Thread: my first jnat :))))) and some questions

hello everyone i have just received my first jnat it is an ozuko san(5) i am very excited to learn how to use it , i have been honing on synthetics for a while and felt it is about time to move to naturals .
i have already lapped the stone(with dmt 325) ,bevelled the edges and sealed the sides with clear nail polish .
i am super paranoid about damaging the stone and would like to know what is recommended to do after i hone ?
do you dry your stone completely before storage(and if so with what) or do you let it air dry?
thank you all very much and have a great week

I let mine air dry .not in the sun though.congratulations on the nice stone.

The only NO-NO is leaving the stone dry outside in the winter, you do not want it to freeze.

so if i understand correctly it is not necessary or even ill-advised to wipe down the working area of the stone with a tissue?

I rinse mine off before and after. Before to remove any dust or particles that might cause honing problems, after because dried slurry can be messy and contaminate other stones, etc.

You can wipe the slurry off with a tissue and use it slightly moistened to clean razors, fountain pens, jewelry, and so on.

325 is not fine enough IMO, a level 5 Ozuku I would go to 1000-1200 sandpaper the burnish the surface with a tomo nagura or hone a Gold Dollar or two on it.

Cheers, Steve

Just wipe dry after use. The only issue you might have is with the timber box going mouldy if it's not lacquered.

You don't need a lot of water on the stone in the first place but softer Aoto & Suita can run into problems if left wet too long.

A worn DMTC is plenty fine for regular use. Getting a stone initially flat can need more horses tho.

thank you guys very much for the info .
just as an update i honed 2 razors on the jnat , the shave was smooth but the edge has lost a lot of its keenest compared to my synthetics
im sure its just my technique i need to learn how to use the stone properly

Originally Posted by azourital

thank you guys very much for the info .
just as an update i honed 2 razors on the jnat , the shave was smooth but the edge has lost a lot of its keenest compared to my synthetics
im sure its just my technique i need to learn how to use the stone properly

That can happen if you try too hard, use too much slurry etc. etc.

Just remember, less can be more.

thanks for the tip i will continue to experiment try without slurry , try slurry using a dmt and try less slurry from the nagura

i know its a very subjective question but how long do you normally work on the slurry to get it to the point where it has broken down or is there a way to know your slurry has broken down to fine as can be ?

Originally Posted by azourital

thank you guys very much for the info .
just as an update i honed 2 razors on the jnat , the shave was smooth but the edge has lost a lot of its keenest compared to my synthetics
im sure its just my technique i need to learn how to use the stone properly

Don't forget that a jnat edge will feel different, and if you are used to synthetics, the jnat edge may seem less keen. It all comes down to what you like. I have never really clicked with my coticule for that reason, but I love my jnat edges (and some synthetics have been too much for me).