Thread: Naniwa cracking

Wow...I've read about the cracking issue, but you haven't even had these a week right?

Can you feel it when you brush your finger pad across the stone? Have you tried running a sharpened toothpick across them to see if it catches? I'd say if you can't feel it, and the toothpick doesn't catch, then it's just a visual defect and not worth fussing over. If it can be felt or it catches then as new as they are I'd be looking to return them.

Originally Posted by Marshal

Wow...I've read about the cracking issue, but you haven't even had these a week right?

Can you feel it when you brush your finger pad across the stone? Have you tried running a sharpened toothpick across them to see if it catches? I'd say if you can't feel it, and the toothpick doesn't catch, then it's just a visual defect and not worth fussing over. If it can be felt or it catches then as new as they are I'd be looking to return them.

I just took an early 1900s Gillette DE blade and ran it across my 5, and my 10k and didn't feel anything from the crazing. OTOH, if I had it to do over I'd take the superstones over the choseras just because of this issue. So if it was me I'd swap those out that you can.

There is another thread about the Shapton pros being made for USA humidity conditions, and another like of Shaptons that are basically the same but with a different binder being made for Japan. I do have a friend who had a 12k (the Japanese counterpart to the USA 15k) and it crazed. So you pays your money and you takes your chances.

My 1k started getting spiderweb cracks in it years ago. It doesn't see as much use as it used to, but the hone is still just fine every time I pull it out for use. I can't feel it when honing, and I've seen no ill effects on my bevels.

Originally Posted by Marshal

Wow...I've read about the cracking issue, but you haven't even had these a week right?

Can you feel it when you brush your finger pad across the stone? Have you tried running a sharpened toothpick across them to see if it catches? I'd say if you can't feel it, and the toothpick doesn't catch, then it's just a visual defect and not worth fussing over. If it can be felt or it catches then as new as they are I'd be looking to return them.

No I can't feel them I am just freaking out. Paranoid now. That's a big sum of money I spent on this new naniwa set. I just don't want the crazing to turn into cracking to turn into a giant waste of money.

My new Chosera 1k shows some crazing after drying, but then I wet it again for a honing session and it is glass smooth, so I'm not worried about it for now.