Thread: Mirrored Jnat

After a trip to a well worn DMT 320, I rub the surface of the JNats with a tomonagura. I can achieve a sheen, which works for me, but I would never achieve a mirror-like finish. Besides, too much rubbing with tomo can create scratches in itself.

BTW, I do the same with coticules after the DMT ... A bit of a rub withg the yellow slurry stone, and I can sense the difference in the first razor off the stone if I don't do this.

So, whatever works for you is the best approach. Try everything, and make up your own mind. We're all different!

Thanks for all your inputs.
Arkansas stone is the way forward I think.
I have achieved a smooth finish on my jnat with a couple of scratches ,thanks to my tomo.
I have tried everything , including Shaptons ,up to a 30k ( I thought I finally had a use for it)
My DMT 320 is redundant . After spending lots of time running a screw driver shank up n down it I purchased an Atoma 1200, that's now my go to lapping plate.

Your stone will get to the mirrored point after not that many razors if you leave it alone. There is essentially no reason to lap a very hard hone that will take a mirrored surface, but you may decide once it's there that unless you're using a nagura, it's too slow.

In the interim, if you want to get it to the mirror finish faster, go to the tool aisle at home depot and look for the hand planes. Find the "buck brothers" plane iron ($3) and take it out of the package and rub the side that *doesn't have the bevel* on your stone until it's settled in. You want something hardened like tool steel, as something soft like mild steel or cast iron may pull the particles off of the stone.

I once attempted to sharpen a japanese chisel on my favorite vintage japanese razor hone, thinking I was headed for super sharpness nirvana, but the combination of the pressure and the soft wrought iron backing on the chisel instead freshened the surface and exposed new particles. The buck iron at home depot won't do that (all of it is hardened), and it's cheap and if you keep it flat on your stone, it won't mark it.

Originally Posted by DaveW

Your stone will get to the mirrored point after not that many razors if you leave it alone. There is essentially no reason to lap a very hard hone that will take a mirrored surface, but you may decide once it's there that unless you're using a nagura, it's too slow.

In the interim, if you want to get it to the mirror finish faster, go to the tool aisle at home depot and look for the hand planes. Find the "buck brothers" plane iron ($3) and take it out of the package and rub the side that *doesn't have the bevel* on your stone until it's settled in. You want something hardened like tool steel, as something soft like mild steel or cast iron may pull the particles off of the stone.

I once attempted to sharpen a japanese chisel on my favorite vintage japanese razor hone, thinking I was headed for super sharpness nirvana, but the combination of the pressure and the soft wrought iron backing on the chisel instead freshened the surface and exposed new particles. The buck iron at home depot won't do that (all of it is hardened), and it's cheap and if you keep it flat on your stone, it won't mark it.

We don't have the depot in the uk
I have ordered an Arkansas stone.
After a couple of days of running my tomo nagura back and forth on it,I achieved a very smooth surface.
Last night I finished my 8/8ths custom on it with a thick slurry.
The end result was shocking,I think the hairs now cut before the blade gets to them, it's that sharp...

Try sharpening a couple of carbon steel kitchen knives on it with presssure.

Just about any rock can be mirror polished except maybe something really soft like talc. it's just a matter of matching the stone with the right abrasive. A flat steel plate with some alumina and water will polish just about anything and depending on the grit and how hard your stone is you will get the result you want. I don't think it has anything to do with honing but it sure looks purdy.

The other day Maksim explained to me about polishing my jnats . I also read what he says concerning thick slurry.
Add to that what gssixgun explained in this thread and new jnat doors have opened for me
I always used watery slurry on a matte stone, now ill go the other way and use thick slurry on a glass surface, which so far looks the better option. At least with my Shobu.
I think my Shobu may now be redundant.
Today I received my first Nakayama and it is a thing of beauty .
The price was slightly embarrassing but that's why God invented credit cards, I think :/
I'm going tomorrow to buy some walnut and then have a base made for it .
I'll show you guys the finished product , when its done.