Thread: Proper activities for a first date w/ jnat

HiPink,

Here are the pics of my slurry.

First one of the hone dry:




Now wet:




Now I have worked up the slurry:






Razor pushing the slurry:




Slurry starting to dry out:

Slury drying on the razor and it thick ready for more water.

Gorgeous stone Seth, nice visual pics. What kind of j-nat stone are we looking at?
thanks
Mike

Zeth, Thank You!!

That IS a nice looking stone.

Your photos do help alot. I would have called that a light slurry, but as you say - the variation is huge.

I took a blade already done on water back to the slurry until it was sticking to the blade, doing circles. 1/2 a spritz and the back & forth strokes until sticky again, then 2 squirts and I didn't quite take it to being dry. TPT was again underwhelming (no hht done), but a small test patch of atg was quite promising - a full shave will happen within the hour - will update. Even in this test, with no beard prep - just wet the beard, rub some soap mixed w/ hand cream for glide - the blade angles possible w/ this stone are noteworthy. I first noticed it w/ the Williams blade, but atg of 30+ degrees is not uncommon. I don't know if I'm discovering what everyone else already knows, but that's never been possible w/ blades off the other rock.

Interestingly, Yamashita-san writes that many people have reported back to him that dry laps have proven very effective. I'm assuming these would be the last finishing strokes after slurry and then water. I took one blade I was already shaving with and gave it 20 laps dry. That blade was immediately smoother. With the feel of the tpt & hht on the williams blade, finished by the honorable Riooso - it does seem like these tests must be taken as secondary indicators, making one more dependent ultimately on a full shave test.

Test results in a moment.

Just silly smooth. Sharp enough to do the job w/ no complaints or apologies. I gave minimal laps on water only & no dry laps, so I expect more performance can be obtained. 'Just a really really pleasant shave. I'll do more experimentation with slurry - and alot lighter than I've used in the past, and alot less water.

Thanks for the pics Seth. They help a lot. I have been making my slurry a lot heavier.

Later,
Richard

Originally Posted by MODINE

Gorgeous stone Seth, nice visual pics. What kind of j-nat stone are we looking at?
thanks
Mike

This is an Ohira Renge Suita. Yes it is a gorgeous stone.

If you look closely at the last photo where the overhead light is reflected on the stone you can see the tiny 'su' indentations. Also all of those red/pink flecks in the stone are the 'renge'.

Originally Posted by pinklather

I'm doing WAY more than 15 finishing strokes. On the harder blades, 80 circles and 3 'X' strokes.

Well I said I'd try this on my Asagi but I forgot the 3 X strokes so this is just 80 circles on a light smear of water.
First pic is plain stone after being wet 17 hours ago. Still a wet patch in the corner. Very dense hydrophobic stone.
Second pic is an old Sheffield wedge that I use for breaking in diamond plates, well stuck to the stone showing the swarf after 80 circles. Negligible auto slurry. You can see from how much metal is removed why I don't do that many passes to finish a razor that is near shave ready.

Originally Posted by pinklather

Interestingly, Yamashita-san writes that many people have reported back to him that dry laps have proven very effective. I'm assuming these would be the last finishing strokes after slurry and then water. I took one blade I was already shaving with and gave it 20 laps dry. That blade was immediately smoother. With the feel of the tpt & hht on the williams blade, finished by the honorable Riooso - it does seem like these tests must be taken as secondary indicators, making one more dependent ultimately on a full shave test.

I have not experimented with a "dry stone" yet, but for finishing after slurry, I start with my stone wet and keep going (without counting) with very, very light strokes until the stone is basically just damp. On my stone, this seems to be about 100 laps or so. This method has taken my edges to a new level.

I think I will continue with this method and try the 20 completely dry laps next time around.

Johnny, I don't know - but he's smiling, and keeps touching his face.

Originally Posted by pinklather

I took a blade already done on water back to the slurry until it was sticking to the blade, doing circles. 1/2 a spritz and the back & forth strokes until sticky again, then 2 squirts and I didn't quite take it to being dry...
I gave minimal laps on water only & no dry laps, so I expect more performance can be obtained. 'Just a really really pleasant shave. I'll do more experimentation with slurry - and alot lighter than I've used in the past, and alot less water.

I took the same blade and gave 30 small circles on water, then 15 x-strokes. Wiped the blade and the stone surface clean - it was dry to the touch in about a minute. Then 20 laps dry. TPT after this was quite respectable. 40 canvas, 80 plain latigo. Same no prep test - just a bit of cream and hand lotion smeared on the heavy section of wet stubble from bottom of jaw line up about 3/4". This prep method typically gives more 'pull' than a shower and full face lathering. XTG along jaw line just wiped the face clean. I then went ATG uppwards to the middle of the ear. THERE WAS NO LATHER AT ALL - JUST WATER. ATG w/ a 30 deg blade angle, and just wiping the face clean. It's phenomenal. This kind of edge not like anything I've tried. 'Very much a new standard, and 2nd isn't even close.

And now think back to your best shave ever off your C12k
Now touch your face.
Anything is possible ,even without Old Spice