Thread: Naniwa SS revisited

I've been using one razor and two coticules for several months and I thought I was getting some good edges, so I decided to test them against the Naniwa SS. My Dovo Carre had a Coticule edge on it (by someone else ) so I thought I would use that one. I used 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, & 12k and some Chromium Oxide. I just finished shaving with it...Naniwa wins all categories

Something to be said for Man Made Honing Stones With A Scientific Grit Rating. I have a Shapton 30K and it has lots of friends and detractors. Once I learned how to properly use the stone to it's potential. I'm well pleased with the ultra smooth shaving results I achieve.

Originally Posted by feltspanky

Something to be said for Man Made Honing Stones With A Scientific Grit Rating. I have a Shapton 30K and it has lots of friends and detractors. Once I learned how to properly use the stone to it's potential. I'm well pleased with the ultra smooth shaving results I achieve.

The Naniwas are so easy to use and the edges are so smooth and sharp, I think my Coticules are going to take a long "nap"...again.

I also have the Nani 1,3,5,8 and 12k's. Certainly all I need and I'm very happy with them. Made my entry into honing very easy and with great results.

On second thought, maybe a 30k in the future.

Love my Super Stones. My Nortons have not been out once since I got them. I have though about experimenting with some naturals but I'm so happy with my Naniwas that I can't justify spending money on more hones.

I have several series of hones, but the Naniwa SuperStones continue to be a favorite for me. That said, I still highly appreciate the "character" imparted by my various coticules.

Please keep in mind that what some of us fanatics on this forum have at our disposal for honing far surpasses what the average shaver of 50-100 years ago used. Do you think some farmer in Minnesota in 1910 had ever heard of a Nakayama Asagi? Most shavers probably never even had a hone of any sort and just got by with a strop, or maybe they dropped in to a barber every few years, or decades, for a honing touch-up.

The more sane members of this forum can get by with just a few or, God help them, just a single hone. You can learn to make the best of what you have, and if all you have is a single coticule or barber hone or whatever, then I guarantee that over a few years your edges will continue to get better as you learn how to truly understand what your hone can do.

Your honing improves with practice, not with more hones.

(But I do admit that I have had fun playing with a lot of hones.)

I've always said if the Barbers of the past could lay their hands on Chosera or Naniwa stones they would never have picked up another natural.

Well, if you're going to use your time machine for that, then you had better take along a diamond plate too.

And you might as well pop in and bump off Hitler, and get the WTCs evacuated on 9/10, and maybe set up a therapist for Robin Williams.

I love my Nannies but, I would love it if someone started creating barber hones again ............Yep and I also wish barbers honed and shaved with straights again too(actual straights not feathers) but i also understand the reasons why they don't.

Originally Posted by Nightblade

I love my Nannies but, I would love it if someone started creating barber hones again ............Yep and I also wish barbers honed and shaved with straights again too(actual straights not feathers) but i also understand the reasons why they don't.

Randy is working on it. He'll probably have a production run finished about the same time I finish my straight razors!