence of 2% milk, then 1%. Not appreciable difference. Smooth is there no matter what (this is really good IME). Keenness is more elucive.

So I tried water only. Okay Keen is back. Strop, shave: yes its sharp, but dang smooth. Went back & re-finished the Vom Cleff, Dovo, and Ontario - same thing - really sharp, really smooth. This is good. The only blade that wouldn't respond to the stone was the little Jos. Allen 1/4 grind. Maybe the rock doesn't like sheffields. It LOVEs soligens and US blades (Ontario, Genco).

Another discovery. This is my first 'bout' - a non standard size/shape stone. I'm not used to navigating a stroke around the chips on the sides & ends, so in several cases, I do circles only. It delivers quite nicely, but makes me suspect my stroke sucks. On the harder blades (wacker), it takes about 80-120 circles to get the keenness. I haven't tried doing more to see if the circle generated slurry brakes down and give a further dose of keen & smooth.

Shave test - didn't shave this morn so I'd have some real estate to test. No beard prep, just wet, lather, test. 'Made for more 'pull' with the blades, but less than previously finished blades. 'Shaved 15 sections with 11 blades today.

Initial thoughts:
1) this rock is almost as slow as the c12k. Bummer.
2) I don't have enough experience to make valid observations about it's other qualities, but sharp and smooth with no slurry is good, though unexpected. Most guys posting on the jnat thread on coticule.be found just water to deliver sharp, but with harshness. I though the jnat slurry was where all the magic is. So why do I need a dmt or atoma?
3) Yes, its a significant step up from the c12k - for every blade except the Sheffield. 'Worth the $$$? So far, the jury's still out. I've never tried the competition - which for me would be an Escher/Thurry. I don't really see myself springing for the other rocks for a long time.

Any thoughts other jnat users have on using a slow stone would be most welcome. Or input that says the judgement of 'slow' is not yet earned.
Many Thanks, Gents.

Originally Posted by pinklather

I tried two blades w/ the slurry the consistence of 2% milk, then 1%. Not appreciable difference. Smooth is there no matter what (this is really good IME). Keenness is more elucive.

So I tried water only. Okay Keen is back. Strop, shave: yes its sharp, but dang smooth. Went back & re-finished the Vom Cleff, Dovo, and Ontario - same thing - really sharp, really smooth. This is good. The only blade that wouldn't respond to the stone was the little Jos. Allen 1/4 grind. Maybe the rock doesn't like sheffields. It LOVEs soligens and US blades (Ontario, Genco).

Another discovery. This is my first 'bout' - a non standard size/shape stone. I'm not used to navigating a stroke around the chips on the sides & ends, so in several cases, I do circles only. It delivers quite nicely, but makes me suspect my stroke sucks. On the harder blades (wacker), it takes about 80-120 circles to get the keenness. I haven't tried doing more to see if the circle generated slurry brakes down and give a further dose of keen & smooth.

Shave test - didn't shave this morn so I'd have some real estate to test. No beard prep, just wet, lather, test. 'Made for more 'pull' with the blades, but less than previously finished blades. 'Shaved 15 sections with 11 blades today.

Initial thoughts:
1) this rock is almost as slow as the c12k. Bummer.
2) I don't have enough experience to make valid observations about it's other qualities, but sharp and smooth with no slurry is good, though unexpected. Most guys posting on the jnat thread on coticule.be found just water to deliver sharp, but with harshness. I though the jnat slurry was where all the magic is. So why do I need a dmt or atoma?
3) Yes, its a significant step up from the c12k - for every blade except the Sheffield. 'Worth the $$$? So far, the jury's still out. I've never tried the competition - which for me would be an Escher/Thurry. I don't really see myself springing for the other rocks for a long time.

Any thoughts other jnat users have on using a slow stone would be most welcome. Or input that says the judgement of 'slow' is not yet earned.
Many Thanks, Gents.

This an IMHO thing. I am confused in that your goal of keen and smooth have been met. I look at a finisher as just that, a finisher. How does the blade sound when it hits the stone, does it ring. Does the stone release any slurry with water only? If it doesn't then you have a hard stone and the drop in speed is a given but it is a relative thing. I use Naguras and another mid-course stone and get it to the stage of finishing. I have your dimensions at 6.7 inches by 2.9 which is a good size for finishing. In my estimation "X" patterns should be the stroke of the day and the strokes should be very very light. By the time a blade hits my finishing stone it should be almost done and ready to shave on. I typically use a heavy slurry and go about 50 strokes then go about 50 with just water to get what I want which is on the border of getting a tad harsh.


Keep us up to speed.


Take Care,
Richard

A couple of things pinkl. Smooth all the chips off the stones edge. You don't want a tentative stroke to compensate. It will be counterproductive & your strokes need to be spot on not "sucky" .
If it is indeed a slow stone use it as such & have the blade as good as possible before using it. Remember your shaves should be pretty great at 8k. I have a feeling you may need to do more intermediate work before going to the finisher.
Also 30 -50 strokes is not necessarily slow but your C12k may actually be fast.
As for the Sheffields I do very minimal strokes on my J-Nat finishers. Generally I find the Coticule gets the best out of the old wedges.