Thread: Help with Ozuku's inclusions (with micrographs)

Hi to all SRP's fellows.

I'm testing (and eventually buy) this Ozuku.

Took some photos with my (cheap) Usb Microscope of some inclusions of the stone. Anyone can say if they are dangerous?

To the touch they do not feel and ... apparently, they don't seem to affect the passage of the blade, but I would like to be sure that cannot do any damage.

Thanks!





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There is another similar thread to this one about "picking" the Inclusions out of a Japanese Natural...


This is one but not the one I was thinking of, maybe somebody else remembers it

https://sharprazorpalace.com/hones/6...inclusion.html

Ooops... sorry! Can you move this post there if it's redundant?

First, do you hear anything when you go over those areas. If you hear nothing then my next step is looking at the bevel of the razor with the microscope to see if the inclusions affect it or not. I use a test razor for that just in case. If you see scratches on the bevel after going over the inclusions then that's not good.

Of course you could try to lap them out but unfortunately a lot of times you get rid of them and new ones show up. Like Glen said you could pick them out. I remember Steve56 wrote about it in the past.

Another thing to consider is that areas that can be scratchy with water only might not scratch if you are on slurry.

Thanks!

I've already tested a razor (water only & with slurry) and after water I saw 2 chips on the edge... but I didn't checked well before starting and that razor had already some chips in the past. Don't rememer if I eliminated all before. So... I'll test it again this evening and check it better...

Those types of inclusions can be a problem but not all of them are all of the time. They can release grit from inside the ‘hole’ which can be cleaned out with a pick, but the brown areas can also be harder than the rest of the stone. In the end, you just have to try it and see, but I’d pass on a stone with inclusions that are that prominent unless the price was really low, like tomo nagura low. Hard barber size Ozuku are cheap anyway.

Maybe this is the thread Glen’s thinking of?

https://sharprazorpalace.com/hones/1...nat-lines.html

If it is a problem that will chip an edge, you will feel it honing on a thin slurry.

If you do not feel it, it is not a problem. It is part of buying stones cheap on eBay, and the fun. Sometimes you find gold. But as said usually you are not paying a lot for these stones. If they are not razor quality, they make good knife or tool stones.

If you do have to pick one out, I use a carbide scribe. General makes an inexpensive one available at Lowes or Home Depot. I fill with CA and let dry hard a day or two then lap flat. CA kicker hardened is not as hard as air dried CA.

Usually if you are going to have a problem it is the white inclusions, quartz that is harder than the stone.

Originally Posted by Steve56

Maybe this is the thread Glen’s thinking of?

https://sharprazorpalace.com/hones/1...nat-lines.html

Yeppers that is the one it had great ideas from you and others, and pics to boot

Thanks all for your reply.

First of all I would like to point out that this Ozuku is not mine, but I'm testing it (and eventually buy).

Yesterday made a couple of (more) in-depth tests with 2 razors. A Gold Dollar & a (just @ home) unknown Swedish razor.

Tested the Gold Dollar first water only and then with a light Sho-Honyama slurry. The chip on the edge was already there before the test.

As it seemed good enough... (Isn't it?) I ventured to work on the stone with the Swedish razor.

After bevel setting with a King 1K I went on the Ozuku with a diamond slurry used in progressive diluition, followed by 30 laps of stropping on leather.

Today it delivered a very confortable shave. Next time I'll shave with the Gold Dollar.

Maybe I'll make an offer (50/60€) to the owner and see if he agree... Am I wrong?

Gold Dollar

Swedish Razor