Thread: Anyone for NAD?

So a totally innocent question in my honing video thread ("Is that stone a Nagura or a Nakayama") sent me on a truly wild chase. It sort of drove home that I did not, in fact, know what a Nagura was. So I decided to find out.

And boy, did I bite off a lot to chew. The cool thing is, it's lead to a lot of new depth of understanding in my search for True Ultimate Honing Powah!

The not-so-cool thing is, I might be developing Nagura Acquisition Disorder...

Very interesting read Jim. I wish I read Japanese. I think you're going to have a lot of fun with this. It will be interesting to read the reports on what you learn.

Interesting read, I look forward to reading up on your findings

I have also wondered alot about the nagura type stones, and after reading your short article have realised that I know even less than I thought I knew! (which wasn't much) LOL

I know lots of people that use what they call "nagura" stones, but they use them for different purposes. Lots of people use a relatively coarse stone (maybe 600 to 800 grit JIS) as a nagura to raise a much quicker cutting slurry since the more coarse stone is also contributing to the slurry, they say that this method leaves a rougher edge, though this is usually not done with razors except when first honing a newly made razor. Most people tend to use a piece of the same stone as their hone to make a slightly quicker cutting slurry since it is just loosening grit from the same type of stone, this seems to be the most popular. I also know of a few people that use a chalk type stone that is similar to talc, they use it basically as a lubricant to prevent blade stiction on a hone, though they say it works well and leaves a slightly finer edge than what they get with just water on the same hone.

I wonder if using a coticule stone on a coticule hone, then water on a coticule hone, then a chalk type stone on the coticule hone would give you a finer edge than stopping after the water.....I think I'll look for one of those chalk types and try it one of these days.

Personally, I have not tried any except the "same as the hone" type slurry stones. I think anyone that has tried this would agree that you do get a slightly quicker cutting stone, though it tends to leave the edge a bit less sharp in the end.

I look forward to learning more about the "true" nagura stones and their originally intended uses....Thanks for posting this Jim!

Oh god, I have been away for a while and come back to this...

The idea of finding the "ultimate slurry stone" to release my Japanese natural's potential makes my palms sweat.

I thought I had the *AD problem under control, but it seems not.

Originally Posted by joke1176

Oh god, I have been away for a while and come back to this...

The idea of finding the "ultimate slurry stone" to release my Japanese natural's potential makes my palms sweat.

I thought I had the *AD problem under control, but it seems not.

Hehehe...did you see my latest thread?

JimR the enabler

This is funny... I'm waiting on another Nagura as I type this