ShavingUniverse.com

Register a free account now!

If you are registered, you get access to the members only section, can participate in the buy & sell second hand forum and last but not least you can reserve your preferred username before someone else takes it.

Honing On Japanese Natural Hones, an ongoing journal

superb, couldn't find marine grade polyurethane, but did manage to find a tung oil yacht polish, which I'm sure will be able to put up with the treacherous weather conditions of my boiler cupboard ;) thanks BlacknTan, much appreciated

kind regards Alex
 
I have not the faintest idea of how those Japanese hones work except I know there's a slurry breakdown on them, but what the heck are you guys lacquering them for?

cheers,
Matt
 
It mentions on www.japanesenaturalstones.com, that its best to lacquer them in case they develop small cracks due to contrasting temperatures. I live in Scotland and its going to get chilly like it is most places, so I thought I'd err on the safe side and prevent the cracks as its easier to prevent them than it is to fix them IMO.

regards Alex
 
I'm still learning about Japanese stones, and I still have a long way in my journey, but I believe it is also traditional to lacquer the stones..
It also is purported to provide some stability to what can otherwise be a somewhat fragile stone.
 
Did anybody (especially you Gary) try down described aproach from JimR translated text "Honing razor and Nihonkamisori" especially last steps from finishing on tomonagura slurry to edge finishing (btw. what are your oppinions of the last #5 step)

....."3. Finishing Honing
We’ve just finished honing with Nagura. Now we’ll be honing with our Honyama. Get your Small-
Form Honyama, wet the surface of your honyama hone and raise a slurry on it. This stone is often
called “Tomonagura” but, as you aren’t using a Nagura stone but two paired pieces of the same kind
of finishing hone, the name they use in Okayama Prefecture, “Paired Hone” [共砥-tomoto in
Japanese--JDR] is correct. However, as I’m not that particular about my speech I use the term
“Tomonagura.”
Through this, the Honyama grit particles are brought out onto the top of the hone. When you hone a
razor or kamisori on this, naturally a “Honyama” edge will come out on your blade, and the edge
will become better than that left by the Nagura.
However, if you investigate this edge under a microscope, along the edge you will see a row of
incredibly fine, jagged saw-tooth structures. Until recently, people often said you should shave with
this edge, but recent honing research has judged this to be a false edge [ムダ刃-mudaha, like a very
minor burr--JDR].
4. Removing the False Edge
In order to remove the very fine false edge create by the Honyama hone, you need a hone with
particles finer than those of the Honyama. Many people believe this false edge can be removed with
a leather or linen strop, but in reality, if you look closely it doesn’t work that way. In this situation, I
bring out a man-made abrasive made for use in mirror-polishing, called “Green Powder”
(Chromium Oxide). Mix this with water and spread it onto the previously-prepared Raxa hone. The
volume should be very small, just enough to turn the cloth slightly green is plenty. There are
undoubtedly people who tend to over apply, but it’s best not to use very much.
Green Powder is far and away finer than Honyama grit particles, so it is well suited to removing the
false edge created by the Honyama. On the above described Raxa hone, hone your razor or
Kamisori spine-leading in a V pattern. Apply light pressure along the edge, and do 3 laps (6 strokes
total); there are some inexperienced people who, because they apply pressure to the spine, fail to
remove the false edge and so they will need to repeat this another 6 times or so. However, if the
false edge is very, very fine, one or two passes might be sufficient.
The time needed should only be about 10 seconds or so. If you check this edge under a microscope,
you will see a beautiful straight line along your edge, which is enough to impress anyone.
After this, it’s often possible to use the razor without even stropping. There should be absolutely no
irritation or pain from it. However, somehow the edge might feel slightly “heavy”. For
inexperienced women hairdressers or older people in their fifties with withered arms, I recommend
being satisfied with this.
However, for those from 25 years old on into their 40s, whose strength hasn't faded, that feeling of
“heaviness” in the edge may be bothersome. This heaviness is caused by the fact that the Raxa hone
is cushioned, and the Green Powder has a lot of polishing power, so it causes a very slight rounding
of the bevel. In this case, follow the procedure described next, “Edge Finishing”.
5. Edge Finishing
Rinse the Honyama very, very well with clean water, removing any trace of slurry. You mustn’t
leave a single grain. Very carefully wash your hands and the razor as well.
Wet the surface of the hone, and hold your razor or Kamisori in one hand. The proper place to hold
a Kamisori one-handed is likely a mystery.
Using just the weight of the blade, very very lighly pull the razor about one or two millimeters in a
direction parallel to the razor's edge [i.e. instead of edge leading or spine leading, move the razor
slightly back and forth perpendicular to the stone.--JDR]. Don't move any further than that. On the
off chance that you move too much, or use too much pressure, you will remove too much steel and
you'll create another false edge. In that case, you should go back and repeat step (4). This technique
is very delicate, and requires a lot of practice."
.
I made "raxa" hone (150x50) from hard wool felt pad bought from SRD and glued to a piece of wood and try to hone as above but I adopt technique little bit. Before going to "raxa" hone I finish razor on water and then proceed steps 4. and 5.
The razor is very keen but same time very smooth without any signs of "harsheness".
 
I've been messing around with refreshing with my tomonagura slurry stone on my coti with good results. I was lapping with my ozuku, which didn't seem to do much but refreshing with the slurry nagura works pretty well.

After refreshing the stone is grippy for about 5 laps and then it smooths itself out, its a weird honing feeling but it gives good results, I've still to test it on other razors but it seems promising.
 
Back
Top