Thread: Jnat second choice

I purchase a Shobudani Karasu marked 5 in hardness and cutting. It produces a slurry quickly using a Nagura that came with the Shobudani, but I wasn't able to get a good edge. I put it up for sale and couldn't sell it. I decided to experiment and by making a very heavy slurry on the first laps using circular motions then x laps. Then dilute it to medium slurry using circular and x laps then lapping using x strokes under running water the edge wasn't as sticky as with my Naniwa stones. I then did 10 laps on my Mastro Livi chromium oxide then 30 laps on the skin and the edge was really sharp and the shave the smoothest I've had. I've been using the same lapping technique Mastro Livi does and it really seems to work. Trial and error and not giving up. What a great hobby.

What are you making the slurry with? A great tomonagura is just as important as the base stone being top notch. Lots of folks also make the big mistake of using too much pressure with J-nats and the edges do not come out great at all. The finishing strokes should be extremely light.

If you need to use pastes after a jnat, it defeats the purpose of the jnat. At least that's how I look at it. Congrats on getting a good edge.

Originally Posted by jkatzman

I purchase a Shobudani Karasu marked 5 in hardness and cutting. It produces a slurry quickly using a Nagura that came with the Shobudani, but I wasn't able to get a good edge. I put it up for sale and couldn't sell it. I decided to experiment and by making a very heavy slurry on the first laps using circular motions then x laps. Then dilute it to medium slurry using circular and x laps then lapping using x strokes under running water the edge wasn't as sticky as with my Naniwa stones. I then did 10 laps on my Mastro Livi chromium oxide then 30 laps on the skin and the edge was really sharp and the shave the smoothest I've had. I've been using the same lapping technique Mastro Livi does and it really seems to work. Trial and error and not giving up. What a great hobby.

This post sounds like you are sharing your success and not asking for help no? If I am correct in assuming this then a big congrats to you for not giving up. Practice practice practice. Thank you for sharing your success. If that wasn't the point of your post, then I misread it and apologize.

Just sharing the journey to the perfect shave. If at first you don't succeed, ask for help and watch more videos. I mean try, try again.