Thread: Help with Jnat and Naguras

Hi Shavingbrothers,

First I would like to introduce myself to you guys. I am new on this forum. My name is Remco and I am from the Netherlands. I shave a couple of years with a DE and recently with a straight razor. What nice shaves I have with the straight :-)

I have a strop but I have not a sharpening stone yet.

I am interested in the Shuobudani type 100 stone from Japanese Natural Stones Toishi

For two reasons because I prefer a natural stone and the budget of max. 200 euro's.

I have a couple of old straight razors (made in Solingen Germany) and I am looking for a nice stone to sharpen my razors on. Now I only use a leather strop to maintain the edge of the bevel. Lately I noticed that the sharpness of the knives is getting less. I have no sharpening stone in my possesion and my first thougt was a Belgian Coticule. I learned that those stones can be verry difficult. The Japanese Natural Stones seems to be more easy to use and give the razors a nice and comfortabel edge.

I have read that the Tomo Nagura (a hard version seems to be quicker for sharpening) is used for touch ups.

What I also read on the shaving forum is that you also need the
Botan, Tenjou and Mejiro Nagy ras for one stone honing.

I can not find an explaination on the forum how to use the last three Naguras.

Can you guys help me with more information how they are used?

What is the best and low-budget (I have no money for a DMT) way to flatten the sharpening stone? Sandpaper? If so in what grit or grits?

Last but not least:

Do you have some recommandations for Japanese sharpening stones I can use to maintain the edge of my razors? My Total budget (stones and Naguras) is about 200 euro's.

Thanks.

With kind regards,

Remco

Welcome Remco! I recently bought the very same stone and nagura set. They are fascinating, and they work well. Synthetics may be more consistent (for example the 5/8/12k set from SRD) but both approaches and both vendors are awesome.

If you get the Shuobudani and naguras, use the botan for the coarsest work, and mejiro or tomo nagura for finishing.

Thanks Atchbo.

The Tenjou Nagura is this Nagura in between Botan and Mejiro?

I am trying to make some sense out of it when to use what type of Nagura stone on the Shuobudani.

Greetz.

Remco

Yeah IIRC it goes Botan, Tenjyou, Mejiro, Koma. Then Tomo.

Sounds about right. I'm still learning how my naguras behave.

As for flattening, I think wet/dry sandpaper from about 320 up to 800 or even 2000 would do it. Rinse well at the end to ensure no grit is left. Or get a DMT plate to flatten.

I'm thinking about the 325/1200 duo-sharp, but people say the Atoma or DMT are better.

For flattening, sandpaper works fine. Start with something coarse, like 200 grit, draw some lines on the stone with a pencil or a key, but nothing with (liquid) ink. When all the lines are gone after lapping, draw new ones and lap the stone with some 1000 grit sandpaper until again all the lines from the pencil are erased, and your stone is ready. Make sure the surface the sandpaper is on is completely flat. Like a piece of glass marble, granite etc. And wash the stone you've just flattened thoroughly.
For the asano nagura stones now, I think their use is a bit of a hype. I like them, but, 4 out of 5 times I use mine is for removing the 'darkening from steel particles of the surface of stones' I can't remember how it's called. They are doing an awesome job at that, but for slurry making, they are doing pretty much the same thing with a tomonagura. Or a fine, used diamond plate.
So, if you are on limited budget, better spend another 50$ on a better Japanese "base" stone, than asano nagura stones.
You can't upgrade your stone as easily as buying a nagura stone at some point later.
Also, coticule stones are not hard to use, not harder than a Japanese natural at least.
And, if you don't have experience, it's better to go for man made stones. With 200€, you can get a pretty decent setup.

I only just started using Jnats but I have been using synthetic stones up to 5k then my JNat. I don't bother with the Nagura other than Tomo. And quite a lot of the time I just raise a slurry with a diamond plate, it seems to work just the same.

Just Tenjio or Mejiro and then Tomonagura is enough.

Thanks guys. I understand it a lot better now[emoji2]

If I would skip the sandpaper and wanted to buy a DMT or Atoma in what gritt should I buy it?