Thread: Suehiro Gokumyo 20k review

Originally Posted by Deckard

My best hone in terms of keenness is Asagi Ozuku. Hard to believe anything could better the edge this gives on fine steel. Does the Gokumyo offer anything worth having for the cost?

IME. Nope nothing at all. I bought one thinking I could speed up my honing by not using naturals.
Lately I use a synthetic bevel setter & 2 naturals & I'm done. Gotta love irony.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

IME. Nope nothing at all. I bought one thinking I could speed up my honing by not using naturals.
Lately I use a synthetic bevel setter & 2 naturals & I'm done. Gotta love irony.

Same here, bevel set on chosera 1K and like to have a choice of coti or jnat edge after that. I lke em both for different reasons lvl5 jnat for closeness. I have come off chosera and bought the edge in just fine with water only on lv coti, superb edge for a 1K.

I think if we look at the suehiro in that it is a synthetic so the user can get a very refined edge that is very predictable the first time and if the edge off a naniwa 12k or chosera 10k is worthy, this will take it the next step. The particle rating is .5 micron which if you consider the shapton 30k is .49 microns so they are essentially the same. Jnats produce a finer smoother edge IMO but theres the learning curve and the trial and error of the nagura progression and tomo match as well as the base stone itself. Then its water only yes or no, how many tomos, which tomo, hone to almost dry etc. These are all worth finding out I agree but some aren't interested in going through all that. So for a synthetic, and all the ease it brings, I find it useful although for my personal razors, I prefer an ozuku asagi or nakayama asagi mizu. Just got 2 more, nakayama koppa asagi and an oohira kiita. So more experimenting.

Now what Bill said above is interesting. I also went back to my natural y/g escher for razors lately. Not that is it better than the 20k but it is a slightly different feel on my face that I like. I've grown used to it and it is fine for me. OTOH, I took a Dovo Diamond Steel 7/8 to the 20k just yesterday. It improved the edge significantly (it was already shave ready) and I had a marvelous shave.

Why I find what Bill said interesting is because he points out that you can either buy a 20k and get the same results, if you have the skill, that he and I get, or you can buy naturals, hope you get a "good" one, and then go through the learning curve of getting the most out of it.

Arguably there is also a learning curve to get the most out of our synthetics as well. This is true but my impression, lacking firsthand experience, is that there is a much greater learning curve with J-nats if you figure in all of the tomos and what have you. As Bill says, he finds this pursuit interesting in itself.

Some guys are wired that way and others just want a sure thing that offers consistent and repeatable results with a minimum learning curve. For those guys I would highly recommend the synthetics all the way up to and including the 20k. IMHO.

The consistent result sounds about right for synthetics I even own some synthetic finishers I seldom use. I suppose it comes down to preference,
I find my jnat dead easy to use but I only have the one tomo nagura, I do however get a good ht from a coticule before jumping to the jnat. I have honed from dull on slurry alone with the jnat, but in my estimation the result is not the same. My reasoning is the rate at which the slurry breaks down can be to quick if your edge is not close enough first. I do occasionally break out the naniwa 12k on stuborn razors and if I'm particularly lazy have no problem touching up on pasted strops, they're all fine edges to me.

If you haven't you can try some lather on the suehiro 20k and take like 40 laps with weight of the razor only, this gets the edge almost as smooth and fine as a jnat.

Originally Posted by bill3152

If you haven't you can try some lather on the suehiro 20k and take like 40 laps with weight of the razor only, this gets the edge almost as smooth and fine as a jnat.

What are the longterm effects of using soap on a ceramic stone ? Shapton advises against using any detergent on their stones.
Even washing soda can dissolve or soften some stones.

My 20k stone arrived yesterday and I lapped it with a 300 and 1000 diamond. I bought on eBay a Mastro Livi that came in with some chips on the front quarter of the blade and uneven bevel on the back quarter. I was able to hone the blade with my shapton 8k, 16k and 30k stones and get a pretty good even edge on it. Still, it wasn't really what I wanted. Took the 20k stone and lapped the Livi 5 times blade edge first. Much better. Then I put the stone under running water and lapped it 5 more times spine first. WOW! I tried the HHT and it sucked the hair against the blade and cut it. Then tried on my arm and cut hair half way up. Then to my face, don't even feel the blade cutting. I am a believer. Best stone I've used and I have used Norton, Shapton and a couple more I can't remember. Worth every penny. Will be dynamite for touch ups.