Nakayama Maruka Kiita is giving me a migraine...ARGH!

So I get this beautiful Nakayama Maruka Kiita less than 24 hours ago, and it's already killing me!

The surface was a little uneven, so I began to lap it. Most of the stone was lapping fine and smooth, but there was a small spot of rough pitting on the surface (about the size of a quarter). I thought I'd lap it a little more to get rid of the pitting...bad idea.

The deeper I lap, the more serious the problem becomes. Now the rough patch is three times the size and streaming across the stone. (It seems to go with the color band.) Plus, large chunks are showing up and falling out in areas around the pitting stream.

Ugh! This is my first venture into the world of J-nats. Please tell me this is normal. Or that it'll all get better if I simply keep on lapping and lapping and lapping, deeper and deeper and deeper.

(Attached are some before and after photos.)

I need an aspirin.

Christopher

No telling, Maybe one of the Jnat guys can help. Shoot Mainaman a pm. Don't feel bad. I've never had any luck with Jnats. I steer clear....Does the vendor have a return policy?

Maruka stamps are always on the side of the stone, never on top. No real maruka is stamped on top or bottom of the stone.
For a quality Jnat you should be looking to buy from someone that actually tests on razors.

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Originally Posted by mainaman

Maruka stamps are always on the side of the stone, never on top. No real maruka is stamped on top or bottom of the stone.
For a quality Jnat you should be looking to buy from someone that actually tests on razors.

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I see. I was under the impression that the seller was both knowledgeable and reputable. Perhaps he made a simple mistake. I'm happy to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

As for the surface of the stone, what do you think? Is there hope, or am I out a few hundred dollars? LOL =)

Thanks,
Me

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Originally Posted by CJBianco

I see. I was under the impression that the seller was both knowledgeable and reputable. Perhaps he made a simple mistake. I'm happy to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

As for the surface of the stone, what do you think? Is there hope, or am I out a few hundred dollars? LOL =)

Thanks,
Me

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Have you honed on the stone after lapping? If the edges are good then nothing to worry about.

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Originally Posted by mainaman

Have you honed on the stone after lapping? If the edges are good then nothing to worry about.

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I'm a little afraid to hone with all that pitting on the surface of the stone. I'd hate to damage a good razor. However, I do have an Ebay razor arriving early next week...

Me

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Originally Posted by CJBianco

I'm a little afraid to hone with all that pitting on the surface of the stone. I'd hate to damage a good razor. However, I do have an Ebay razor arriving early next week...

Me

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Those holes are called Su if the stone is quality it should not affect the edge. By the way none of the stamps on the stone say it is nakayama.

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Originally Posted by mainaman

Those holes are called Su if the stone is quality it should not affect the edge. By the way none of the stamps on the stone say it is nakayama.

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Should this seller be avoided? Is there a SRP policy on naming names?

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Originally Posted by rolodave

Should this seller be avoided? Is there a SRP policy on naming names?

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Yes, in this situation there is. A PM exchange with the OP is permissible. Whether he would reveal the seller's name is up to him.

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Originally Posted by mainaman

Those holes are called Su if the stone is quality it should not affect the edge.

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I didn't know that for sure but giving the stone a try entered my mind. I've got a couple of coticules with inclusions that appear as if they would affect the edge but they do not. I don't know j-nats though. Good luck with it Christopher.

I have a Suita stone that did that after a year or 2 of putting it away wet. I lapped past it, big job, & it's fine now. I dry it after use now.

I too had a Suita that developed a layer of toxic Su. Su in and of itself is not necessarily bad - that is what a Suita stone is named after, and they can be a very very good stone. However, Su is toxic if it has a destructive effect on the edge.

I was also able to lap down to a usable layer, and now it is a nice stone. My suggestion to you would be to talk to the vendor of this stone to see what they are prepared to do for you. If that falls through, your only choice is to just keep lapping and lapping and hoping that you will eventually reach a usable layer. It took me over 18 months on and off with my stone (I gave up for 6 months at a time before getting the energy to try again).

Good Luck.

James.

I have a Maurka, I didn't want to tell you that probably wasn't one. Maruaka stamps are on the end of the stone. Unfortunately, People fake stamps. You know, All these troubles over rocks. Counterfeit stones, Fake stamps, Toxic Su, bum stones, etc... but yet people still buy them. Jnats hands down are the worst. Many new members with little or no honing experience buy them thinking there magical some how. Why? You have to be very careful when buy Jnats, very careful. If you don't know the seller, Don't buy it. If you don't know anything about Jnats, Don't buy it. Please ask an experienced member for help. We have several guys here that are pretty much experts on them.

Of course a seller is going to be nice to you when your buying, he want's your money. The good sellers are the one's that are there for you after the purchase. This is just my opinion. I've never had much luck with Jnats either, so I steer clear. I believe I've been burned once or twice, yet I still have a few good ones I bought off reputable sellers.

Here are some pics a Nakayama Maruka Asagi w/Maruichi stamps. The last pic shows a very faded Maruka stamp. This is very nice size stone (8x2) mounted on a wood base. I just hate to see people get burned. Like Oz said, maybe you'll get lucky, and it'll lapp out. There's no telling. I've seen it go both ways.

I have another Nakayama Maruichi Asagi , like this one only bigger. It's about 8x3. with a crack or inclusion running down the length of the stone, not side to side, very fine, about 3 or 4 inches long, It does not affect honing, so It's ok.

Good advice from Oz, leave your stones out until they're are completely dry. On some synthetics, that may be a few days, at least for me it is....