Thread: Another hone test - Shaving off the Naniwa 5k

I salute you gentlemen who are experimenting with shaving off of the lower grits. As for me, I'm going to continue with the high grit finishing stones, Escher, Naniwa 12k or Shapton 15k, 30k before touching the edge to my sensitive skin.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I salute you gentlemen who are experimenting with shaving off of the lower grits. As for me, I'm going to continue with the high grit finishing stones, Escher, Naniwa 12k or Shapton 15k, 30k before touching the edge to my sensitive skin.

Wise words. A man who isn't afraid to pamper himself a little!

Originally Posted by ben.mid

Wise words. A man who isn't afraid to pamper himself a little!

Ben, life is hard enough already without torturing ourselves.

Jimmy, it was your posts about shaving off the 8k frequently that got me started in this direction!

I know you're joking about the torturing part, but I'm really interested in what grit I can use and still get a totally comfortable shave. The Nani 5k was really comfortable. What I like even more than knowing a shave of a 5k is comfortable is knowing that I could shave test razors at the 5k level and then finish the progression to know I have a really sweet edge developing. For weeks now, I've been doing shave tests off the 8k and then going back to finish.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Jimmy, it was your posts about shaving off the 8k frequently that got me started in this direction!

I know you're joking about the torturing part, but I'm really interested in what grit I can use and still get a totally comfortable shave. The Nani 5k was really comfortable. What I like even more than knowing a shave of a 5k is comfortable is knowing that I could shave test razors at the 5k level and then finish the progression to know I have a really sweet edge developing. For weeks now, I've been doing shave tests off the 8k and then going back to finish.

Going back to the Japanese grit chart comparison sheet here the Naniwa 5k is equivalent to a Norton 8k. I don't know if it is correct but your experience with the shave off the 5k might indicate that it is. This is why I began pyramiding with the 3k/5k and finishing with the 8k and 12k. I like this method well enough that I continue to do it.

I used to go to higher grit finishing stones automatically. Everyone posted that they finished on them and I assumed that was what I was supposed to do. Randydance suggested to me that I would have a better idea of how well I was honing if I shave tested at 8k. If it wasn't "there" at 8k I would know it and no point in going up to 12 or 16 if it wasn't happening at 8k.

I was quite surprised to find how nice the shaves can be at 8k. Cool that you are pushing the envelope a bit with the 5k. The old song when I was a kid was,"How Low Can You Go ?" The 8k is low enough for me.

This is my opinion only on this, but I really feel for me that a totally comfortable shave begins at the 8K level. Certainly you can shave from razors honed at lower level, but I feel the comfort diminishes as you go down in grit from here. On the other hand, I look at going above 8K as more refining my edge vs. polishing it, although this may be just semantics. But, with the higher grits continuing to provide some amount of cutting..........

I tried the Norton 4K years ago and it would definitely cut hair. Some pulling for sure and after a few tries of ending up with a beet red face, I left it there.

This is definitely interesting reading.

Have fun and thanks,

Lynn

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Going back to the Japanese grit chart comparison sheet here the Naniwa 5k is equivalent to a Norton 8k.

I know equal grit numbers doesn't mean equal cutting (sooo many variables), but that does make me wonder how long it would take to get a good edge if one went from a bevel setter straight to the Norton 8k. I'm going from the DMT1.2 to the Naniwa 5k, and I've also gone from the Norton 1k to the Naniwa 5k...

In the name of science, I need more hones!

It's fun learning more things I don't know :-)

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I know equal grit numbers doesn't mean equal cutting (sooo many variables), but that does make me wonder how long it would take to get a good edge if one went from a bevel setter straight to the Norton 8k. I'm going from the DMT1.2 to the Naniwa 5k, and I've also gone from the Norton 1k to the Naniwa 5k...

In the name of science, I need more hones!

It's fun learning more things I don't know :-)

Yeah, I don't know either. I don't have a lot of formal education and of what little I do have math was like Greek to me. So I am challenged with all of these microns and grit comparisons. I can read the charts though and experiment with honing razors on them. It seems to me that I get equal results doing the 3k to 5k pyramid on the super stones as I get with the norton 4/8.

I know that Lynn and you both do the naniwa ss 5k /8k and are happy with that. If all I had was the 5 and the 8 I would probably feel the same but I paid the $ for the whole kit and kaboodle and rather than have a 8x3 paperweight I may as well hone with it.

Yup, I think I'll have to get the Naniwa 3k and the Norton 4/8k.





Someday....

Originally Posted by Lynn

This is my opinion only on this, but I really feel for me that a totally comfortable shave begins at the 8K level. Certainly you can shave from razors honed at lower level, but I feel the comfort diminishes as you go down in grit from here. On the other hand, I look at going above 8K as more refining my edge vs. polishing it, although this may be just semantics. But, with the higher grits continuing to provide some amount of cutting..........

I tried the Norton 4K years ago and it would definitely cut hair. Some pulling for sure and after a few tries of ending up with a beet red face, I left it there.

This is definitely interesting reading.

Have fun and thanks,

Lynn

I remember the first time I tried it. I got some terrible irritation and completing the shave was a terrible torture. As you told me once regarding a shave test- you know right away if it is there or not so no use pushing through. I can agree with that. If you try a low grit and it feels terrible there is no sense trying to finish up.

Some months later trying again and finishing with a backstroke the result was far better. The effect of a few back strokes seems to diminish as I progress up; while seemingly most apparent on the low end. Maybe a similar but finer edge condition exist at the extreme high end(30k) and so becomes very noticeable I have no idea. It just seems like if it works sometimes on some stones; ending with a backstroke or two should be of some benefit in most cases, especially if you are not stropping with abrasives later. wacha think?