Thread: Looks like I stumbled into another Rabbit hole

Welcome aboard.

I've held a authentic, vintage, samurai sword.
Beautiful, and well balanced. Was surprised how close to being razor sharp it was, even with the rust and pitting that was on the blade.

I'm green with envy....

Welcome to a forum full of rabbit holes and enablers. Enjoy your time here.

Welcome to srp. We are happy to push ya down deeper in the rabbit hole. And you wont even need to ask.

Welcome, learn to hone on synthetics, as said the 15k should produce a good shave, heck the 8k should produce a good shave.

Get some hand-held magnification, lots of threads on what to buy, does not need to be expensive, you are just looking for stria progression and ensuring you are honing to the edge, not microscopic comparison.

Once you can consistently get good shaving edges, then introduce the Jnat, an easy jump from the 8k or 15.

Get a decent strop, and learn to strop, usually the hardest thing for new shavers to master. Be aware it can take some time to get to the point you are improving the edge. It is a skill that can only be learned by doing.

For all of it, there are tons of discussion and video to help you and if stumped ask.

A lot to learn, to shave, to strop, to hone, each can be a steep curve. Take your time, you are in the right place for help when needed.

Enjoy.

Welcome to the forum.

Post a photo of that JNat... a visible crack on the top doesn't sound good. If you can feel it with your fingertip, it will cause trouble when sharpening. A quality vendor will swap it out/replace it for you.

Wetting it down with water will help accentuate the crack for the photo (see mine attached, when I was working with a vendor). If you do decide to keep it, CA glue (superglue) followed by lapping can help save it... but again no reputable vendor should be selling a stone with a visible surface crack.

Cheers, HJ

Hi and welcome aboard. You sound like your in deep and haven't even started yet. Be warned exploring the forum leadsto further addictions

Thank you for all the warm welcomes!
Pic as you requested Hungejoe. I will keep it, I think the crack will lap out hopefully. It’s a karma thing, besides I’ve already sealed it, and will hope for the best.

Sorry Bignosekelly, and anyone else who would like to have seen them, no sword pics. Unless you want to check out what might still be posted on Christie’s auction house site.

In Florida the wife has control of all of the husbands assets unless stipulated by legal documentation. Unfortunately My father did not take care of his affairs a very well, and my evil stepmother has every intention of selling the entire collection even though she’s clueless as to how to go about doing it. See above paragraph. Even though some of the pieces were earmarked for me, including the one sword that started the entire endeavor.
A beautiful sword, in full formal dressing (saya), exchanged by officers at the end of World War II. Brought back by a friend of my grandmothers, then given to our family in the late 60s before the general past a way, not necessarily or exclusively to my father. The first piece the evil stepmother was able to sell. A bit of a sore subject, not due to monetary value, but sentimental value.

Thank you all again,

Dave

Onto the pictures of stones:

Nice looking stone... Ozukus can make very nice finishers... That looks like it's a surface inclusion and should lap out. You probably realize this but you're not done lapping at the point the second photo was taken. Don't hone before lapping is done... that will just end in frustration. You can get away with that in knife sharpening but not here.

You'll find honing razors is a different experience. There is a learning curve, but I don't think it's especially steep. Some of your knife sharpening knowledge will be useful, but not on methods of sharpening... you'll have to learn entirely different methods. Your knowledge will apply as general background on what the steel is doing and how the stones work...

Do you want the bottom photo removed ? You can edit it yourself using the manage attachments button.