Thread: Anybody have a kitayama?

I'm curious to know if anyone finishes with a kitayama hone. I ask because that has been my final hone before I strop, and it leaves a shaveable edge, and the only edge I've known, until I recently purchased a presharpened wostenholm pipe, which shaves so much smoother and nicer than my wade and butcher, which I've been honing off my kitayama. I think its 8000 grit

nobody wants to play with me....

i dont own one but i heard they are a great stone some people say they feel like they hone in the 10k to 12k range some thing that has taken my honing to the next level is a lite touch i can emphasize this enough

The hone guy at Japan Woodworker recommended that to me over the Shapton Pro 12k but I went with the Shapton. So I can't say first hand. In the beginning stages of learning to hone this is why it is good to use the hones that many members have and write about. It is probably and good hone, and you'll probably get some feedback from someone who has one, but the Nortons, Naniwas and Shaptons have a large following and data base of experience behind them. That is why I usually recommend one of those sets.

The Kitayama was one of those hones I always wanted to try but couldn't convince myself that I needed ("wanted" was never the issue) to buy. I believe that it is officially rated as an 8k but the slurry is friable and acts more like a 12k. I recall at least a couple members using it after the Norton 8k and reporting much improved edges.

I'm pretty sure I still have my Kitiyama 8K here. Haven't used it in a while as the Norton 8K back then was better for me. If it's working for you, I would stick with it. It's not a bad hone at all.

Lynn

originally I had the Norton 8k/4k and the Kitayama and I used the Kitayama as a finisher. It was advertised as a 12K but I never thought it really was however it did improve the edge over the Norton. I would rate it as a 10K. Like Lynn said it's not a bad stone at all. It's just that these days there are so many choices out there. Now I hardly use it because I have an Escher and a Coticule so for finishing that's what I tend to use.

Well that's just the thing guys, I don't know if I'm not using it correctly, but I haven't been able to get past a certain sharpness point with it. My newly aquired shave ready boker has shown me that there are edges to be had much better than mine, so now I need to improve. It shaves, but its like a mild scraping...I don't usually finish on it using slurry though. Is that advisable? I thought you use slurry to increase the cutting action, not finish on it...

Do either of you (lynn, thebigspendur) have any tips for using it? If I can figure out how to use it to its potential, that would be ideal, because I'd really prefer not spending more money on another finisher (I have RAD, not HAD )

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

In the beginning stages of learning to hone this is why it is good to use the hones that many members have and write about. It is probably and good hone, and you'll probably get some feedback from someone who has one, but the Nortons, Naniwas and Shaptons have a large following and data base of experience behind them. That is why I usually recommend one of those sets.

If I had discovered SRP before I bought the hone, I would likely have bought something that the senior members here recommended, but I made the purchase long before finding SRP

btw my frowny face is kind of lame don't we have something better to work with ?