Thread: Stop what you are doing and go buy Naniwas

Naniwas are so easy, it's like cheating off Einstein... if Einstein had large, perfect handwriting and you're taking a physics test (where spelling doesn't count).

I just used my Naniwa 5 and 8k for the first time today. Pretty shocking since I've had them since... Saturday. Meh, other stuff going on. Anyway, I've used them before with Lynn, but mostly only on new Dovo's, which don't take too much work and come with flat edges. What would vintage razors be like? What would it be like when they're not Lynn's Nani's and I'm not at Lynn's house using Lynn's famous tap water on the very table where Lynn hones? What about on... gulp... a smiling, Sheffield Frameback that claims to be Doubly Carbonized... whatever that means. Yes, Mr. JMS - I finally honed your razor.

I set the bevels on a pair of blades on my trusty Norton 1k which has not been it's normal whiteish color since the day I bought it. To make things difficult on myself, and because I'm extremely lazy, I let water soak in through the top with the aid of a spray bottle and the SRP chat rather than actually submurging it in water. That's right, I hone on a cookie tray with paper towels while I sit on my bed in front of my laptop. Any way, I set the bevels on the Norton 1k, and then hit the Naniwa 5k, the Naniwa 8k, then I checked the edges, then I finished them on my Asagi.

I feel obligated to try to include some useful information, in this thread, so here it is. Off my Norton 1k, I made sure the razors would shave arm hair. This is my standard procedure. I then went to the Nani 5 and did Lynn's normal method - 40 firm circles on each side, 40 light circles on each side, 10 light X strokes. I then went to the Nani 8 and did 10 light X strokes. After the N8, I checked the edge by shaving arm hairs again. They were jumping. I did 15 Xs on my Asagi (it's kinda narrow), and then the razor was cutting arm hairs with both the edge and the spine off my arm. This was before I stropped the razors. "Holy kaka!"

Oh, did I mention I didn't bother to lap the Naniwas? This was straight out of the box. Yes, I did take the stickers off first. I don't care what anyone says, getting the stickers off is extremely easy. Take any razor that you've not yet set the bevel on but that won't need too much work. Put the razor on the hone like you're hoing to hone it normally, and give it a few short strokes at the corner of the sticker. Roll the razor towards the spine to lift the corner of the sticker, grab the corner of the sticker with your fingers (or teeth... whatever works), and peel the sticker off. Done.

Also of interest, the jump from a Norton 1k to the Naniwa 5k was no problem at all. I thought it might be, (in Jeremy Clarkson's Ferrari Club member voice) since the Naniwa's are on a different grit system than the Nortons and one must do a conversion and that's all veeeery interesting, (back to my normal voice) but it took no extra work at all.

Up till now, the only synthetics I've ever owned have been a King 1k and a Norton 1k. After that, it was always naturals for me. I seriously have to say, Naniwa's are so easy, it's like you're cheating. Drop what you are doing, and go order some. 1k, 5k, 8k, 12k (or just fill in your gaps).

Ready? 3.... 2..... 1............. GO! GO! GO!