Thread: Jnat questions

The one consistency I've seen with the 2 J nats I have is, they prefer the harder steels.

My best edges all came on blades of this caliber. American, swedish, and of course Japanese, particularly.

I got over the romance associated with JNats when I saw a video of a Japanese master using diamond pasted as the final step sharpening a kamisori.

I have a JNat and a single nagura I keep for occasional recreational honing, but my regular honing progression is coticule followed by Vermio or la Lune. I use a synth or DMT if I have to reset a bevel or repair an edge.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I can only tell you how my JNat dances, I can tell you how I got the most out of mine, but it most likely won't work the same for yours

My experience has always been to let the slurry go to almost dry and finish on that, I also always leave that worked slurry to dry on the stone

Oh hey, I just tried this, work the slurry for a good time, add a drop here and there to keep the slurry going a bit and break down the slurry and eventually let it almost dry out and finish on that, nice and sticky mud. Yes, this works amazingly well! I was surprised that it was just as sharp as my water only edges, but I must admit my Japanese brethren and you were right.
The magic is in the mud. Somehow watery slurry never worked consistently for me, but this is really good.
Super sharp, but noticeably smoother. Nice kasumi finish too! Yes this beats water only. More skin friendly, just as sharp.

Oz aka Onimaru54 and I worked this out quite some time ago

We kept messing with systems and reading about ideas we both have thoughts about why it works
Breaking down of the slurry to the slight addition to the convexity of the bevel from the use of the slurry

I can tell you if you go even farther to totally dry you can get a keener almost mirror fin, myself I didn't like that feel in comparison to the comfort of the damp slurry but it is something to try