How good is the Naniwa Chosera hone?

I've owned my Chosera now for long enough to understand it and give my opinion as to how good I think it is.

I believe that there are four stages to prepare a straight razor to a shave ready condition.

First the bevel needs to be set. Most use a 1000 grit hone to do this.
Second, the bevel needs to be brought to a level of sharpness so that it will catch and cut hair easily. This usually achieved by progressing from a 1000 grit hone up to an 8000/10000 grit hone.
Thirdly, the edge needs to be smoothed or finished. The range of materials that will smooth a sharpened edge is extensive. Old barbers hone, Eschers, Various pastes, Chromium Oxide, Newspaper, exotic Japanese natural hones, 15000 grit or even 30000 grit Hones from a supplier named Shapton, etc.etc,
Fourth and finally a good stropping on a leather strop.

The Chosera for me fits into the second stage, the sharpening stage. I think that it sharpens to a similar level as say a Belgian Yellow Coticule. Maybe slightly better, but I think that depends on your honing skill and also how good your coticule is.

The main advantage the Chosera has over all other sharpening hones is that it is easy to use, it is consistent and it is highly efficient. It takes a while to develop the skill to use a coticule or for that matter just about any other hone on the market. The Chosera is very easy to use and doesn't require the user to be super gentle etc.,etc., You just push and pull the blade across the surface a few times and bingo like majic, the razor edge will pop hairs. Anybody can do it.

But that's all it does. Once the edge is sharp, its sharp. The hone will not add or give any more. You can use all your honing skills, but you won't get the edge sharper and you won't move into the third stage of polishing. The Chosera is not a polishing hone and I believe most straight razor users prefer a little more smoothness than a Chosera edge produces.

Many ask the question, is the Chosera as good as a 15000 Shapton. In my view, the question is asking to compare apples and oranges. The Chosera is a sharpening hone and the Shapton is a polishing hone.

I respect your opinion and thank you for your review, English.

Chefs and woodworkers rave about the Chosera 10k. My understanding is that the abrasive is friable and mimics a high grit J Nat in that the more passes, the finer the abrasive gets and the sharpening action transforms into a polishing action. I believe Joel owner of toolsforworkingwood.com explained that. BUT.......he's talking plane irons and chisels and he's talking direct and moderate pressure to what we'd consider in relation to honing razors to be extreme. In other words, you need to apply force to that stone to get the abrasive to break down into smaller particle sizes. Force that we don't use honing razors. Knowing how he described the stone's behavior, your review, English, makes perfect sense to me. That stone has the potential to be a polishing stone and one that is widely regarded to be excellent. But, for things other than razors. It does sound based on your review that the stone can have an excellent place in a razor honing progression.

Thanks again.

Chris L

I wonder if a bit of slurry would give it the same efficacy that Joel from Tools For Working Wood described it having with plane irons and such ? Still at the price I will make do with what I have. :shrug: English, it was a great review and thanks again.

I love my Chosera hones.

I only have the 3000 and 5000 presently, but they are fantastic hones. So large that I am sure they will last a life time. Next month I plan on investing in the 1000 and the 2000 and eventually will add the 10000 to the lineup. I use mostly stainless and INOX razors and they all respond with great results.

FYI I use lapping film above and beyond the 5000 but would like to phase this out as it is less environmentally freindly.

Costly hones buy very nice!

I agree. The Shap really finishes off a razor quite nicely! I actually go out to the 30000 Shap and LOVE IT.

I am a big fan of the Naniwa's and really think that the Naniwa Super 12K followed by a pasting is as good an edge available and extremely consistent. The softer feeling Supers really lend themselves to honing straight razors.

Lynn

Lynn,

Did you compare the Chosera 10K with the Super 12K?

I did and I compared the Super 10K against the 12K. I was able to get an edge off all of them and go to the paste for that little extra. The 12K on its own though was the best from a shaving standpoint. I like the softness of the Super Stones. It's like they were made for sharpening straight razors.

