Thread: New Naniwa 12K

Originally Posted by svcaramia

I just purchased a Naniwa 12K Do I need to prepare it in any way other than to wet the stone for first time use?
My razors have all been professionally honed so I am just looking to touch them up when the leather strop and paste
stop giving me a shave-ready edge

You may wish to lap it flat once or twice which will also remove any manufacturing
release stuff on the surface. Think one sheet of paper when you lap.
Removing more is unnecessary and expensive in the long run.

The Naniwa 12k is slightly dimensional unstable. If you lap it flat dry
or almost dry then soak it you will be confused that it is not exactly flat.
Lap it lightly with a figure eight motion and call it good. Flat will happen.


Once you get the surface lapped flat once or twice put away most thoughts
of lapping it. In use the Naniwa 12k hardly dishes especially with the light
weight of the razor hone strokes that give the best edge.

Do not soak in a bucket or store in a plastic bag. Let it dry slowly in a paper
bag. I have taken to wrapping my hones in kitchen parchment paper. The slow
dry trick is a good thing with expensive hones like the Chosera (variety of Naniwa).

When using it spray or splash and hone away.


EDIT: The Norton sort of needs a lot more lapping at first to remove what I call a
rind. Once the rind is gone the norton 8k side feels a lot smoother. Naniwa
hones do not have this issue. Both brands are great hones and the 4k/8k Norton combo
plays super well as a progression with the Naniwa 12k.

Wow so much info. Thank you all for giving so generously of your experience and time

I've just received my Naniwa 12k, and all I did was lap it on a DMT 325 - I know people often lap much finer, but I got a great edge honing right after that.