Introduced to J-Nat by Bayamontate
I'd like to give a big thanks to Nelson (Bayamontate) for helping me get started with the J-nat.
At the last meetup in Long Island, I asked him how I could improve on my 12k edges and if he could recommend a good beginner stone. He not only got me set up with a nice Ozuku Asagi, he also made sure I got a perfectly matched tomo-nagura. He made sure to test the nagura carefully to make sure it was a perfect match and then lapped it perfectly, taking hours in the process.
I've seen Nelson hone on J-nats a few times before, and gotten some lessons from him. I was still underconfident on how to start with my new Ozuku though. So I called Nelson and he spent an hour or so breaking down the process. He has spent a long time learning these stones, and he has no problem sharing some of his vast knowledge. The advice he gives is no nonsence, practical, and easy to follow.
I haven't needed a lot of touchups on my daily shavers lately (good stropping works), but I just did my third razor last night on the Ozuku. The first two blades shave great, and this last one has a great looking edge which I'm looking forward to using.
I'm really happy for the new dimension to my honing, and the enjoyment it adds to my shaves. My ozuku is a functional tool, a pleasure to use, and an occasional reminder of the fellowship here on SRP.
Michael