Thread: advice please: next jnat

I am loving my JNat experience so far - and I want to go further. Currently, I have a 60's barber's hone - Honyama Asagi Tomae (Lvl. 5) -that I use with asano and tomo nagura. Before that I use my Chosera 1k to set a bevel and mix up stages of my JNat with my Shapton Pros (5, 8, 12k)...which are likely on their way to BST (well the 8 and 12K most likely). Happy to continue with the Chosera to set the bevel but looking to introduce a pre-finisher Jnat before I move to my current Awesedo.

I have a great source of tested stones and have narrowed my search down to:
a) Tsushima Black (full-size), or
b) Yellow Suita (king-size).

Price is not a concern - as they're equivalent.

I'm already leaning a particular way but be keen to hear fresh opinions.

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by stillshunter

I am loving my JNat experience so far - and I want to go further. Currently, I have a 60's barber's hone - Honyama Asagi Tomae (Lvl. 5) -that I use with asano and tomo nagura. Before that I use my Chosera 1k to set a bevel and mix up stages of my JNat with my Shapton Pros (5, 8, 12k)...which are likely on their way to BST (well the 8 and 12K most likely). Happy to continue with the Chosera to set the bevel but looking to introduce a pre-finisher Jnat before I move to my current Awesedo.

I have a great source of tested stones and have narrowed my search down to:
a) Tsushima Black (full-size), or
b) Yellow Suita (king-size).

Price is not a concern - as they're equivalent.

I'm already leaning a particular way but be keen to hear fresh opinions.

Thanks in advance.

I use a tempur-pedic (Queen- Size)

With all due respect: If you plan on honing, not sleeping on it:
Pics can help- but Japanese Whetstones are not Mattresses or candy bars, so it's a little weird to hear those instead of actual measurements or size type when you want a comparison. If you know the actual size- Tsushima will most certainly be a better prefinisher than whatever the suita is.
as truly high quality - razor quality pre finisher suita is not cheap or common and should never be the same price as Tsushima from the same seller- especially when it's of a larger size. This makes absolutely no sense, I say this for your sake. Either the Tsushima isn't what it is or the suita or both. Or the tsushima is way overpriced. If the suita is just overly hard/slow and fine and just short of finisher- it wont be as fast or have the range that tsushima does- overcooked suita is a dead fish. If they were actually comparable in range and the suita razor quality clean- then the prices should not be the same. If they're not: then what's to compare?

All in all, tsushima like mikawa is pretty good at being consistent- therefore if it were to be tsushima- you're going to get a much better stone than a cheap 'razor quality suita' first priority should always be purity and ability of the stone. Names, size and everything else comes after that. Purity, quality and range abilities are king. I would look around for razor suita and tsushima hones before I took the plunge if I were you. I lack trust for someone selling razor quality stones that would put a suita with the capabilities of tsushima- but razor quality clean, and the suita larger 'king sized' at the same price. It's sort of like selling a 28 grams of silver and a troy ounce of gold at the same price. I'd be concerned the silver is over priced or the gold fake.

Glad to hear you are enjoying honing jnats, they are a treat, and glad to hear your asking around for second opinions before taking the plunge.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

Appreciate the honest reply. The prices are good because they are mate's rates - a friend helping a friend. But hoping some photos will be a little more indicative.

Tsushima Black





Suita Yellow

Black

*obligatory post length*

Originally Posted by jnats

Black

Thanks.

Why?

Does the black look good or the yellow look bad or something in-between?

Black looks pure. Suita does not. This is why clean razor suita is so much more- clean tsushima is fairly common amongst tsushima stock, suita exact opposite it has to do with how these stones were formed.
The suita will likely need engraving in its use, the black on the other hand looks very consistent. Consistent grain and composition and particle quality is more important than anything else in Japanese Whetstones I see none of the numerous red flags seen in the suita within the black stone. It's a bonus that the other stone is lacquered on the sides and bottom. Tsushima was and somewhat is very common prefinisher by barbers in japan without the nicest kiita. Suita much less so, and when so is most always engraved to be suitable. That is a very nice size for Tsushima.