How do you figure out what JNat to get?

[TimS]

Tim, pics of your jnats? Also, Alfredo is in RI, I bet he'd meet up with you!

Jnat#1 is a Shoubudani Asagi, #2 is Nakayama Kiita (both form JNS)

Between Alfredo, Obiwan, and BDF here in RI, and JP, Seraphim (and others) in Boston, I'm surrounded by some serious talent. Some of these guys have been very helpful to me (and the others I just haven't reached out to), and I hope to cross paths with all in due time.

 

[buca3152]

That shubo is mines twin. Its a great finisher IMO.

 

[TimS]

Please tell us how it felt to shave with.

I have been able to get my razor very sharp so far with a JNat, but the much touted smoothness doesn't just come along as easy as expected.

The shave this morning was outstanding!--a personal best as far as the sharpness/smoothness combination goes. I was almost giddy after seeing the results of the first pass--it was a great feeling of accomplishment to get a kick-*** HHT from this razor on my daughter's really fine hair last night, and then get such an awesome shave this morning.

Since this shave was after a full nagura progression through tomo on the kiita with 2 slurries each of meijiro and koma, and then finished on the asagi and tomo, I don't know where (yet) in all of that I could have done less to get the same thing (i.e. compare to Alfredo's recent post of one tomo, two slurries for probably the same, or in his hands, likely even better results). I'm not complaining about the amount of work I did to get what I got; it worked for me and proved that I could get a very nice shave finished on that inexpensive asagi.

I'm going to take Buca's advice and work with just the asagi for now on other razors to get repeatable results. Then I want to get back to the kiita and figure that one out.

Thanks again for all the pointers!

 

[CanonSterVa]

Great to hear you got some great results.
Inspiration!
Will make a leap into the JNAT as well - still on the mend but a few more weeks.

 

[buca3152]

The extra naguras added a lot of refinement to the edge. Those naguras are polishers so no heavy cutting and the slurry is fine to begin with. Excellent news and glad to hear.
edit- you will get there much faster soon. Lets keep em sharp and smooth first, the speed will come.

 

[Chaloney]

For anyone interested, chef knives to go now has the ozuku asagi koppa available again. $69
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/hinak.html

 

[pmaster]

More options.... just what I needed before making my choice!

 

[Brooksie967]

JP is back but he's been on a coticule kick again and I have no idea why.... He should weigh in here.

 

[buca3152]

JP, where ya been brother?

 

[hillbilly pick]

Because I have found this thread very helpful and informative, I want to ask a slightly off topic question that I feel goes along with finding and selecting a JNAT.

Is there any special instructions for caring for a JNAT?

i have seen many stones that say and can be seen that the bottom and sides are sealed. I have heard that clear nail-polish can be used to seal them.

do they need to be sealed? Should this sealing be maintained? What is the reasoning?

Should the stones be dried for storing? I am guessing but am sure that accelerated drying is a no no?

Buca mentioned that the JNAT I am buying from him will be lapped to the Coticule level.

Does this mean that he is lapping it in a progression and finishing the lap with a coticule?


Sorry for the barrage, I just don't spend that kind of money on rocks every day and want to keep the stone in the best possible condition so to use it to its full potential for many many years. I also want to make sure the stone is not infested with those crazy ear-wig like bugs you guys talk about.

Thanks, Chris

 

[buca3152]

Dont drop them, dont store them wet or expose to extreme temperatures. Dont store them in sunlight. The stone is sealed on all 4 sides and bottom to prevent water from leaching in and creating or opening fissures that exist in these stones naturally. I use polyurethane sealer so I dont think you will have to do this again, although Im not 100% sure looking at many years of use. The stone was lapped on 60, 100, 220 400, 800 wet dry and 1200 atoma dia plate, bbw and coticule for a very shiny surface. And there are no bugs in it. Mostly common sense. I store my stones in small crude boxes that I made for them out of 1x 4 and 1 x2 wood to avoid banging them into each other as I store my hones on a rolling tool cart with wood shelves.

 

[buca3152]

Here they are. Well most of them anyway.

 

[Brooksie967]

Bill that is disgusting in the best way

 

[hillbilly pick]

Great! Thank you! I keep my Coticules and Thurigian in a slide top cigar box with pelican foam pack.

i picked up another nice cigar box for the JNAT so I think I'm good then.

 

[buca3152]

Family photo of tomos and nagura stones.

 

[PapaFish]

View attachment 415236
Family photo of tomos and nagura stones.

Some of those look large enough that you could hone on them if you wanted to/had to, or you could use them as a travel/touch up hone. That lower left (tomo?) for example is probably large enough. Have you ever tried honing on a tomo?

 

[buca3152]

Tomos are actual pieces of stones so you can definitely hone on em. Never tried though. When you buy them they are big. Thats why a group buy would be helpful as a $30 tomo could be cut into 6 pieces.

 

[CanonSterVa]

Tomos are actual pieces of stones so you can definitely hone on em. Never tried though. When you buy them they are big. Thats why a group buy would be helpful as a $30 tomo could be cut into 6 pieces.

I would be interested if offered.
Myron

 

[PapaFish]

Tomos are actual pieces of stones so you can definitely hone on em. Never tried though. When you buy them they are big. Thats why a group buy would be helpful as a $30 tomo could be cut into 6 pieces.

Where would one go to get a tomo or two? Is that what 330mate is selling on eBay as a roughly $30, roughly 500 gram, stone?

 

[buca3152]

I bought most of mine with my stones as well as having bought 8 from JNS of the large ones. 330 mate, aframestokyo as well as others would have them.