Thread: Jnats how long is too long regarding time spent on the stone

I have 3 Jnats. An Ozuku a Wakasa and a Shobu. I have managed to get some nice edges from all three of those stones which are full bench sized, with the Ozuku and Wakasa, double sided. I was looking for members opinions on the finishing process. (My jnats are all hard finishers). My technique is to take a razor to the 10k Naniwa then with a thick slurry on a jnat, I tend to switch off and just hone, and as the slurry breaks down and discolours, I dilute, and continue honing till I arrive at a light misty slurry, with no pressure. This technique takes me about a half hour or more and I'm happy with my shaves but, I'd like to get ideas from members as to how long they take when finishing on their finest hardest natural stones. I've tried finishing on plain water with some success, although my preferred finish would be 10k synthetic to Shobu Asagi Tamamoku, where I'd work up a muddy DN slurry and call it done after about the 35 minute mark.
Am I over doing it in your views? I point out that I use very little pressure, practically weight of blade alone and I wonder if there are any tricks for me to try out, I'd appreciate your ideas fellas.

It depends on how fast your stones are.

I usually use a thickish plentiful slurry . Normally turns dark quite fast.
5 mins maybe one dilution but usually not.
Finish with a bunch of slow strokes no pressure throughout.
This a was written roadside
Goto go...

You will get a lot of answers but it will all boil down to when your done and the edge is where you want it. There is no magic number on the clock. Tc

Use a tomonagura after your 10k.

I usualy go from bevel set on the 1k Chosera usualy takes @ 3-5 minutes or more depending on blade geometry...this is the longest phase...
then if i get a nice even bevel all the way that can pop arm hairs easily the whole lenght...it's a piece of cake.

...about 20 passes on the 3 k and another 20 on the 5 k Choseras.

From here i jump to a jnat on thick slurry.

My rutine varies a bit but it's based on the same recipe.

Start on thick tomo nagura slurry raised with a 5 year old well worn Ez-Lap 26 F 600 grit(after use and abuse actualy @1000grit now andd sterile....yes...i totaly skipp the Botan/Tenjiou/Mejiro/Koma act...it is tme consuming and often unnecesary)

If i want a sharp smooth and mellow edge i finish on thick slurry...no dilution...just finish on a thicker creamie consistency...
If i want a sharper more crisp/agressive edge i do one dilution and finish under running water for 15-20 passes.

It's easy to overhone on Jnats and other fast stones, the idea is to get the best edge possible without removing metal unnecesary.
For example for my suita hones or Katanaka and Maruka usualy 20 passes on thick slurry and another 15-20 on dilute slurry or under running water is all it takes.

I used to practice the hole asano progression but when i finaly got to experiment under 300x optical microscope i found out that the end result is similar and a lot faster this way.

Some times i can even jump from the 1k to the jnat finisher on thick slurry with absolutley no problems...but i would not recomend this technique to a beginer. I keep all my stones dead flat...i hone a lot and know my way around the geometry of a blade...and the few J-nats i have have been picked and tested over 5-6 years of buying and selling jnats compulsively...

So to answer your question if i do my normal routine 10-15 min max i get a blade from bevel set to finish and strop.
If i skipp the 3-5 k choseras and go bevel set to finisher...i can usualy do it in under 10 minutes on a blade with good geometry.

Wow. I spend a lot, lot, lot more time honing one blade. On synthetics not jnat. But with only a year under my belt so i got a long way to go to learn.

Originally Posted by bobski

I have 3 Jnats. An Ozuku a Wakasa and a Shobu. I have managed to get some nice edges from all three of those stones which are full bench sized, with the Ozuku and Wakasa, double sided. I was looking for members opinions on the finishing process. (My jnats are all hard finishers). My technique is to take a razor to the 10k Naniwa then with a thick slurry on a jnat, I tend to switch off and just hone, and as the slurry breaks down and discolours, I dilute, and continue honing till I arrive at a light misty slurry, with no pressure. This technique takes me about a half hour or more and I'm happy with my shaves but, I'd like to get ideas from members as to how long they take when finishing on their finest hardest natural stones. I've tried finishing on plain water with some success, although my preferred finish would be 10k synthetic to Shobu Asagi Tamamoku, where I'd work up a muddy DN slurry and call it done after about the 35 minute mark.
Am I over doing it in your views? I point out that I use very little pressure, practically weight of blade alone and I wonder if there are any tricks for me to try out, I'd appreciate your ideas fellas.

That right there makes me think you are coming from a "Shave Ready" edge on the 10k then reversing all that work you did to put a J-nat finish on there

It WILL work but IMHO you are doubling up the honing wasting steel and gaining no advantage... You should be able to start with the misty slurry and finish on just that letting the slurry break down more and more, and going to almost dry as you finish

NOW if you do not feel that 10k edge is Keen enough to shave,, you have a different issue altogether


That is my two pennies

Your process would likely work coming off 4k rather than 10k if your Jnat is fast as well as hard & fine.