Thread: Naniwa Problem

Hi there,

I don't know what wrong is with my naniwa 3K. Every time I use it after 1K I loose HHT. I've ruined second edge in this way.
Normally I hone on 1K Ice Bear(never go further If I don't get HHT all along, then 6K Ice Bear as well (I know it is a big jump but it works, no problem with that HHT maintained) and finaly Chinese 12k, stropping and perfect shaving. Thanks a lot
Marius

I wouldn't worry about not passing the HHT at any level, much less after 3k. I really doubt the Naniwa, which is a reliable oft-used hone is "ruining" your edges. Did you lap chalky layer off the top of the hone?

the reason you pass after 1k may be that the edge is really coarce
smothening on 3k will remove the falce positive and at 6k it may start to get sharp enough for real results

Atleast thats how i suspect it happens

I don't know that your supposed to be able to pass hht after every stone, especially 3k. I think I read somewhere that it should shave arm hair....That's different though...I don't use either...

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

I wouldn't worry about not passing the HHT at any level, much less after 3k. I really doubt the Naniwa, which is a reliable oft-used hone is "ruining" your edges. Did you lap chalky layer off the top of the hone?

Yes my friend, I lapped it perfectly and the layer is off. From my 18months experience with straights I understood one thing.If a razor doesn't pass HHT it is not worth shaving with. Personally for me it is the main indicator that this edge is shaveable. The funny thing about this Naniwa is that when it is followed by King Ice Bear 6K, HHT is regained. I already came to conclusion that some stones don't like to work together

Originally Posted by zib

I don't know that your supposed to be able to pass hht after every stone, especially 3k. I think I read somewhere that it should shave arm hair....That's different though...I don't use either...

I go through HHT on after 1K without any problem, so why I can't after naniwa 3K? If I skip 3K naniwa and go directly from 1K King Ice Bear to 6K King Ice Bear ,HHT is passed even easier.

This is part of the reason the HHT is sometimes called a parlor trick. Results vary for many reasons. It is normal for HHT to not be passed at every stage of honing.

You are not trying to shave off of the 3k are you? If not, what do you care if it passes HHT at that stage or not. With a coarse hone, the edge has relative large teeth like those of a saw. Those teeth can pop some people's hairs. The 3k reduces those teeth to the point where they cannot pop hairs. As the edge is further refined with finer hones, the teeth are progressively smaller but the edge is also more fine and may or may not pass HHT. In my opinion, with my hair, the thumb pad test is much more informative.

My personal preference is the arm hair test.

Shave arm hair at skin level off the 1k and then shave arm hair floating above the skin after 8k. That gives me a pretty good idea of how the edge is developing.

You should NEVER rely on HHT on a low grit level!
Yes after some really coarse stones HHT is possible but it is deceptive.
HHT is being passed not because of the edge being smooth and sharp,
but because of the carbides and swarf being forcefully ripped out of the steel,
leaving an agressive and toothy edge. These teeth will grip the hair and cut it.
But you wouldn´t want to shave with an edge comming from my DMT 325, would ya?

What you want to do is set a bevel on your 1k like you normally do.
If HHT is your test for the bevel set, so be it. But prepare to loose HHT with further refinement, just to get it back for real on the finer stones.
What your 3k does is exactly what it should do.
It removes the agressive teeth from the edge, making it much more smooth.
Without the teet it won´t pass HHT anymore, but smoothenes and refinement is achieved.

Pass on to the 8k if you´re done with the 3k. Do arm hair shaving test,
or thumb pad test or anything else.
After the 8k level HHT may be applied, especially after stropping.


So you may experience awesome (but false) HHT on the 1k,
no HHT (but smmother edge) on the 3k
and real smooth HHT after 8k and stropping again.

That´s the way it is. If you get HHT on a 3k stone you´re doing something wrong, trust me

Besides all the great advice you have already received ...

If you were to search "gssixgun" and "Naniwa" you would find quite a few references to the fact that these stones DO NOT react the same in the middle grit range...
These stones hone so smooth that many of the normal sharpness tests in the 3-5-8 range just don't work the same..
I make sure I have the bevel set then just hone through and shave test after the 12k... Basically I hone by feel on the Naniwas...

This system with them hasn't failed me yet, but I had to get used to the difference in the middle...