Thread: Which edge do you prefer and why?

Nice work Robert ! I know from the mag. you're using that's one smooth edge. My guess is that if you're shave is that good, what you're seeing at the very edge is the polishing effects of the strop & not a wire or burr. You did strop it , right ???

It felt even better Oz...Truly irritation free. I did not strop any of the blades...straight from stone to face. I just didn't want to introduce the stropping variable into the picture.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Nice work Robert ! I know from the mag. you're using that's one smooth edge. My guess is that if you're shave is that good, what you're seeing at the very edge is the polishing effects of the strop & not a wire or burr. You did strop it , right ???

Ah well, no more WAG's from me but if the shaves are that good I wouldn't worry about what you're seeing at 400x. As Jimmy says 'my edges look better at lower magnification'

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Ah well, no more WAG's from me but if the shaves are that good I wouldn't worry about what you're seeing at 400x. As Jimmy says 'my edges look better at lower magnification'

What's a WAG ?? Jimmy is and will always be right...Me: I am a case of "curiosity killed the cat" . Can't leave well enough alone

WAG = Wild ass guess

Round 1 of Series 1, #3. Same initial routine as blade #1 & #2; Shapton Pros 1k, 2k, 5k, and 12k. The difference is this time the finishing was done using Maruka Asagi using the 3 usual Naguras (Botan, Mejiro & Koma), then tomonagura and water. Each Nagura progression was done with moderate slurry, followed by water at the end.

Shapton Pro 1k/2k/5k/12k + Asagi (polish/finish)


As before, results of this shave are posted in the SOTD section HERE. I thought I would have a sharper edge than what I experienced this AM (WTG was not quite doing it). After all, the HHT passed with flying colors (all along the edge)...My normal routine in the past of Naniwa 1k, Coti and Asagi produces a very very sharp/smooth edge. The sharpness wasn't quite there (yet). Hmmmm , I attribute that to operator error and learning my Shaptons. I feel the need to push the envelope with these stones a bit more. There's a lot more potential that I haven't uncovered yet. Nevertheless, I had a very smooth and comfortable shave . I would rate it as follows:

Sharpness: 8.0 - 8.5
Smoothness: 9.5

Next week (Monday), I will start Series #2, which will consist of the following progressions:

1. Shapton Pros 91k, 2k, 5k, 12k)
2. #1 + JNat w/Nagura slurry progression (will not repeat since it is already done...this shave)
3. #1 + JNat w/Atoma slurry progression

Round 1 of Series 2, #1 with the Sahpton Pros only. Here's what the edge looked like (lighting and angle was kept the same throughout all these experiments - well, as much as possible)

Shapton Pro 1k/2k/5k/12k (Sharpen/Polish/Finish)


Sorry the picture is a bit out of focus, but this is the best that could be achived...but, you get the idea. Results of this shave are posted HERE. I need to learn these stones a bit more as they are different than the Naniwas I have. Most of the nuances I found were with the 2k and 5k (more with 5k than 2k) as I would get a sharp edge one minute, only to loose it the next (it still passed the HHT test). Nevertheless, the 12k had really nice feedback to it and took care of nuances of the 5k stone. I had a very very sharp edge and an incredibly smooth edge (similar to my JNat + Nagura). I would rate it as follows:

Sharpness: 9.5 - 10.0
Smoothness: 9.5

Tomorrow, I will shave with the edge honed on the Shapton Pros (1k, 2k, 5k, 12k) + JNat w/Atoma slurry progression.

How big is the gap between the 5k and the 12k? I am thinking that I will buy a shapton 2k and 5k to try the pros, I have a DMT 1200 for bevel setting and a nani 12k for finishing. I could add my norton 8k between, but I am not sure that I would get any benefit from it.

There seems to be a large gap for sure, but that gap disapears with the 12k...And that's what was suggested to me when I wanted to buy these stones. I was told that the 8k won't add much...I certainly found that to be true. YMMV.

Having said that, I am really not sure how the Naniwa 12k will close that gap? or the Norton 8k...I have not tested variations yet...in all honesty, I think I will stick to this regimen for awhile now...I really like it.

Take what I say with a grain of salt...This advice is coming from a total babbling non-expert. I hope that some of the pros will chime in (Oz, KingFish, Birnando, Max, Glen, Lynn among countless others)

Originally Posted by jeness

How big is the gap between the 5k and the 12k? I am thinking that I will buy a shapton 2k and 5k to try the pros, I have a DMT 1200 for bevel setting and a nani 12k for finishing. I could add my norton 8k between, but I am not sure that I would get any benefit from it.

I'm pretty new to these J-Shaps too but will back up Robert's experience. 5k -12k is very doable Sure you may need a few more strokes than if you slipped in an 8k but these are very fast stones & will do the job as you can tell from the above shave test. . Impressed the heck outta me on my first shave test off 12k too.
I have no idea if the SS12k would match the Shap12k as a replacement tho. I don't have one to compare.


PS I did one of these progressions today on a new Boker. Stopped at 5k & jumped to Asagi with very light Tenjyou slurry 20 or 30 strokes. Shaved the same as my first shave test when I used the 12k as well but the edge seemed to weather the shave better.
It's easy to overdo it even with high grit stones. The Shap 12k is a finisher in its own right.