Thread: First JNat has a crack?

I posted this on another site but would appreciate your opinions

I've been using a SR for over a month now and have been honing my vintage blades on a 1K, 4K, 8k, and 10K with shave-able success, lately (Thank You all for your advise)

So after reading many threads I decided to try a JNat whetstone for finishing, I purchased a Ozuku from Fendrihan and when it arrived yesterday I was excited to try it so I sealed the edges with nail polish but noticed a 30mm crack, I emailed Fendrihan right away and told them about the crack and that I can feel it with my fingernail, they replied that this is not only okay but normal

Opinions please

I don't have any Jnat's but they say the same things about cracks in coticule,... I don't know, I wouldn't be happy about it, I'm also suspicious about a crackline in my coticule.

the fact that you feel it with your nail can mean two things, your nail is either moving down or up when you move across it, if it's moving down you won't notice it while honing which is usually the case with a small crackline. but as I said I don't know anything about Jnats or wheter or not this is an acceptable flaw in the hone or if it should be replaced

Welcome to the world of natural stones.

"Normal" implies that most have cracks, which I don't believe, but it's certainly not uncommon, nor necessarily a bad thing. CA glue works it's way into small cracks like this. Then a good lapping of the surface.

But, only you can decide if it is an issue you can deal with.

Thank you for the pic. That is one beautiful stone. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, so I offer a compliment

If you smears with your fingers over, you feel a step? or a bit step? because a step may scratch(or chip) the edge of razor.
If this particular was not speified in the ad they MUST change the stone

I would retun that stone.

I just looked at that website and the pictures used to advertise this type of hone also show some stones with cracklines in them ...

I have to agree. if you can feel it with your fingernail and you can feel it as the razor glides over it it will not be good for the razor. Many coticules have veins in them which people mistake for cracks. All rock have internal flaws, that's normal but some you can live with and some you can't.

As above,inclusions are one thing,cracks are something else.
Note in the OPs pic the crack starts from a large chip in the side of the stone,the crack may have been caused by trauma to the stone,or it's just a defect that will never go away and maybe get worse.Let us know how it shakes out.

No offence but I really wouldn't expect perfection in an inexpensive Jnat.