Thread: Hone of the Day

I finish my new hand forged razor from damascus steel on my new Special stone only for good razors / i believe /
It is harder than the thury and faster It has specific methalic shine and ultra fine mini sparcling particles I am thruely impressed with this little hone Thrue fiisher and very easy to work with .hight quality indeed Shave was very good .

Here's the next razor due for a light touch-up.
An H. Diamond #120 .. About a Quarter grind, I'm always happy when this blade comes up for use. It is being finished on an Oozuko Asagi, with a matching tomonagura. Photos do not do this stone justice, as the surface has a beautiful mottled appearance similar to a dark stormy sky. It's also a pleasant stone to use ..

Just finished these three absolute beauties heading back out tomorrow Dmitri you are a very blessed Man to own such lovely razors.

Finishing up the hand polishing. Then off to the hones.


This can help highlight the Hamon.


Henkotsu on top, Iwasaki on bottom. Notice how much more even the Iwasaki temper line is.... to..be..continued... Mike


So as not to take up space for other thread posts, here is the response to prodigy's request below.

* * * It is an art form and the same technique based on Japanese sword or knife polishing. Maybe in 10 years my skill set would be remedial at best. If interested, here is some additional reading. Keep up the good work practicing. * * *
http://www.jonbowhay.com/articles_and_press_releases

Originally Posted by MODINE

Finishing up the hand polishing. Then off to the hones.


This can help highlight the Hamon.


Henkotsu on top, Iwasaki on bottom. Notice how much more even the Iwasaki temper line is.... to..be..continued... Mike

Can you elaborate on your polishing process. Stevem sent me some finger stones, but everything I've found is regarding sword polishing. He said max has a tutorial, but my Google searches don't seem to find it. I have soft kiita, soft and hard something, and uchigamori powder.

Originally Posted by MODINE

Henkotsu on top, Iwasaki on bottom. Notice how much more even the Iwasaki temper line is.... to..be..continued... Mike

Do you mean the welding line between the 2 laminations ? I've never seen hamon (temper line) in soft iron

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Do you mean the welding line between the 2 laminations ? I've never seen hamon (temper line) in soft iron

What I’m trying to convey is that the even linear Hada (if that is the correct term) like on the Iwasaki, indicates a high degree of control and skill during the forging which affects the tempering process. If this is in error please educate us sir, I wish to learn as well.
MIke

I so love these razors

Sta-Sharp

Nakayama Finish




4/7 of a 7 day set,,

Zulu Grey finisher

Nice looking razors! That Stay Sharp's scales kind of look like a Gold Cracked Ice/well at least to me they do.

Originally Posted by MODINE

What I’m trying to convey is that the even linear Hada (if that is the correct term) like on the Iwasaki, indicates a high degree of control and skill during the forging which affects the tempering process. If this is in error please educate us sir, I wish to learn as well.
MIke

Oh, I see. Thought you were implying something else.
Yes, the Hada or the metal's 'grain' is very tight & uniform in Iwasaki razors unlike the pretty patterns seen on Nihonto . However, you used the term 'temper line', which as I understand it, refers to the hamon or the visual activity at the edge created by the differential hardening process & is non existent in wakamisori & single bevel laminated tools . What is seen there there is a line of demarcation where the soft iron meets the hard steel but is not hamon created thru claying & quenching.
Pic below is an example where the laminations meet. Not a temper line tho it looks a bit like it.

Iwasaki westerns made of one solid piece of tamahagane sometimes can be polished to reveal a hamon but it is near the spine where the thicker metal is rather than the edge, as on weapons or Honyaki knives. I suspect there may not have been a claying process there as originally they were polished as any other western razor.