Thread: Honing using Naniwa 12k only

I love the Naniwas super. Easy to learn. The 12k is a fantastic finisher and will serve you well. I use electrical tape tp protect the spine from wear but never fret about putting a blade on the stones. Personally I love the first couple shaves fron a freshly honed blade.

As others have said stropping or correctly will maintain a blade for quite awhile. don't think twice about using the 12k to refresh a blade.

Originally Posted by rmagnus

I love the Naniwas super. Easy to learn. The 12k is a fantastic finisher and will serve you well. I use electrical tape tp protect the spine from wear but never fret about putting a blade on the stones. Personally I love the first couple shaves fron a freshly honed blade.

As others have said stropping or correctly will maintain a blade for quite awhile. don't think twice about using the 12k to refresh a blade.

How many laps do you do on the Nani 12k to just refresh. After wetting the stone down, what do you consider enough for a refresh? Thanks!

spacex,

I have been doing exactly that for a couple of years now; after ca. seven (7) shaves, the edge gets a touch up on a CrOX dusted hard leather paddle. After ca. twenty-eight (28) shaves, it gets a touch up on the Naniwa 12k.

Phrank - I have used ten to thirty (10 - 30) laps on the Naniwa 12k, the number being dependent on the razor and the edge condition. The larger number of laps are mostly used with my C135 Thiers-Issards, which are mighty hard

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Thanks everyone for all your help and advice. One of the reasons why I got a Naniwa 12k was because I committed the beginner's mistake a few times of not keeping my blade flat while stropping (the spine was in the air rather than touching the leather :-(), which I believe is starting to cause my razor to dull.

My Naniwa 12k and a DMT 325 are arriving next week. I will flatten the Naniwa 12k first and then try to sharpen my razor. Hopefully, it'll be restored to the state when it first arrived or better!

And now that I learned my lesson, I'll be stropping the right way!

When you get your DMT be sure to break it in before you go after that NAni or you will find some big scratches in it when your done lapping. You won't ruin anything but it sometimes causes panic :<0)

Originally Posted by Phrank

How many laps do you do on the Nani 12k to just refresh. After wetting the stone down, what do you consider enough for a refresh? Thanks!

Good question. I'd guess 15-20 laps. I go by feel and visual inspection with a loupe. Sometimes I'll start with slurry from lapping the 12k with a DMT325 then do about 10 laps clean the 12K and come back with another 10 laps. The lighter your pressure the sharper the blade.

Interesting note after refreshing I strop on a linen strop unpasted then on rough leather finishing on smooth leather. Never been disappointed. I tried going from 12K to Crox pasted linen but felt it was working backwards. Maybe the Crox works better as a refresh w/o going to the stones.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

When you get your DMT be sure to break it in before you go after that NAni or you will find some big scratches in it when your done lapping. You won't ruin anything but it sometimes causes panic :<0)

Hi 10Pups, I got the DMT Dia-Sharp Continuous Diamond Coarse 325 (the one without the rings). How do you suggest that I "break it in?"

Originally Posted by spacex

Hi 10Pups, I got the DMT Dia-Sharp Continuous Diamond Coarse 325 (the one without the rings). How do you suggest that I "break it in?"

If you have some dull knives lying around, hone them. Otherwise, use any piece of hard (tool) steel, such as a screwdriver and rub it vigorously until the surface smoothens out. You'll be surprised just how smooth this rough diamond stone gets once broken in

hea guys new at this whats the difference between honeing with a ninawa stone or cermanic ? I have both the stone you soak with water ,the cermanic you just sprinkle water on it,but which one gives the sharper blade?

Originally Posted by semperfi6141

hea guys new at this whats the difference between honeing with a ninawa stone or cermanic ? I have both the stone you soak with water ,the cermanic you just sprinkle water on it,but which one gives the sharper blade?

That depends on which ones you mean. The Naniwa call their 12K "new ceramics", Shapton hones are ceramic too. As for synthetic/ceramic hones, the higher the grit rating, the sharper the blade (disclaimer: different brands use different grit scales, but this relation is generally true).