Just picked up this new Nakayama Maruichi Asagi Kan. There is kawa on the back and most of the sides. Do I still need to seal it with the kawa covering most of the non-working surfaces?
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Just picked up this new Nakayama Maruichi Asagi Kan. There is kawa on the back and most of the sides. Do I still need to seal it with the kawa covering most of the non-working surfaces?
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Very nice stone.....
If it were mine, I would seal the sides and bottom with several thin coats of cashew urushi. I generally use 3 or 4 coats.
Ok. Should I go right over the kawa or lap it off first? This is the first JNat I've gotten without the sides sealed. Also, I need to find a Tomo for it. Any ideas on what to look for when matching a Tomo to a stone?Quote:
Originally Posted by sqzbxr
Thanks! I'm excited to get honing with it. Need to find a Tomo for it first thoughQuote:
Originally Posted by Jnatcat
I always leave the kawa intact and lacquer directly over it. If you thin your first coat sufficiently, you'll have no problems at all. I prefer a tomo of similar hardness to the honzan. If they are both fairly hard and difficult to slurry, roughing the bottom of the tomo on a diamond plate will solve that. I generally seal my nagura as well, leaving just a working face exposed.
I would make certain the stone was very clean and dry, then take a series of pic's for my files. I always include at least one series of pic's of the stone wet usually done while cleaning in preparation for sealing.
When completely dry seal right over the skin bottom and sides. I find a few light coats are superior to one heavy coat, once dry lap flat and hone on it.
I think most of the usual stone sellers have a few tomo for sale, ping them and ask.
If your stone is soft then tell them you want a fine soft tomo if you have a hard stone then you could use either, describe the stone to the seller and see what they have. Experimentation is good!
You could also test the stone using a well worn diamond plate to raise a slurry and see what the base stone has for abrasiveness and speed, I test most all of my stones this way even though I usually hone on nagura slurry of some sort.
That should be a hard 5+ stone. That seller has sold me a few very nice stones. If there are no cracks or crevices for water to get into you don't have to seal it, but I usually do. You just don't want water getting into cracks and causing them to grow over time. You can check with Alex at the Japan stone he sells tomo by the gram and takes returns if you find it no good.
Very nice stone I thought about that one. I ended up buying a nice suita karasu renge that should show up next week. I found his hardness rating to be pretty close if not more on the conservative side so I feel my stones may be actually a bit harder than he rated them, but each person has their own idea of what hard is.
Is Urushi the same as cashew lacquer? If not, are there significant differences. It seems easier for me to find lacquer.Quote:
Originally Posted by sqzbxr
I've been in touch with Alex regarding the Tomo. He is doing a bit of experimentation with a similar stone of his and going to find a good match for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by rideon66
This is my first stone from the seller I got it from. It would be awesome if he underestimated the hardness as most tend to over estimate it. Also the shipping was fast considering it was from Russia to the US. Got it in about a week. If it turns out to be a good one I have some others I am eyeing on their site. I was also thinking about getting another Nagura set so I have some mix and match options. That's one of my favorite parts about JNat honing.
Nice stone! Cashew or urushi is more durable and much more trouble to use. Urushi is basically poison ivy sap so wear gloves, use it outside - and it takes a warm humid environment to cure.
I just use regular brushing lacquer. It holds up well enough and can be removed in an overnight soak in alcohol if you wish.
Cheers, Steve
No, cashew urushi is also known as cashew lacquer and is relatively safe and simple to handle; hon urushi is the traditional lacquer that is toxic and requires special handling and a controlled curing environment. This is the source I use: HyperCafe Japanese Sword ShopQuote:
Originally Posted by Matt1222
I use cashew form the above store. Dilute it with distilled turpentine. I don't use gloves. If I get some on my fingers I use the turpentine to clean them:) Transfer some to a lidded glass jar, I use a plastic spoon since it's a mess trying to pour it. Then dilute and apply. In warm weather it dries fairly quickly. Few layers and you are done.
Just an anecdote. I was lapping a tomo, triangular shape, on an Atoma, no crazy pressure or anything and that thing just split in half. Despite that stone having
very thin layer of kawa on one side and no obvious fissures. Well now I have 2 tomos but it just showed my why it's important to seal.
In the future if you do buy from him again ask if he has a matching tomo if he has one he will usually throw it in for free especially for a repeat buyer. Problem is he is a rock dealer once he gets you hooked he offers you a code for a discount on next purchase for a short time and it gets better with each purchase.Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt1222
So you were definitely right about the hardness rating and the coupon codes being addictive. I just ordered a Kiita Karasu that I probably wouldn't have gotten without the code the seller had offered. He also is including a tomo for free, which is always appreciated. This will be my first Kiita stone so I'm interested to see the difference between Kiita and Asagi.Quote:
Originally Posted by rideon66
Yeah one should arrive here tomorrow or Monday with a matching tomo. ;)
Glad he underestimates hardness too.
Hope you enjoy those stones they look nice.
Where did you get the stone from ?
Way late on this one - but I'd seal nice stones, anyway. Years ago, I got an Ohira Tomae stone, used it for a while and then sold it to someone at a great loss. Those stones are plentiful with and without cracks. Mine had none in it, and I paid dearly for it as mediocre as it was. It cracked and delaminated about a year later for the next guy, and he glued it together and sealed it. My shop is freeze-free, and the guy I sold it to lives in Southern California (no freeze) and was an experienced japanese tool user. I'm not sure what caused it to delaminate.Quote:
Originally Posted by rideon66
