Thread: Nagura questions

I've been reading the many Nagura threads (especially http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...gura-pr0n.html) and have found the entire process of honing on slurry fascinating. Trying it out, given the cost of JNats though, is not as easy as I'd prefer it to be. But some of the posts make casual mentions to using exotic naguras on C12k hones.

If I'd like to try out the Nagura method. Can any other hones be used? I've got a Charnley. Can I use Naguras on it? My sense is that Nagura stones are far less expensive than a high-quality JNat finisher. Or is this a completely foolish and poorly-informed approach to investigating Japanese honing?

Expensive is a relative term, you can get a good stone for under $200.
The C12k are pretty hard stones and using nagura with them should work. From my experience, naguras are cool to play with but not necessarily the most efficient way to hone.

IMHO when learning how to hone one should stick to a basic synthetic set up until one learns bevel setting, pressures and one can get a consistent shaving quality edge. After that one can jump into the realm of natural stones where things vary from stone to stone.

I'm hip to honing. I maintain my small disturbed collection of razors pretty well on a solid group of hones. I was simply wondering if I could pick up a few Naguras and play with them on my Charnley. I don't own a C12k, and frankly I don't really want one. There's no real reason for not wanting one; they simply don't appeal to me. JNats do, however, appeal to me, and may kick off a HAD resurgence. Currently it's in remission, but I suspect it's coming back.

As long as the naguras you are using are softer than the base hone, you should be fine.

I don't have any true nagura-type stones, so my opinion is based on what I have read, but they should be a fair bit softer than your Charnley.

Edit: the nagura stones are supposed to be much coarser than a good finisher, so using them as a final step isn't a good idea. If you are looking for a last step/finisher, get a piece of tomonagura and a little diamond plate and drip a bunch of that slurry onto your Charnley if you want to experiment before jumping in with both feet.

Usually when you buy a Japanese Natural they include a nagura and it's usually a very soft stone not much harder than chalk really. You can experiment with using a slurry stone with any hone you just gotta realize depending on your hone and the slurry stone you use and the relative hardness and make ups of both stones you can have all kinds of interesting thing happen. A real experiment in honing.

Can anyone explain to me the point of Naguras?

If they speed up honing: why not use a coarser hone, or slurry made by using a rubbing stone of the same raw material as the hone you want to use the Nagura on?

If they create a keener edge: why not use a higher grit hone?

And finally: how do I match a Nagura to the hone I am using? Or a hone to the Nagura I have?

I'm simply intrigued with the idea of switching slurry rather than switching hones. That's what started this thread.

Originally Posted by Kees

Can anyone explain to me the point of Naguras?

If they speed up honing: why not use a coarser hone, or slurry made by using a rubbing stone of the same raw material as the hone you want to use the Nagura on?

If they create a keener edge: why not use a higher grit hone?

And finally: how do I match a Nagura to the hone I am using? Or a hone to the Nagura I have?

Just a clarification Nagura is the name of the stone it comes from Mikawa mine, from different seams which vary in fineness. The most popular ones are Botan (~ 8k) Mejiro (~15k) Koma (~20k and very rare).
Nagura does not speed up honing, its just another way to create progression for honing, using several different grades of Nagura stones on one finisher as a base. The final polishing job is done with the polishing stone itself.

You can use a piece of the same stone cut from it it is called Tomonagura, problem is one has to have the tools to cut their own stone and I am not sure people are willing to put an expensive stone to the saw.
Another way of creating slurry is to use a piece of another polishing stone called Honzan.


As far as nagura and stone compatibility you need your stone to be harder than the nagura, which should be the case with any Japanese natural razor hone.

Originally Posted by mainaman

Just a clarification Nagura is the name of the stone it comes from Mikawa mine, from different seams which vary in fineness. The most popular ones are Botan (~ 8k) Mejiro (~15k) Koma (~20k and very rare).
Nagura does not speed up honing, its just another way to create progression for honing, using several different grades of Nagura stones on one finisher as a base. The final polishing job is done with the polishing stone itself.

You can use a piece of the same stone cut from it it is called Tomonagura, problem is one has to have the tools to cut their own stone and I am not sure people are willing to put an expensive stone to the saw.
Another way of creating slurry is to use a piece of another polishing stone called Honzan.


As far as nagura and stone compatibility you need your stone to be harder than the nagura, which should be the case with any Japanese natural razor hone.

Botan is as high as 8k you think? I've never tried a botan, but my Meijiro edges don't feel like they have come off all that fine a slurry. Also, I think Jim goes straight from bevel setting to botan. It must cut really quickly if it's in the 8k range.

I wouldn't put the actual grit of the nagura anywhere near as high as Stefan, but the real importance is how they act--not only do they cut fast, they cut super smooth.

I have all kinds of hare-brained ideas about how and why slurry works, but they're all just personal and I don7t too much evidence.

All I know is, honing on nagura slurry creates edges that I like more than any others.

BTW: Tomonagura and Honzan nagura are the same thing.