Thread: Next stone sugestion(s)?

So, I have a Norton 4k/8k and a small Belgium Coti (2 1/2" x 6"). Two questions:

1. I am open to any suggestion(s) for another stone(s) to enhance my honing results.

2. I am intrigued by the Japanese naturals and have read the post on the subject in the Library several times. How do I get started? Is a Naniwa a base stone for the slurry stones?

Thanks,

Alpsman

J-Nats can get real pricey. A sure bet, and performer is the 12k Naniwa. No need for slurry. If ya want slurry, you can use a worn DMT for that.

Someone who knows Jnats better than I will be along. But when you mention Naniwa and Jnat... Those are two different animals. A Slurry stone that is used with a Jnat can be Nagura stones. 2 to 4 different girts of stones that are used to progress the edge to a finish level. A Tomo is a slurry stone you normally get with your Jnat that is a cut-off of the same stone. Another way to make Slurry is to use a Diamond plate on your Jnat so that the Slurry is from your base stone. The base stone is the Jnat.

Some folks, when mentioning Naniwas with Jnats are talking about working up the grits with Naniwas stones up to 8k or 12k. Then jumping to a Jnat using a Tomo or Diamond plate to produce a slurry on the Jnat to get a fine finish on your razor's edge. This is how I use a Jnat when I do use one. But I use many different finishing stones. Depending on what I feel like.

If your finishing with a Coticule then about any finisher stone is going to give you a keenner edge than a Coticule. JMO. Even a 10k Naniwa. But I'd reach for more than 10k. Maybe pic up an hard Black Arkie and finish that coticule edge to a real shaving edge with 200 or 300 laps. LOL.

Hi Alpsman,

To enhance your hone line up a Naniwa 12k would be hard to beat and would slot nicely after your Norton 8k. A Gokumyo 20k is also a fantastic finisher but is pretty expensive. Both hones will leave a much keener edge that your coti.
JNats are great naturals but aren’t always finishers, they can be a bit of a rabbit hole in the quest to find a keen and smooth one. TomoNagura at Etsy would be able to sort you out a jnat

Bit of a rabbit hole. That's putting it lightly. LOL. More like a hole made to build a new house.

I think Gasman gave some pretty sound advice and clarification and I would echo him on the hard Arkansas; either a black or translucent...or both. ...(enabler man strikes again!!!)

Of course I'm highly biased toward Arks so take that as advisement.

Get your pocket book ready though for most any natural. Although they are not as high as jnats can be Arks tend to be a little pricey for good ones of any size. I would also recommend getting an older one, meaning one mined and marketed a few decades ago since all the stones are "old" in terms of formation. The ones sold up to the 70s, maybe early 80s seem to generally be of better quality on the whole. Another stone I have been happy with is the Rosetta Matrix (non-Akansas novaculite) from Red Deer Alberta sold by Royal Flint Abrasives.



Here's a link to their ebay store.

https://www.ebay.com/str/royalflinta...mis&media=COPY

It is considered a burnishing stone and I wouldn't recommend going from 8k to it but it will dramatically increase the keenness of a coti edge. Be aware though, as Gasman already stated you are going to do quite a few laps with any Ark/novaculite and you are not going to slurry that rock. You can ruin a diamond plate.with them. They leave a fabulous edge though if you are patient. I posted a method I use somewhere that makes that several hundred to a thousand strokes go by fairly quickly.

Awesome,
Thanks!

Originally Posted by outback

J-Nats can get real pricey. A sure bet, and performer is the 12k Naniwa. No need for slurry. If ya want slurry, you can use a worn DMT for that.

Originally Posted by Alpsman

So, I have a Norton 4k/8k and a small Belgium Coti (2 1/2" x 6"). Two questions:

1. I am open to any suggestion(s) for another stone(s) to enhance my honing results.

2. I am intrigued by the Japanese naturals and have read the post on the subject in the Library several times. How do I get started? Is a Naniwa a base stone for the slurry stones?

Thanks,

Alpsman

Hi,

the Welsh Tri-hones are an affordable solution for an extremely correct result.

There are 3 stones that theoretically cover 8k to 15K.

Best regards

On of the really cool attributes of the Naniwa SS 12k is that it is actually designed to act much like a Japanese Natural

You can use it with a light slurry much like a J-Nat
The feel is softer and more like a J-Nat

You will be hard pressed to beat that edge coming from it at any price, you can but it won't be easy or cheap

Originally Posted by gssixgun

On of the really cool attributes of the Naniwa SS 12k is that it is actually designed to act much like a Japanese Natural

You can use it with a light slurry much like a J-Nat
The feel is softer and more like a J-Nat

You will be hard pressed to beat that edge coming from it at any price, you can but it won't be easy or cheap

I'll second that--------------