Thread: Asano Nagura set

I'm thinking of buying a set of Asano Naguras, the three pack without the Koma.
What I want to know is would I use them all on my Nakayama finishing stone.
I have a Shobudani which is in the area of 16k and the Nakayama is finer.
Would I go from the Chosera 1k bevel setting onto the Asanos skipping my Shapton 4/8K.
Thanks for the help

My progression is to start with my Chosera stones (1k/5k/10k) before moving to my Oozuku where I do a full nagura progression finishing with water only on the Oozuku. I have gone straight from bevel set on the 1k to either my Nakayama or my Oozuku, but I like to polish the edge on the 5k and 10k. When I use the JNATs after the higher grit stones, I do not spend a lot of time on the 5k and 10k. I tend to do about 10 circles and 10-20 x-strokes on each of those higher grit stones before moving on.

Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

My progression is to start with my Chosera stones (1k/5k/10k) before moving to my Oozuku where I do a full nagura progression finishing with water only on the Oozuku. I have gone straight from bevel set on the 1k to either my Nakayama or my Oozuku, but I like to polish the edge on the 5k and 10k. When I use the JNATs after the higher grit stones, I do not spend a lot of time on the 5k and 10k. I tend to do about 10 circles and 10-20 x-strokes on each of those higher grit stones before moving on.

I see. So I would go 1k/4k/8k/ Nakayama with the three Asano then the tomo.
At the moment I go 1/4/8k then Shobu with a Nakayama Nagura then onto the Nakayama with a tomo nagura.
As with most things I think evolution and progression is where its at.

What you will find is that every natural stone has its own character. I encourage you to experiment. Pick a blade with an edge you put on using your current technique. Once you get the nagura set, take it from bevel set up through a progression and see what you think. Then go back to the beginning and change it up. Think of all the permutations you can. This will help you decide which method works for you and your particular stone set...

Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

What you will find is that every natural stone has its own character. I encourage you to experiment. Pick a blade with an edge you put on using your current technique. Once you get the nagura set, take it from bevel set up through a progression and see what you think. Then go back to the beginning and change it up. Think of all the permutations you can. This will help you decide which method works for you and your particular stone set...

I will do that.. This honing business really is a rabbit hole and I think I took the blue pill and the red one

[QUOTE=JOB15;1482588]I see. So I would go 1k/4k/8k/ Nakayama with the three Asano then the tomo.
At the moment I go 1/4/8k then Shobu with a Nakayama Nagura then onto the Nakayama with a tomo nagura.
As with most things I think evolution and progression is where its at.[/QUOTE

I think you may find that if you max out your 8K synthetic edge and then go to a Botan slurry on your base stone it may take the edge backwards, this is where experimentation will help you.

I suggest that you hone a razor on your synthetic progression and shave off of your best 8K edge, then take that same edge and hone on a Botan slurry on your J-Nat till all the 8K scratches disappear and you have worked the slurry till it has broken down, strop and shave. This will tell you if you have made a refinement or gone backwards. Shave off of each slurry in your nagura progression as you refine the edge, this will help you to understand what each slurry adds in the edge refinement.

I typically set the bevel and advance through 3K on my Nani Pros, then switch over to the J-Nat progression. I use Botan, Tenjou, Mejero and Komo naguras, then finish with a Tomo slurry. I usually finish on light to medium slurry, sometimes plain water depending on the base stone and razor that I'm finishing with.

I don't think you will have any problem not having a Komo, you just need to hone on these slurries until they break down a good long ways, don't rush them. This is where shaving after each completed nagura slurry will help you get the idea where each slurry will take the edge.

If you chose to do this a time or two you may learn just what the combination of your base stone and the nagura or Tomo nagura is accomplishing in each step of your process.

Remember these are natural stones and are not alike, many differences, and this is where we have to learn our stones. My stones won't be the same as yours, this is true for nagura and Tomo also.

This is why we must test allot, to learn how to use what we have.

I hope this helps.

Frank

[QUOTE=FranfC;1482620]

Originally Posted by JOB15

I see. So I would go 1k/4k/8k/ Nakayama with the three Asano then the tomo.
At the moment I go 1/4/8k then Shobu with a Nakayama Nagura then onto the Nakayama with a tomo nagura.
As with most things I think evolution and progression is where its at.[/QUOTE

I think you may find that if you max out your 8K synthetic edge and then go to a Botan slurry on your base stone it may take the edge backwards, this is where experimentation will help you.

I suggest that you hone a razor on your synthetic progression and shave off of your best 8K edge, then take that same edge and hone on a Botan slurry on your J-Nat till all the 8K scratches disappear and you have worked the slurry till it has broken down, strop and shave. This will tell you if you have made a refinement or gone backwards. Shave off of each slurry in your nagura progression as you refine the edge, this will help you to understand what each slurry adds in the edge refinement.

I typically set the bevel and advance through 3K on my Nani Pros, then switch over to the J-Nat progression. I use Botan, Tenjou, Mejero and Komo naguras, then finish with a Tomo slurry. I usually finish on light to medium slurry, sometimes plain water depending on the base stone and razor that I'm finishing with.

I don't think you will have any problem not having a Komo, you just need to hone on these slurries until they break down a good long ways, don't rush them. This is where shaving after each completed nagura slurry will help you get the idea where each slurry will take the edge.

If you chose to do this a time or two you may learn just what the combination of your base stone and the nagura or Tomo nagura is accomplishing in each step of your process.

Remember these are natural stones and are not alike, many differences, and this is where we have to learn our stones. My stones won't be the same as yours, this is true for nagura and Tomo also.

This is why we must test allot, to learn how to use what we have.

I hope this helps.

Frank

Many thanks, I will try shaving off each progression.

Just get a nice Mejiro and a good tomonagura (if you do not have one already) and you are set. After your 8k do 2-3 dilutions with Mejiro, then 2-3 dilutions with the tomonagura, that should give you a nice edge.

Maybe someone said this straight up already, I'd use them on the hardest finest stone you have. I agree with Stefan, too, the full progression has more in it than you need (more steps).

Thanks, I will have a go with all the steps and try just the Mejiro/Tomo.
This is all good info.
I watched a JNS video and he mainly used circles with only a few x-strokes.
Do you guys use so many circles?
My personal preference on my Jnats is to just go up and down, no X's no circles (ok a few circles) and no pigtails..
All synthetics I do X strokes & Circles.