Thread: Naniwa cracking

Bought the naniwa pro set and I see my 3k starting to craze..... should I return my 5 and 10k? I would hate to see them crack and become useless...

Thoughts, opinions, remidies?

Numerous threads on this. I have 1k 3k and 5k Choseras. I make a point of not soaking and drying them slowly. The 5k, which is notorious for checking, is doing fine with this slow drying so far.

My 5 and 10k choseras are crazed. So far they work fine. IIRC holli4pirating had his 1k chosera crack/craze must be 5 years ago. AFAIK it is still fine for honing razors.

So I shouldn't be worried about this?

I have contacted the vendor and I can return the 3,5 and 10k.


If the cracking is not detrimental I will keep the new pro stones but if it willing be in the future. I will return and pick up the new super stones.

i had two naniwa pro 5k (from different vendors) and both cracked after a just a few months. i knew they are prone to cracking and therefore used them carefully. but still...

as a replacement, i bought a naniwa super stone 5k. it behaves as it should. i have never had any problems with my naniwa pro 400 and 1k.

regards,
hans

Has anyone seen crazing transition to actual 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.