Thread: Please educate me on Japanese finishing hones.

I have decided (for now) that a natural Japanese hone is what I'd like for touch-up work.

But I am so confused by all the different names! Some are for swords, others for polishing swords, still others where the blade-type isn't even mentioned.

What stone types are appropriate for finishing razors?

evidently, no one knows anything about these hones?

what is the difference, in terms of performance, between a $300 nakayama and a $2000 nakayama to justify the price?

Old_school knows and will help you out be patient.

I'm sure a few of us use different stones for finishing & I won't try to answer any technical aspects as I'm new to J-nats for razors but I can tell you my Nakayama Asagi is a great finisher & cost me well under $300.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I'm sure a few of us use different stones for finishing & I won't try to answer any technical aspects as I'm new to J-nats for razors but I can tell you my Nakayama Asagi is a great finisher & cost me well under $300.

its a finisher or do you mean you use it for touch-up work?

Originally Posted by Ichinichi

its a finisher or do you mean you use it for touch-up work?

Well any stone that works as a finisher can work as a touch-up stone IMO. Depending on the speed of the finisher it can be more or less effective to do touch-ups. But even a slow finisher can be used just fine for touch-ups if you're willing to put in the time. i.e. a barber hone only needs a few laps, maybe 3-5, for a touch-up but something like my Nakayama, mine's a slow one, might take 30-50. I just used those numbers as an example, it depends on the amount of touching-up needed and the hone used, but hopefully you see my point.

But if you have your heart set on a Japanese natural, then that will work just fine for touch-ups.

P.S. Definitely contact OLD_SCHOOL, that's where I got my Nakayama Maruichi from. Check out his site too for some pretty Nakayamas: Japanese whetstones.

Originally Posted by Ichinichi

its a finisher or do you mean you use it for touch-up work?

Could be used for either I guess but to be honest I don't 'touch up' my razors.