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Comments on plan to buy a Naniwa progression

Thinking about buying a progression of naniwa superstones, and acrylic plates to mount them.
Checking in with you gents first.

I already have a 12k naniwa. I like it, and I'm thinking about buying a 3k, 5k and 8k. And acrylic mounting plates, as follows:

one 11” x 9” x 3/4” TAP Plastic acrylic plate to hold an entire sheet of 400 grit sandpaper for lapping

one 11” x 2 3/4” x 3/4” acrylic plate to hold 1,000 grit sandpaper for bevel setting.

three 8 1/4" x 2 3/4” x 3/4” acrylic plates to hold a 3k, 5k, and 8k naniwa superstone

I already have a naniwa 12k for finishing. It’s already mounted on acrylic. The acrylic plate means I can hold it in the air free hand and hone, without worrying about nicking my finger tips.

Comments appreciated.
 
I have the Naniwa super stones, 1k, 5k, 8k and 12k. They are the full size stones and I use the mounting base to hold the stones.

You can hone a razor in no time with these stones. They’re easy to maintain and flatten. I’ve honed over a dozen razors from 1k on up and the results have been great every time. The 1,5,8 and 12k works well and I recommend that progression. I use 220 sandpaper and a marble tile to flatten the stones. I’m very happy with the Naniwa stones.

Negatives? The price. However, they will last you a lifetime.
 
A few years back, when I began hand-holding the hones, I was gripping it from the sides. At one point, with a DMT "whetstone" (one of the 6" x 2" types with perforated polka-dots), one of my fingertips protruded ever so slightly above the honing surface and I got a really nasty cut (nothing that wouldn't grow back, thankfully). Since then, I've always hand-held with the palm and fingers outstretched and the hone resting on the hand like this, rather than gripping it. That is what I would recommend to you; and consequently, the thickness of the stone can be reduced accordingly, without need for an underlying support.

As for the Naniwa sequence, I don't have much experience with the Super Stone line, but I have done pretty well with the more economical 1500 and 6000 Naniwa traditional stone line, before moving to naturals.
 
Yeah, Alum touched on the one point that is holding me back from buying a naniwa progression.

That jnat thing. I've held off from getting into that world. It's a whole new hobby just in itself. I read about it and I'm interested in it, but I'm thinking not yet....

I have those cheap norton double stones, and a whole film progression, and I have a 12k nani fiinisher. And .5u, .25u, .1u diamond pasted balsa for The Method. And Atoma diamond lapping plates.

But no naturals.

Right now I'm thinking a synthetic naniwa progression. Probably the thick 20mm superstones. Like I said, sandpaper and then 3, 5, 8, 12. On acrylic so I can free hand.

Maybe jnat in future years.

At least a synthetic progression will be sure to work. I'm sure jnats will be fascinating and eventually rewarding, but for now I just need to git er done.

Anyway. Comments appreciated. Keep em comin'
 
Get a 1k, skip the 3 or the 5, don't need both. I hold the thin 8 and 12s no problem, you don't need a holder unless you want one. You will never nick yourself
 
Yeah, cugel, I see that Lynn Abrams' has a video here showing his progression is naniwa 1k, then jumps to 5, 8, then finishes on 12.

I put an acrylic plate on my 12k as it was very thin. But I see that they sell naniwa superstones at double thickness, at 20mm, for only a bit more money.

That may be the way to go. Use thick superstones. 1 for bevel, then 5, 8 and my existing 12 for the polishing.
 
I say buy stones as you have a need and have a purpose for them. The more you get experience honing the more you will develop your own method. Example here is Ulrich Beyer of Koraat putting an edge on a newly ground razor. He uses a diamond plate and a Naniwa 10k.



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I used this method and it really works I think he also finishers with crox and . 5 diamond having had four of his razors they are sharp .
 
Yeah, I see what Beyer is doing. Setting the bevel on a diamond plate, probably 1k. And then jumping all the way to a nani 10k. Glad to see that that can be done.

But he's making up for skipping the 5k and 8k, by doing a ton of laps on the 10k. And it looks like with pressure at the beginning too.

I think he's actually doing more work than if he used multiple stones.

My two cents is that he's going a bit too far away from the progression. But to be fair, I also think some guys go too far the other way. You know, using eight different stones, jumping up only 2k at a time, using a dozen different naguras. You can go too far in either direction here. And if your joy comes from stones and naguras, then great, fill your boots.

I'm leaning toward some compromise. Not counting the bevel setter, I think three stones for me. Call them coarse medium and fine, or whatever. 5k, 8k, 12k

Or friable slurry particles, that's the same thing. The friable slurry particles start off coarse then break down to medium and then break down to fine. jnats or cotis, we're doing the same thing.

Everybody except Beyer is doing the same thing. It's cool to see that you can make any method work. Even limiting yourself to a fine stone alone, Beyer can make that work. He's just using some high honemeister skills and some determination to make it work.

Also, limiting yourself to one stone, limits you to 10k. If he wanted to create a 12k or 15k edge, his jump from 1k to 16k would really take a lot of work.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Yeah, I see what Beyer is doing. Setting the bevel on a diamond plate, probably 1k. And then jumping all the way to a nani 10k. Glad to see that that can be done.

But he's making up for skipping the 5k and 8k, by doing a ton of laps on the 10k. And it looks like with pressure at the beginning too.

I think he's actually doing more work than if he used multiple stones.

My two cents is that he's going a bit too far away from the progression. But to be fair, I also think some guys go too far the other way. You know, using eight different stones, jumping up only 2k at a time, using a dozen different naguras. You can go too far in either direction here. And if your joy comes from stones and naguras, then great, fill your boots.

I'm leaning toward some compromise. Not counting the bevel setter, I think three stones for me. Call them coarse medium and fine, or whatever. 5k, 8k, 12k

Or friable slurry particles, that's the same thing. The friable slurry particles start off coarse then break down to medium and then break down to fine. jnats or cotis, we're doing the same thing.

Everybody except Beyer is doing the same thing. It's cool to see that you can make any method work. Even limiting yourself to a fine stone alone, Beyer can make that work. He's just using some high honemeister skills and some determination to make it work.

Also, limiting yourself to one stone, limits you to 10k. If he wanted to create a 12k or 15k edge, his jump from 1k to 16k would really take a lot of work.
You could start with film and decide which grits you prefer cheaply then buy stones based on your experience.
 

David

B&B’s Champion Corn Shucker
I have the sudden urge to cook a nice filet mignon in an incinerator.
 
You could start with film and decide which grits you prefer cheaply then buy stones based on your experience.

That's what I did. I ended on the 3 micron film then to the Coticule or Coticule to Thuringian. Right now I am not using any paste, but going directly to the strop. Saturday night I chose to do laps on the fire hose linen followed by horse hide. I think it refined the edge more that horse hide alone.
 

David

B&B’s Champion Corn Shucker
It’s doable, but when you throw in diamond paste and Chrox a lot is doable.
 
I use a similar method to Ulrich. Set my bevel and go straight to finish. Works well for me. Less stones to worry about and maintain. Just find a method you like that gives you the edge you want. I’ve shaved of a crap ton of different edges and in the end keen is keen.


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Doable? Sure. But a mid stone would make it easier and faster. Advantage? Only if you don't have a mid-range. Other than that? I don't see it.

Progressions are a method taken from the knife world. In Solingen pre and post war a grinder creates an edge on two stones. Advantage depends on your outlook. Less stones, less money, less maintenance and less chance of error IMHO. Some are into honing, stones and refining an edge to its theoretical max. Some just like to shave with a nice edge and could care less on how it “should” be formed. Lots of ways to skin a cat.


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