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Naniwa Specialty stone recommendation?

I just bought 3 Naniwa specialty stones from a shop that was selling them for half price. They are the 800 sp-408, 3000 sp-430 and Super stone 10000 S1-490. My question is which stone do I need next? The 8000 S1-480 or the the 5000 S1-450. Also would you recommend me getting the S1-491 12000 or is the 10000 good enough?
Thanks
 
I can’t help you with the 10K. I’ve used the 12K for over a year and it is a very nice stone. The 10K wouldn’t be a dramatic enough difference from the 8K I have.


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If I had to pick between 5K and 8K I would probably pick the 8K because it is a good point in a progression to move to natural stones and other finishers. 3k to 8K is a bit of a jump but you probably can make it work.

If you already have the 10K then the 12K may not do much for you. But you would have to answer that for yourself really. If you asked if you should get the 10 or 12 I would have said get the 12 over the 10.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
For your progression and the options listed, I’d go with the 5000. 3000 to 8000 is almost a 3x jump and 8k is quite close to 10k.

The 10k is quite an excellent razor finisher BTW, many on the EU forums prefer it to the 12k. I have both, and they do not seem to be the same stone really. The 10k is a little softer and polishes more. the 10k is said to be more like the old pink Naniwa 12k than the new one. I did a comparison of the 10k Naniwa to the Suehiro 20k, and there’s not much difference in the shaving edge.
 
My progression with the 1k, 3k, 8k and 12k. The progression works well, but going from 3k to 8k requires some extra work on the 8k. Not terrible, but I have to do some extra laps on the 8k before moving on to the 12k.

3k to 10k is too big a jump for me. I would recommend you pick up an 8k and a 12k, and maybe sell the 10k to offset your cost. I really like the edge off of the 12k. However, I’ve not tried the Naniwa 10k so keep that in mind.
 
I have had good luck over the years with Naniwa SS hones.
1k, 5k, 8k, 12k progression. Added a 3k a while later. Excellent all-purpose setup.
Ulrik Beyer (Koraat Razors) creates a spectacular edge with a Naniwa 10k using only a well worn DMT before that. Guy has talent.
 
The 3k is an excellent stone. If I had to omit one it would be the 5k.
Get the 8k. The 10k is a very good finisher - you do not need a 12k.
 
Also would you recommend me getting the S1-491 12000 or is the 10000 good enough?

Over in Germany many swear by the Naniwa 10K...they prefer it to the 12K.
My razor maker recommended it too...it's the highest stone I have.
After honing it, I go to lapping film 1 micron....and then balsa strops with diamond compound
all the way up to 0.1 micron....see The Method thread by slash mccoy
 
I have a complete set of Naniwa stones from 220 grit up to 12K. The only time I use grits below 1K is when restoring a badly deteriorated blade. I only use 1K - 8K when resetting the bevel.

Once the bevel has been properly set on a razor, you should not need the lower grit stones. Many people use a Naniwa 12K to maintain an edge. Personally, my face detects some harshness in a Naniwa 12K edge, so I normally skip the 12K and go from the 10K to some type of natural finishing hone. If your face is not as sensitive as mine, the Naniwa 12 K might be ideal. Try your 10K, first however, as you may find that it produces an edge that works for you. If not, you can look for another finisher, either a synthetic or natural hone.

For me, the Greek Vermio, South African Zuly Grey, and Imperia La Roccia stone are my natural finishing hones of choice, but there are plenty of other options: some Coticules, Escher grade Thuringens, razor grade Japanese Naturals, etc. If you get a good Guangxi Hones from China, it can be a good finisher, but some are better suited for knife sharpening. It all depends on what you want in an edge. The Imperia la Roccia hones are somewhat controversial in the straight razor community as the supplier will not reveal the geographical source of the stones. As with all natural hones, they can vary in quality, but if you get a good one, they can produce a really nice edge.

There are also some high-grit synthetic hones that can make good finishers. Some examples are the Shapton Glass 16K and 30K ceramic hones and the Suehiro Gokumyo 20K hone. They are rather expensive, but so too are some of the natural finishing hones.
 