Lynn

English, if you were buying all of your hones all over again, would the chosera 10k be among the first couple you buy?

Lynn, did you compare the super 12k to the super 10k, or the chosera 10k? I think the chosera 10k is different from the super 10k, right?

So, Lynn, you would recommend the Super over the Chosera?

Interesting. Because the Super is much, MUCH more affordable for me.

Also...slightly off topic, but is there any kind of serial number or mark associated with the 12,000 super? Something starting with two letters and then a series of numbers, like for example IN-2090?

I'm searching and I can't find ANY 12,000 super stones on the Japanese web. Just like I could never find a 15,000 Shapton Pro...:thinking:

PJRAGE,

The answer to your question is no.

The Naniwa 12K super is significantly cheaper than the Naniwa 10K Chosera. Based on Lynn's advice, the Chosera is an expensive option.

I was lucky to buy mine before the prices skyrocketed. The price has doubled in the last three months and if you live in England as I do, exchange rates have increased that price significantly more.

These synthetic hones really need to be purchased as a set to get the ultimate results from them. As a set they are an expensive option but for someone who hones for a living it is probably money well spent.

If you just want to touch up razors, a Belgian yellow coticule is probably the best option followed by a ChromiumOxide pasted strop if you need a degree more smoothness. The coticule requires a light steady hand and some practice but once mastered it is a very versatile hone. The Japanese synthetics are not versatile at all. They are just extremely good at doing what they say they will do.

I hope this answers your question.

I'm on the same page with Lynn.
I have been finishing with the Naniwas 12K super for the past few weeks on all my honed razors. Haven't used my Shapton 16K since then. My Karasu has been collecting dust. My Escher is asking for a divorce.
I just finish with 3 swipes on co-ox and bingo every time.
I'm sure I'll encounter a razor anytime soon that will ask for a different approach but for the most of them the Naniwa 12K is the one I recommend to anyone asking me.

You guys are killing me. :rant:...... how will I shave with such substandard edges ? I have to live with edges honed on Nortons, Shapton pros, coticules, Scottish hones, Eschers, Thuringans, Charnleys, Dragon's Tongue, DMTs and Chinese 12k. :cry: I don't have any Naniwas ! :gaah:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I don't have any Naniwas ! :gaah:

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Jimmy, resistance is futile! :p

I know Jimmy, Doesn't it p**S you off. I'm already googling.....I thought I was happy....I stayed away from Japanese hones like bad sushi.....knowing it'd cost me a bundle.....

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Originally Posted by JimR

I'm searching and I can't find ANY 12,000 super stones on the Japanese web. Just like I could never find a 15,000 Shapton Pro...:thinking:

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:OTHere is the pro series carried at Japan Woodworker in the USA and here by Shapton USA. What I found interesting is that the 12k isn't shown on the Shapton USA site but the 15k is while on the Japan Woodworker site it is just the opposite. I have both the 12 and the 15 and if they weren't ink labeled on top of the stone you couldn't tell them apart by looking at them. The 12 seems to be softer. A slurry begins after a few strokes with a razor. Same with the 15 but not as quickly or as much. Both are very effective hones IME.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimR

So, Lynn, you would recommend the Super over the Chosera?

Interesting. Because the Super is much, MUCH more affordable for me.

Also...slightly off topic, but is there any kind of serial number or mark associated with the 12,000 super? Something starting with two letters and then a series of numbers, like for example IN-2090?

I'm searching and I can't find ANY 12,000 super stones on the Japanese web. Just like I could never find a 15,000 Shapton Pro...:thinking:

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I really like the Super's because they really produce excellent and consistent results. I have not found a Chosera 12K yet to compare with but the 10K's produce virtually the same results. The difference obviously is cost and hardness. The Chosera is a harder stone. The Super feels a little softer and will gouge if used to sharpen chisels, but perfect it seems for the straight razors.

Lynn

Lynn,

Softer? Can you check that please.

If the super is softer than a Chosera it must be like putty?