Thread: Learning Jnats with Microscope

Update (Contamination: italian stone + naguras)

The shave went quite good. Of course not a memorable one, but i had many worst than this. The blade was close enough and left a good post-shave.

The economic factor must also be considered: the stone and the razor together cost less than the Asano Mejiro alone. Therefore, it is possible to take into consideration (at least to experiment with Naguras) non-Japanese natural stones of other origin and lower cost. In this sense I am thinking about different types of slates, quite widespread and often very hard and rather fine.

The Naguras marathon continues, this time with a Tomo of Red Ohira. It made a nice creamy slurry, very easy to work with.


As said before, microscope images are all very similar to the previous ones, with slight nuances of difference, both as regards the Kasumi finish (excluding some random stria) of the bevel, and for the edge which again, seems to be sufficiently clean and straight.


Some might argue that then, this "microscopic" series is useless. But instead (I think), it serves both to see/demonstrate how the different Naguras work and to correlate the slight differences found (on the same base stone) with those that I can appreciate during shaving. Even then they are mild ... but there are.
In addition to confirming the working properties of the Black Tsushima which, regularly, in about ten minutes of laps on (this) Nakayama, regularly eliminates the traces of the previous finish, and thus providing a consistent starting point for the next Nagura that each time I put on test.

Shave test scheduled for tomorrow.

I apologize for the firsts images a bit blurry but by now, we all know how that Tsushima works

As expected, the Red Ohira appears courser than the Black Tsushima, the two have removed a bit of the edge and removed a lot of the chip.

The edge does appear nice and straight, even though it does leave some deeper stria on the bevel.

I do not recall, did you shave off the Tsushima edge? The Ohira should be similar.

Euclid

No, I didn't shave with the Tsushima Edge... but did it with diamond slurry alone. Could it be similar too?

Update after the Fifth round:

Another nice test shave. So far so good!

1) Nakayama kiita koppa + Tsushima Black Nagura + Nakayama (1) Tomo Nagura =Shave Test OK

2) Nakayama kiita koppa + Tsushima Black Nagura + Asagi Tomo Nagura = Shave Test OK

3) Nakayama kiita koppa + Tsushima Black Nagura + Ozuku Suita = Shave Test OK

4) Nakayama kiita koppa + Tsushima Black Nagura + Nakayama Kiita = Shave Test OK

5) Nakayama kiita koppa + Tsushima Black Nagura + Red Ohira = Shave Test OK

Yesterday had the chance to hone my brother-in-law's Dovo Bismark 2. (Solingen - 6/8" FH)

Despite having started a few months before me with a straight razor, my brother-in-law has never deepened the subject, ad sporadically uses his Dovo Bismark 2, sharpened by the shopkeeper where he bought it. However, he has always complained of a shave that is not completely satisfactory, with some tearing and not very comfortable.

So yesterday I checked it and It seemed to me that there were no problems in the cutting capacity of the bevel (finger and treetop tests passed) but had a not so so straigt edge (as well as a not too "refined" bevel) when seen under the microscope.

I decided to hone it using one of the best sequences I've actually tested on this thread. I.e. Nakayama Kiita Koppa + Black Tsushima's slurry + Asagi Tomo's Slurry.

Used 1 Layer of Kapton tape.

Microscopic results were as expected and, after the final strop, the blade easily passed finger and treetop tests.

The shave test went good too. My brother-in-law found it close and way smoother/confortable than before.

Being the bevel very narrow had some difficulties with lights when shooting images, but think that despite it they are sufficiently legible.

The bevel cleaned up well and the edge is super straight.

You might advise your brother-in-law to clean his strops, all that random stria on the bevel is likely from a dusty strop. A damp microfiber or paper towel will remove most of it. Rub a few drops of neetsfoot or olive oil, on a paper towel into the leather while damp, (both sides and the edges) to rehydrate and wipe the strop with a damp towel prior to every use.

He is also probably slightly lifting the heel or using a bit, too much pressure and slightly rolling the edge. See the fuzzy edge on the right side of the photo.

New Dovo’s can benefit from lightly jointing the edge a few times to get to more solid steel, from the original grind. The edge will probably improve after a few more honing’s. I will often lightly joint the edge after each step in the progression, and even once I get a good, finished edge. I lightly joint the edge, strop on linen, and do a final 10-20 laps to get the bevels to meet again fully on solid steel.

Once the bevels are flat and in the correct plane, it only takes a few laps to get them to meet fully after a light jointing, you only need to remove microns from the bevel.

Nice work I too think the Asagi, or the Suita are the better of your edges tested.

Once you get a system down the more razors you hone the better you can perfect you honing by exposing yourself and your
progression to a variety of razors, steel, and issues.

@skorpio58 / @euclid440

Just done the sixth round of my Nagura's Comparison Test. This time the Tomo used after Black Tsushima was a Kiita Tomo.

Razor, Base Stone and procedure were the same of previous rounds.

The Kiita Tomo wasn't too hard and raised quickly a nice slurry. I like the aspect when under the microscope. Maybe isn't the finest one, but the Kasumi seems regular and homogeneous. The edge straight too.

Finger & Treetop Tests passed.

Shave Test scheduled for tuesday.

That small chip seems to be shrinking. Pretty soon you’ll have to mark a reference point with a magic marker.

You edges look really straight and uniform. Well done.