Thread: Honing feel: Norton vs Naniwa

Originally Posted by jeness

Thank you very much, I was waiting for a post like this. That means I can buy the norton without hesitation. I will use it before a vintage very hard coti, after reaching a positive shave test off the 8k.

Hey, that's what I do

I interchange these stones a lot in my daily honing. Usually I start with the Chosera 1K, followed by either the Norton 4K/8K combo or Naniwa Super Stone 5K and 8K stones. These are then followed by either my Escher, Asagi, Ohzuku or Naniwa 12K Superstone. They all are producing excellent results and I don't think there is a bad choice here. If you wanted, you could add the Shapton Glass 4K, 8K or 16K into the mix and still produce consistent and reliable results.

I soak the Norton in a pitcher of water for 15 minutes and I spray water on the Naniwa's a couple times until the water stays on the surface vs. soaking in. The Naniwa stones are a little softer feeling. The Norton 4K is a little more grainy feeling. I lap the swarf off all of them except for the naturals at about every dozen razors honed.

Have fun,

Lynn

For clarity, there is a difference between the Naniwa waterstones and the Naniwa Superstones (as well as Chosera).

If the 3k talked about above is one of these: Naniwa Japanese Waterstone or is the 1k/3k combo with the same stone, it is not the same quality as the Superstones. That may be where some of the confusion comes from...