Thread: Learning a Naniwa 1k

For some odd reason, perhaps in the spirit of the 1k shave thread, I took the Dixie to my face for a test run.

Sharp enough to shave WTG no problem but a roughness to the edge that my shave ready straights don't have. A little more feedback from the alum block but not a terrible result. My technique is pretty rusty though hahaha!

I'll go back to the 1k next honing session and see if I can get the toe where I want it and experiment with the coti again.

The swooshing stroke glen mentions is great for the toe and heel on those painful blades. Stick with each stage till you've nailed it. You cant make real progress until the previous stage is fulfilled. Cotis can be a pain to learn on as there are many ways to use them and they aren't rated so yours may have a lower rating than others so you may not get a excellent edge off your stone, just average. Do you have anything to compare it too to help you evaluate where your at. If not I would advise that's a place to start

Thanks for the input Eddy.

I am aware of the issues around the coti for the beginner who hasn't got experience to guide them. This is part of what got me to invest in the nani 1k in the first place.

I have a Solingen razor that I honed as a one stone effort following the dilucot technique back when I was using my straights previously. The razor is a nice shaver now but I remember many hours on the stone taking 2 steps forwards and one step back many times before I got it right. The guys from the old coticule.be board identified my stone as a "La Grise" and suggested it as a fine but somewhat slow finisher.

I have more or less decided I will add a nani 3k and 8k but I am trying to leave these acquisitions until the New Year. Partly for financial reasons but mostly so I spend enough time geting to learn about the 1k bevel set. I am thinking I will procure a DMT 325 soon for lapping purpose and also in light of having a few razors that will be onerous to start on the 1k. I can get one at Carbatec and it looks like a fairly good price when you factor the shipping costs involved. Is 325 DMT to 1k a doable jump? I think I will have the bevel on the Dixie nailed in my next honing session or two and it seems further learning on it will be wearing it down to no good purpose.

The easiest way I have found for bevel setting was after watching the bread knifing vid by glen. Hold the razor like a knife with the spine off the hone and set the bevel then lower a bit set again and so forth till flat on the hone. Is much quicker and saves ware on the spine also. Check it out on youtube as said its the bread knifing vid. The dmt will leave deep scratched and trust me take a while to get out. Try to avoid if possible. The 1k is really quite quick if you use the right method. That said the dmt is a great lapping stone and I wouldn't be without it. Very affordable from carbatec as this is where I got mine. For around $10 they will mail it signed for. Im in the same position trying to learn a coti I just brought. So much easier on synthetics.