Love My NSS 12k

Just got my Naniwa SS 12k in the mail today, and have fallen in love with it. My razor has a beautifully polished sticky as glue edge which is a noticeable step up from my norton 8k which i thought was good enough... until today! TBH I was under the impression after purchasing this stone that the improvement would be minuscule and I had fallen for all the glitz and glam of fanatic perfectionists, but I have thankfully been proven otherwise :o

I would also like to add to the praise by saying that whoever said they felt this stone was made for straight razors, I'm with you 100%. My blade seems to stick to this stone like glue while honing. Not sure if that's normal (yes i lapped 3x grid) but I have to say I like it very much and didn't want to stop honing because it felt so good.

A super stone for a super edge :D

Nice to hear. When I got my N12k I had the same reaction. Wonderful hone. It redefined the relationships I have with my natural finishers--now I ask whether the natural improves the Naniwa edge. The ones that do are special ones indeed.

Happy honing to you!

I love to play with my naturals stones but I have been saying for some time "if you want a quick durable trouble free edge the ceramics are the only way to go."
I would like to add this though. the Chosera and ss 1k for a beval setter and a 4 or 5 and an 8k SS or Chosera is something to ask Santa for...They are just as delightful as the 12k.
YOu will then have a full kit.
Stingray

Only hone I need now is a 1k. Got a dmt 325, norton 4/8k and the naniwa 12k. So santa will have it easy this year, unless I beat him to it.

is an Amazing stone....fantastic.
I love it every time that i use it

Add me to the love it list of users. I enjoy reading these posts when the NSS12k has another convert. Enjoy.

Did you guys find that the Naniwa stones are not quite flat upon arrival? Seems to be bulged up slightly in the middle. The first razor I put to it before flattening kinda rocked a bit and didn't want to sit flat. I just got a 8k SS and a 12k SS, and I had to do some semi-serious flattening first on both stones. After that it was fine. From what I can tell with some arm hair removal I'm looking at a buttery smooth shave in the morning! I hope I like these hones as much as you all do.

Yes, that's true, not quite flat out of the box. Probably no hone is, unless you get a used one from another straight shaver. Also, don't soak them the way you soak a Norton, because the Nanis can swell and will go back out of flat. Just a splash keeps 'em honing.

Good advice, I will keep that in mind as I go forward. Thanks!

The Naniwa SS can and will fool ya, let them stabilize after you wet them, before honing/lapping.. You do not want to soak them as per the instructions but if you spray them or dunk them they can swell a bit, so just give them a few minutes, otherwise you will wear them out chasing a flat surface :(

Hmmmmmm..... more good advice!

Good choice in stones. I was surprised as well when I took mine from the 8k to the 12k. I couldn't believe the difference. :rock:

I have and love the Naniwa 12k.
I also have the Naniwa 1k thick model and a Naniwa 5k. I thought I would fill in the blanks with a 3k an 8k or a 10k. However I now find that they cut so fast and efficiently that the 1-5-12 is really all I want.
I also have the Norton 4/8 but find that I very rarely want to use it. The Norton requires a soak before use but the biggest complaint that I have is that it takes quite awhile to dry and if you box it up before it is dry it might get mold spots on it.
Also the Naniwas are faster and I never really liked the feel/feedback of the 4000 side of the Norton.
The 8000 side of the Norton is smooth as silk.
With any of these hones I like to put a couple of drops of Dawn dishwashing detergent on after I let water sit on it for a minute of two.
It doesn't load up as fast and cleaning off the surface is much easier.
For the final few strokes I have even used a little more Dawn to get a thicker solution so the blade rides just a bit higher and touches the surface ever so gently.
Anyway, I would guess that anyone who spends a little time getting to know the 12k Naniwa will come away well pleased with its performance.

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Originally Posted by roughkype

Nice to hear. When I got my N12k I had the same reaction. Wonderful hone. It redefined the relationships I have with my natural finishers--now I ask whether the natural improves the Naniwa edge. The ones that do are special ones indeed.

Happy honing to you!

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What he said! Not all my naturals perform this well.

When I first started out on this wonderful journey of learning the Art of shaving with a straight razor, I have to give thanks to Eric (HNSB) :bowfor taking my under his wing and offering advice and selling me some very reasonably priced vintage blades that gave a really nice shave, and I liked how his edges felt.

Money was and still is scarce so I just went with the Norton 4/8K, I already had the King 800 and King 1200 water stones on hand. When I was able to add the Naniwa 12k, I was in shaving heaven! My edges felt like Eric’s and I still like the feel that the Nani 12k gives.

In fact when I had Glen make the custom scales for my son's Friodur, I asked that he finish honing on the Naniwa 12K and no pasted strop so I could compare my edge to his.

Norton 8K edges are nice, however Naniwa 12K edges are fantastic!:tu

I'm w/ Cudarunner. The other part not mentioned much is the bang for the buck. Even a successful edge on a C12/Phig isn't close to this good. I can't think of another rock for this price that does near as well. I'm sure some find more joy elsewhere, but this stone has made ALOT of guys really happy, is reliable as a brick, is a fast cutter, and doesn't cost much. Other than that - no redeeming value. :)
For those that prefer other rocks: no disrespect held or intended. The edge that puts the smile on your face is the only one to use.
Noobs - Cudarunner has used the norton 4/8 and Nani 12 for some time. His edges are excellent. I also owe him no small debt of gratitude for being so insistent that I try the N12. It remains a workhorse stone for me.

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Originally Posted by pinklather

Noobs - Cudarunner has used the norton 4/8 and Nani 12 for some time. His edges are excellent. I also owe him no small debt of gratitude for being so insistent that I try the N12. It remains a workhorse stone for me.

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Hehehehe! I'm so glade that you liked what unexpectedly showed up in the mail!! I just wish that I'd never fessed up to sending the Naniwa 12K to you unasked! But Hey! What are friends for???:nj

By the way I brag about your edges all the time!