Thread: Artificial Nagura stone vs. truing/lapping stone?

Is there a practical difference between using an artificial Nagura stone vs. a truing/lapping stone for re-establishing a flat surface on a waterstone? The only thing I've been able to determine from reading is that the artificial Nagura stone should only be used on 4000x and greater stones...

Thanks in advance! --Pat

If you are thinking about those Nagura stones coming with Naniwas(at least my Chosera came with one), they are only meant to be used to clean the surface of your stone AFAIK.

Lee Valley sells one that I was looking at... Artificial Nagura Stone - Lee Valley Tools

The description says, "Nagura stones are useful for truing stones or creating a slurry for faster sharpening. Slightly coarser than a natural stone, this artificial Nagura abrades quickly, yet builds a fine slurry.

Use only on 4000x and 8000x stones. Measures approximately 3" x 1" x 1"."

Way too small for lapping. And not really meant for that anyway.

You want a DMT D8C for that

There seems to be a huge misunderstanding.

A Nagura (synthetic, or a true nagura) is a rubbing stone for creating a cutting slurry,
or for cleaning the surface, getting rid of swarf and clogging.

You hardly can make a surface flat with a small piece of stone

for lapping you need to have a large flat surface that can cover the whole stone at all times to ensure proper lapping.
With a small nagura you have no idea if you are correcting all problem spots on the stone equally.

Agreed. I've used Nagura stones for years to create a slurry. What confused me though was the LV copy, "Nagura stones are useful for truing stones..." and I wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something obvious. Sounds like I wasn't. Thanks to all.

Originally Posted by Lesslemming

There seems to be a huge misunderstanding.

A Nagura (synthetic, or a true nagura) is a rubbing stone for creating a cutting slurry,
or for cleaning the surface, getting rid of swarf and clogging.

You hardly can make a surface flat with a small piece of stone

+1 with an addition

You can apply the nagura to places on the hone that you
know are a little higher. i.e. minimize the bits of hone
that you lap and rinse down the drain. For a personal
shaver it can be possible to lap a hone every third razor
and use the nagura to generate a fresh slurry by rubbing
what you know from experience to be normaly high spots.

As Lesslemming said... there is a primary purpose to the nagura
and my point is that you can address secondary purposes
if you know your hone, hone strokes and razors.

Great clarification. Thanks--

Originally Posted by Lesslemming

There seems to be a huge misunderstanding.

A Nagura (synthetic, or a true nagura) is a rubbing stone for creating a cutting slurry,
or for cleaning the surface, getting rid of swarf and clogging.

You hardly can make a surface flat with a small piece of stone

Good read.