Thread: Problems with Naniwa 12k

I have a 1k, 5k, 8k, 12k set of Naniwa's and they have been brilliant...except for the 12k. Before I progress from the 8 to the 12, I make sure the blade is brilliantly sharp. After doing 15ish laps on the 12 k, the blade is always duller. So I end up going back to the 8 k to bring it back to life.
Have any of you experienced this before? If so, how do I correct it?
I'm begining to think the hone is a "dud" and is a mfg error.
It has a completely different feel than the 5 or 8. They feel very smooth and, almost, soft when I run my finger along their surface. The 12 seems exceptionally hard and lacking any of same "feel" characteristic's of the other two.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Scott

Have you tryed stropping and shaving both after the 8k and the 12k?
You could try 10 laps and see where that gets you
Or try lapping some extra to see if it change feel

Although I am not an "authority" one bit on honing I own the Naniwas and never had a problem with the 12k, other when lapping it, it took forever haha. But have u shaved off the 12k once u did the 15 laps? Or it just seems duller , because it might seem duller but maybe smoother? Also how is your pressure on the 12K? Hopefully one of the big guys will post as i am also curious as to why its doing that.

What are you lapping it with? If you don't already do it you could try to finish the lapping on some 600-800 grit wet and dry sandpaper or a DMT to give it a finer finish and se if that might help...

Thanks guys. I lap it with a DMT quite regularly as the Naniwas dish quite quickly.
I haven't tried shaving with it after the 12k but, the dullness I am felling has to do with it not being able to shave arm hair after the 12k...okay it CAN shave it but it is SOOOO much more difficult than after the 8k. Lot's of pulling, etc.

Why are your razor hones dishing?

Jim read the same thing I did, "Dishing" just should not be an issue with honing razors...
Swarf build up and needing to clean the hone Yes but dishing No....

Also if you were to go back and read my first impressions of using the Naniwa SS you would see where I had the exact same problem, with re-interpreting the sharp tests.
The NSS hone very very smooth, so the sharp tests react a slight bit different, and you have to grow used to them.. I honed 1 razor twice before I finally decided to hone through and test shave.. That was when I realized the edge was fine it was wickedly sharp, and smooth, it was I that needed to learn...

Spray the naniwas with water and make sure they are covered in water, let them sit for several minutes like this to make sure they settle and balance themselves out. This dishing issue sounds like the stones aren't settling in with water before you're using them. How much metal from the razor is coming off on the 12K when you hone on it? Nothing should really show up on the stone, at least from what I've seen at my house.

Also, you should be using the lightest of strokes on the 12K..
Are you refreshing the surface of the 12K every time you're using it?

Originally Posted by Disburden

Spray the naniwas with water and make sure they are covered in water, let them sit for several minutes like this to make sure they settle and balance themselves out. This dishing issue sounds like the stones aren't settling in with water before you're using them.

I do not see how not soaking the stones can cause dishing?
One issue with super stones it they tend to bend a bit due the the nature of the binder. We do not know if that is the case but for me this is the most reasonable explanation.

Originally Posted by mainaman

I do not see how not soaking the stones can cause dishing?
One issue with super stones it they tend to bend a bit due the the nature of the binder. We do not know if that is the case but for me this is the most reasonable explanation.

What I was trying to say is that it may seem like dishing but in fact it is a slight bend or warp in the stone.