Thread: Bevel set or Finisher problem ?

Quick question to you jnat experts- I am VERY new to honing but just picked up a small shuobudani jnat. I'm going to use the stone as a polisher. Would I get a smoother edge with, or without, the slurry? Is the grit range higher or lower with slurry? Thanks in advance for any and all responses- as a newb I really count on the forum alot for intelligent advice!
All the best,
Tony

Originally Posted by anthogia

Quick question to you jnat experts- I am VERY new to honing but just picked up a small shuobudani jnat. I'm going to use the stone as a polisher. Would I get a smoother edge with, or without, the slurry? Is the grit range higher or lower with slurry? Thanks in advance for any and all responses- as a newb I really count on the forum alot for intelligent advice!
All the best,
Tony

As Jnats go, ymmw!
But the Shoubudani I've got here is not very comfortable with water only, blade skips and it scratches badly, so for me on this rock it's slurry only!
Then there is lots of different slurrys too, try yours with any slurry stone you can lay your hands on and see how it behaves.

Edit; I don't use my Shoubudani much for razors, more for kitchen knives and tool but it's a really good fine stone!

Originally Posted by Lemur

As Jnats go, ymmw!
But the Shoubudani I've got here is not very comfortable with water only, blade skips and it scratches badly, so for me on this rock it's slurry only!
Then there is lots of different slurrys too, try yours with any slurry stone you can lay your hands on and see how it behaves.

Edit; I don't use my Shoubudani much for razors, more for kitchen knives and tool but it's a really good fine stone!

Thanks lemur! I appreciate the advice. I get mixed feelings when I've asked before about the slurry but I think the consensus was to use it. I'm going to use it. I've also got a Zulu grey slurry stone so maybe I can try with that one also, I never thought that you can use two different slurry stones on a different rocK- it never even crossed my mind! Thanks again!
Tony

Originally Posted by anthogia

Quick question to you jnat experts- I am VERY new to honing but just picked up a small shuobudani jnat. I'm going to use the stone as a polisher. Would I get a smoother edge with, or without, the slurry? Is the grit range higher or lower with slurry? Thanks in advance for any and all responses- as a newb I really count on the forum alot for intelligent advice!
All the best,
Tony

hello Tony

the correct answer is: it all depends.
The essence of owning a jnat is toying with it until you master it, or go insane
Usually shoubu are hard as hell. Sometimes these stones can be tamed with a very light slurry. I would do some tests. Sharpen the blade until it shaves smoothly. Ideally on your synthetic 8k. Then try your shoubu with water only and see what it feels like. If you feel a gritty sensation or some stick and slip stop. If not, test shave. Afterwards try raising a slurry and test shave. Decide what you like better and do some tests again at a later point. Try different amounts of slurry, water it down or don't. It's up to you. Play with it and enjoy it.
From my personal experience with shoubu:
mine was neither scratchy nor uncomfortable with water only.
It finished as good as any other stone I have ever tried

As with Mikawa Naguras with different "grits" you can use different Tomo naguras too, it's not only the "grits", some will lubricate better than others.
It takes a few to find a good combination, but well worth it!

Lemur is spot on in regard to slurry stones. They can make all the difference if they don't fit the base stone. That is especially true for nagura (wrong term here) that are not suitable. Ie don't just use any nagura like these clay rubbing stones sometimes called nagura.
When we talk about nagura we usually mean nagura made of equally fine and hard ( or finer and harder) stones called tomo-nagura, or the true nagura mejiro, tenjhou, koma or (the coarser) botan nagura. Dmt diamond stones can be used as slurry stones as well

Originally Posted by Lesslemming

Lemur is spot on in regard to slurry stones. They can make all the difference if they don't fit the base stone. That is especially true for nagura (wrong term here) that are not suitable. Ie don't just use any nagura like these clay rubbing stones sometimes called nagura.
When we talk about nagura we usually mean nagura made of equally fine and hard ( or finer and harder) stones called tomo-nagura, or the true nagura mejiro, tenjhou, koma or (the coarser) botan nagura. Dmt diamond stones can be used as slurry stones as well

I am actually honing a razor now or finishing it rather and I made this slurry on the J nat with the Zulu gray slurry stone.... I will see how it comes out with the shave test but I'm going to finish it on the stone until it's clearwater.

Originally Posted by anthogia

Thanks lemur! I appreciate the advice. I get mixed feelings when I've asked before about the slurry but I think the consensus was to use it. I'm going to use it. I've also got a Zulu grey slurry stone so maybe I can try with that one also, I never thought that you can use two different slurry stones on a different rocK- it never even crossed my mind! Thanks again!
Tony

Zulu gray slurry stone probably not going to work well with your Jnat. Jnat slurry breaks down as you use it, not quite clear if that happens to Zulu gray slurry, use Jnat slurry stone instead.
W/e you read on the forums, just experiment to see what works for you. It is not going to damage your razors, as this is your polishing stone.

Originally Posted by mainaman

Zulu gray slurry stone not going to work well with your Jnat.
Use Jnat slurry stone instead.
W/e you read on the forums, just experiment to see what works for you. It is not going to damage your razors, as this is your polishing stone.

it was too late I already used the slurry stone from the Zulu grey but I'm down to clear water now so I'm going to finish it off. it is very sharp though, popping hairs like crazy!

Originally Posted by anthogia

it was too late I already used the slurry stone from the Zulu grey but I'm down to clear water now so I'm going to finish it off. it is very sharp though, popping hairs like crazy!

so what keeps you from redoing with jnat slurry stone?