Nagura stones

I read an article on the Eastern Smooth web site that I understood to say that the author used a single finishing/polishing stone and different Nagura stones in the finishing process. For those of you who may have read the same article, did I understand it correctly? Have any of you used that technique? As for example using a 12000 grit Chinese stone with progressively finer Nagura stones? If you have, what's the verdict? Also, the article refers to a barbering manual of 1964 by Kousuke Iwasaki. I've looked on the Internet but I can't find it. Any of you know if it is available in English?

When you take a single stone and then use different slurry stones you're adding more variables to the mix. There's the grit of the stone and the grit of the slurry stones and the amount of slurry you use which factors in. Personally I'd rather keep it simple and use individual stones.

I very much doubt the shaving manual is in english.

The Tormek grinding machine uses a waterstone wheel and different grit "grading" stones to dress (lap) the wheel. The company says using the coarse grading stone will roughen the surface of the main waterstone and make it perform like a medium git waterstone, whereas using the fine grit grading stone will "sand down" the surface of the waterstone wheel so it works like a fine grit surface.

I've tried it. It does have some effect - but very little. Maybe the difference between an 6000 and 8000 grit stone (maximum). And the coarse "grading stone" is truly coarse. The grit tips project about 1/16" above the valleys are and space about 3/32 apart.

I can't imagine different slurry stones making much difference. All the one's I've seem have been in the same general range on the grit scale.

ps: I tried it on plane blades, not razors though.

it is depends on what are you trying to test it.

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Originally Posted by JohnG10

The Tormek grinding machine uses a waterstone wheel and different grit "grading" stones to dress (lap) the wheel. The company says using the coarse grading stone will roughen the surface of the main waterstone and make it perform like a medium git waterstone, whereas using the fine grit grading stone will "sand down" the surface of the waterstone wheel so it works like a fine grit surface.

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agree 100%

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I've tried it. It does have some effect - but very little. Maybe the difference between an 6000 and 8000 grit stone (maximum). And the coarse "grading stone" is truly coarse. The grit tips project about 1/16" above the valleys are and space about 3/32 apart.

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Sorry i have a little disagreement in here. Slurry will change a lot . i have tried on razor's only

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I can't imagine different slurry stones making much difference. All the one's I've seem have been in the same general range on the grit scale.

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it does make. you can set bevel with course slurry.takes time but you can do whole honing process by changing slurry stones.

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ps: I tried it on plane blades, not razors though.

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Originally Posted by fdennis

I read an article on the Eastern Smooth web site that I understood to say that the author used a single finishing/polishing stone and different Nagura stones in the finishing process. For those of you who may have read the same article, did I understand it correctly? Have any of you used that technique? As for example using a 12000 grit Chinese stone with progressively finer Nagura stones? If you have, what's the verdict? Also, the article refers to a barbering manual of 1964 by Kousuke Iwasaki. I've looked on the Internet but I can't find it. Any of you know if it is available in English?

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yes i have tried and i do have vidoe of whole process on youtube.
YouTube - ONE stone sharpening1

second part
YouTube - one stone sharpening 2

didn't have voice recorded.

That mysterious man...he's all full of crazy stuff!

No the barber manual isn't available in English, but I'm working on it.

John, you're thinking in differnt terms. When honing with slurry, the slurry itself is doing the honing, you aren't changing the actual stone's properties (not much, anyway).

I have been experimenting with a few Japanese Nagura (ala Jim's post ion his blog) and so far have honed 5 razors with four sucesses on the first try. The last one was not a sucess and the edge was left scratchy, BUT I think it was because I tried another slurry after the Koma and before the final. It didn't meld with the system. So I will attempt to fix it by going back to the Botan stage and hopfully get it there tonight.

It is a longer process than different grit stones but so far the edges have all be as good as they get in my opinion. And if your razor is a very hard steel (i.e. RC 60 or above) then the edge lasts and lasts and lasts.

Interesting topic! Thanks for raising it!

I have a question about the final steps. Using the slurry from the finishing stone itself, called the honzan slurry if I am correct, as you hone it breaks down till it is smoother than the finishing stone itself.

I have a couple of questions. Firstly, when the slurry starts breaking down doesn't the finishing stone, which is now more coarse, make it impossible to polish past the where the finishing stone would end up anyway? I don't understand why not. Secondly, when I read about the process some are saying that you can use water then finally the dry stone to polish beyond the slurry....I am confused.

Thanks in advanced,
Richard

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Originally Posted by riooso

I have a question about the final steps. Using the slurry from the finishing stone itself, called the honzan slurry if I am correct, as you hone it breaks down till it is smoother than the finishing stone itself.

I have a couple of questions. Firstly, when the slurry starts breaking down doesn't the finishing stone, which is now more coarse, make it impossible to polish past the where the finishing stone would end up anyway? I don't understand why not. Secondly, when I read about the process some are saying that you can use water then finally the dry stone to polish beyond the slurry....I am confused.

Thanks in advanced,
Richard

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You need to find out how your stone works best.
As far as slurry and roughness of the stone I personally do not think it is how it works.