Thread: Mud Hone

Originally Posted by zib

I already asked last night...

BTW: My Nakayama Asagi from OS has color like that....

If it's that color, all the way through, it isn't Asagi.

Hey, Larry, could this stone be a sort of "artificial natural?" Could it be possible to artificially bond (or perhaps strengthen the bond) of natural materials such as fine soil, so that they may be formed into a stone. The process I'm envisioning is like forming natural clay in an oven. Wet it and apply pressure with a hard instrument, and the surface will begin to break down into a slurry.

Maybe one of you gents with better understanding of geology can help or correct me on this. Or, perhaps I'm just smoking crack...

By the way, that W&B you sold me is just a dream. I've been using it since it arrived, and it is awesome. Not quite time for a refresh (even though I have a beard like a Chia Pet). Stropping is doing its job, and the razor is performing admirably. One of these days, I may have to send it back to you to give it the Nerdman treatment.

Originally Posted by SonOf1337

Hey, Larry, could this stone be a sort of "artificial natural?" Could it be possible to artificially bond (or perhaps strengthen the bond) of natural materials such as fine soil, so that they may be formed into a stone...

I think chances are it is totally natural. But, possibly...

The striations in the side are not uniform. But, humans can insert random. But, the irregularities of the stone, in addition to the striations, seem to argue against modification from the natural in my opinion.

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

... By the way, when honing last night, I went from Naniwa 1K to the "mud hone" to the 5K, skipping my 3K. That worked quite well.
...

I failed miserably, using this hone last night on one razor. (But, just temporarily.) Every razor until the fail razor had a horrible edge, and I started on the DMTs to establish shape and initial sharpness. The fail razor had a reasonable edge, and I started on the mud hone. Mistake!

Skipping the diary of what happened till later. I think I mentioned above that the edge coming off the mud hone is very smooth, and the occurences of wiry burr edges is almost nil. Well, I think the downside to this is that it is a poor hone to establish an edge. Maybe, a slight bit of rounding occurs during its use.

I am a big experimenter, and I have been going from the DMTs (220 or 325 or 600) to the mud hone to the 5K or even the 8K and gotten good edges. But, when I skipped the DMTs and started on the mud, I now believe the bevel was not set, and sharpness not established, and the mud hone gave me a smooth edge, but not a sharp edge.

Its fun experimenting with this hone. I'm slowly getting a sense of its properties. But, feel I am still some distance from comfort.

From your pics and descriptions, this is definitely a variety of aoto. They're not all blue (e.g. kouzaki, miyagawa), but they're all 3k-5k grit range, soft, muddy, and thick (because they're soft and wear quickly). Great for polishing out 1k scratches, and really great for $5.

That looks like my hakka, only mine is very figured. It mudds fairly easy with a razor ... It is in the 4-6k range and can substitue Aoto easily with a little bit more work.
Here is mine


the actual color is exactly the same as your stone.

Jimmy, it is the same color as the Hindustan, but the one I have does not show the sedimentary layers like the one in the pic.

I have been looking for a natural stone that would set bevels without tearing up the blade, hmmmm, could this be it?

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Jimmy, it is the same color as the Hindustan, but the one I have does not show the sedimentary layers like the one in the pic.

I have been looking for a natural stone that would set bevels without tearing up the blade, hmmmm, could this be it?

Kelly, mine does show the sedimentary layers. AFAIR it ain't a stone that I would feel like using for anything beyond a paperweight ..... unless it was the only game in town in that grit. Here are some photos of the top, end and side. I took it against different color backgrounds to try and capture the color. It is a light brown or a tan here and now. Not sure if the photos capture it well.

I stand corrected, I just went out to the sub zero garage and got mine out of the drawer in the workbench. It does show the layers as yours does, but the one shown in the OPs pic seems flakier than the hindustans we have, as if the layers arent bonded as well.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

... I have been looking for a natural stone that would set bevels without tearing up the blade, hmmmm, could this be it?

In my little experience so far, I wouldn't like the hone at all for setting bevels. It is a sweet sharpener, and gives the edge a smooth finish. But, I believe you have to bring a fairly well set bevel to the hone or you will be disappointed.