Thread: Nakayama on the way. How do I get the best from it?

What is it that you'd like to know? Telly should have given you some info about that hone. Fast, Slow, Etc....Nakayama'a are great hones, light water, use a spray bottle, spritz it and go....

Originally Posted by zib

What is it that you'd like to know? Telly should have given you some info about that hone. Fast, Slow, Etc....Nakayama'a are great hones, light water, use a spray bottle, spritz it and go....

The stone is a med-high on the hardness scale, and all other marks are at the top. To quote Telly: "The edge this stone will give cant be beat!" What else would I need to know?

More just looking for tips to get the best performance.

Originally Posted by JonnyO

The stone is a med-high on the hardness scale, and all other marks are at the top. To quote Telly: "The edge this stone will give cant be beat!" What else would I need to know?

More just looking for tips to get the best performance.

Just hone on it and you will figure it out, unless others can try it I don't see what tips other than a little water and make sure its lapped will you receive.
I feel like the situation is the same with synthetic stones, more advice than lap , water, some times slurry can't be given because that's all there is to it.
The exciting thing about stones that one gets to play with them to get best results.

Could you lap and use the bottom side, thus preserving the stamp?

Originally Posted by ndw76

Could you lap and use the bottom side, thus preserving the stamp?

In general, the only one side of a Japanese hone is finished. I'd assume there is a reason why and that they were intended to be used top down, but I'm still just learning about Japanese hones and I'm not sure of those details.

I think one should decide if the stone is a collectable or a usable.
If it is a user the stamp is irrelevant. As someone said take a photo.
However the orange skin on the bottom helps identify a Nakayama stone... as long as it wasn't painted on... so I would rather leave the bottom side as is.

Originally Posted by ndw76

Could you lap and use the bottom side, thus preserving the stamp?

I have done this with a couple of my Japanese water-stones. I can't read Japanese, but the writing is still there.

All I can say is careful you don't split any atoms with the edges you'll get

I just got one from this vendor also, same stamp except no number. the finish under a radio shack scope is pretty cool, hazy and speckled, none of the perpendicular scratch lines from previous stones.

Also got an aoto from him, need to try it out. reeeeeally soft stone.

The reason the other side is left unfinished is to show the "skin". This is the sign of a high quality stone.

I have 2 stones from 330mate and 1 from O_S. only 1 of the 3 have been lapped. I have had the writing fade on the other 2 I haven't lapped. So, if you feel it is needed, lap away.

For use, just spray a minimal amount of water on the surface. These get finer with use. I am trying to enhance that process on one of my stones by rubbing the surface just a little bit with a DMT plate and then taking an eBay junker and doing a lot of passes each session. I think I have noticed it becoming finer.

I think I read somewhere that the surface of these is somewhat porous and that the slurry accumulates in the pores rising out when water is used to help with the polishing process. It's the slurry particles that get smaller with use.

Of course I could be remembering wrong. I am sure they get finer with use.

I did have a crack in one of them that seems to have filled in somewhat and I no longer feel it when the edge passes over.