First thing to do is to get the stones you bought and lap them and then see if they stay flat or if they warp.
IF all is well, consider buying more.
Where people sometimes want to consider what they can get away with, I tend to consider a bigger picture.
In the Naniwas set, there is a lot of practical sense for putting a 5k after a 3k, having a larger particle (than the 8k's particle) to erase the 3k work helps the work go faster, and reduces time/wear on the following higher grit stone. It's just more efficient.
Is it neccessary? Depends on the budget, skills and expectations.
The Nani 10k is a very good stone, using it after an 8k is a notable improvement. I would opt to use it after an 8k long before choosing a 5k-10k progression.
Using the 12k after the 10k, there is a nudge of improvement. Some may like the smoothness off the 10k better.
 
I say try what you have. I've jumped from 3k to a 10k or a natural. See how it shaves for you and go from there. 12k is really not needed if you have a 10k IMHO. There is no protocol set in "stone"..pun intended
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I don't know anywhere near as much as some guys who've commented but I've leaning towards the 5K given your question.

What works works. You have to determine exactly what that is as it's your whiskers and skin.

Welcome to the World's Largest Rabbit Hole.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I’m set up with 1k, 3k, 8k, 12k naniwa and a dmt 325 for flattening. I have thought about the five but honestly no true use for it for me.
 
You could fill the gaps with lapping film, maybe 1k, 5k and 8k. Then consider a natural finisher. If you got a Jnat finisher you could fill the gaps with Nagura. Maybe Botan to Mejiro after the 3k. Or you could try a Coticule progression after the 3k and then transfer to the 10k and play with water only after that on the Coticule. See what you like. Many options.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Too bad you bot the 10k. So close to 12k. So close to 8k. My general rule of thumb is to go up no more than 3x per jump, and use smaller jumps toward the fine end of the progression. It isn't really all that critical. I have Naniwa Superstones in 1k, 3k, 8k, and 12k. The 12k is a good finisher. The jumps are not bad. But you already have that 10k. So here is what I would do. I would first of all get some 1u lapping film instead of the 12k. You will of course also need a plate. The cheapest and goodest solution is 3/4" or 1" thick acrylic, 3" wide x 12" long. You may as well get a couple extra. Actually you may as well get 4 in total and the reason will become clear in a bit. TAP Plastics is my source. Now you have a 3k and a 10k, and you want to fill that gap? I would lean toward the 8k but you could also go with 3u lapping film. 3k to 5k is not much of a jump and you will hardly notice it. For that matter, the 3k to 10k is only barely over a 3x jump and quite doable. Remember these stones can stand a bit of wear because you won't use them much. You only use the full progression when you get a new addition to your collection or you damage the edge.

There are a kazillion ways to hone a razor. Mine is not the only way, but the results are pretty awesome whether is is me doing it, or a newbie honing his second or third razor. The Method builds upon a 1u film or alternately a 12k stone, and progresses through three stages of lapped and pasted balsa ending with .1u which is roughly 200k grit. A lot of people think it is purely an inversely proportional balancing act between smooth and sharp. However, once you reach the .1u level, sharp IS smooth. At least it is with lapped and diamond pasted balsa. Anyway you need three balsa strops and they must have a thick, non flexing, non warping base, and that is why the extra acrylic plates. See the Newbie Honing Compendium sticky for details. If you don't want to bother with the balsa and you are okay with an ordinary 1u/12k edge, then there you go. Get the film. You have to hone an awful lot of razors before you break even by buying the 12k, which isn't all that cheap. And when you do hone an awful lot of razors, you wear that stone down a lot. It is a good stone, but for most of us the film makes a lot more sense.

You could also just stick with what you got and not get film or the 12k, and do the balsa progression, it will just take more laps on the .5u grit. No biggie, again, you won't use it much. You will use the .1u a lot. Most Method honers strop on the .1u balsa after every shave, and never have to re-hone. The edge just never gets dull at all.

With practice and a few tricks you can make a 10k edge perform like a 12k edge, more or less. Takes longer, though.
 
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