Thread: Mystery Stone: Maruka Nakayama Kiita Nashiji

I have been discussing my experiences with an elderly japanese man, and watched some of Glen's vids on honing a kamisori, and thought I should add some thoughts to clarify. It seems that my fortune is a result of my stone and the nature of the kamisori. I would not be able to reproduce this with a western razor, for sure. I was able to get the great results from this stone (bevel to finish on one stone, and quickly) because it was a kamisori and a good Kiita. Because of the way the kamisori is shaped and composed, one is able to apply and control much greater spans of pressure than one could with a western straight. Also, this type of razor allows a great deal of control when honing, and sharpens very well (some say easily). I pressure sharpen like a sashimi knife, with my fingers on the blade (although facing me). As I work, I lighten the pressure. To finish, I use only one hand and very very light pressure like most others.

I have always strived for a minimalist setup, with one razor (or two ), and one stone. I am happy to report I am able to do this. Again, though, I don't think this can be done with anything other than a kamisori style razor (although some of the more skilled people here might..?). Thanks to all the geniuses who are on this site, though - it is a tremendous resource for learning.