Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
The Naniwa would have been very easy to master and gives good consistent results if properly lapped before first use and periodically thereafter. The Jnat you ended up with should give you good results though, once you get the hang of it. Yeah there is a learning curve but it is certainly doable by a newbie who is well motivated and dedicated. (Says the guy who has never honed with a Jnat!) You may get some pretty whack results at first, but if you stick with it and post about your difficulties and questions here on the forum, you will get it, and sooner or later you will be getting quite satisfying results.
I would have suggested lapping film, which I believe is the best and definitely the fastest way for a newbie to create his first truly great edge. No lapping of stones needed, ever. No slurry needed. No stones to drop and break that cost $50, $500, or even more. Very cheap entry into honing; even cheaper when you only want to do maintenance honing, which requires only one grade of film. As big and as perfectly rectangular a honing surface as you like. Any shape or size you like, actually. You could cut your film out to the shape of hearts or moons or flintstone vitamins, if that is what you like. But don't. Cut it in thirds, lengthwise to get a rectangular honing surface 11" long and almost 3" wide.
Once your edge is spot on, you can also maintain it by the proper use of a properly set up pasted balsa strop. I never have to rehone my razors. Perpetual sharpness. With stones or film, typically you do a touchup when you feel that the edge is getting a bit dull. With the balsa, you never need to shave with an edge that has degraded in the first place, after you find your groove.
Lapping film, try it. | Badger & Blade
How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop | Badger & Blade
The above links for extra credit reading. Meanwhile, your Jnat will get you there if you do your part.
I would have suggested lapping film, which I believe is the best and definitely the fastest way for a newbie to create his first truly great edge. No lapping of stones needed, ever. No slurry needed. No stones to drop and break that cost $50, $500, or even more. Very cheap entry into honing; even cheaper when you only want to do maintenance honing, which requires only one grade of film. As big and as perfectly rectangular a honing surface as you like. Any shape or size you like, actually. You could cut your film out to the shape of hearts or moons or flintstone vitamins, if that is what you like. But don't. Cut it in thirds, lengthwise to get a rectangular honing surface 11" long and almost 3" wide.
Once your edge is spot on, you can also maintain it by the proper use of a properly set up pasted balsa strop. I never have to rehone my razors. Perpetual sharpness. With stones or film, typically you do a touchup when you feel that the edge is getting a bit dull. With the balsa, you never need to shave with an edge that has degraded in the first place, after you find your groove.
Lapping film, try it. | Badger & Blade
How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop | Badger & Blade
The above links for extra credit reading. Meanwhile, your Jnat will get you there if you do your part.
