I have had quite a number of hones go through my hands to find a perfect honing set up. Many people will find that they can make what they have work no matter the set up. But, the search for the perfect set of hones can be a lengthy and expensive undertaking.
I have had 7 Japanese natural hones come and go. There was one that was nice but the edges I got off of it weren't consistant and I ended up selling that one to. I have settled on a Vintage Belgian Yellow Coticule as a finishing hone with a chromium oxide balsa hone the final step before the strops.
Be that as it may, I have used this method for the longest of any of the methods I have had and I have loved it. No matter the razor or the grind, the edge was a comfortable & smooth one.
I have had an itch to re-enter the Japanese natural hone world (I live and breath in Japan so it makes sense). So I set out about a month ago casually browsing the Japanese hone sites for something that I would like to plop down some green for. I had decided I wouldn't skimp this time and if the cost was managable I would pay it.
In my quest I decided that I wanted to buy locally and not over the internet. And this led me to a shop accross the street from where I work, in downtown Tokyo. I have been in and out of there many many times. In fact I bought up all of the Filarmonica Novodur stock that they had (a number of years ago). So the guys at the shop knew who I was.
The shop had four high-end naturals one marked as a #36,000 grit, one at #50,000 grit, one at #60,000 grit and one at #75,000 grit. The lowest one was in my budget (barely) and I made the move to buy it.
What it is, is an Oohira Suita Yama - Size 40 - 'Betsujou' (special) finishing hone. It also has the added bonus of having 'Renge' patterning throughout the hone (Renge pronounced 'ren-gay'). Renge is a red freckle that is indicitive of a fine hone with a high cutting strength.
Here is a pic I took at the store.
Here is a close-up of the renge.
I actually also bought a Nakayama Maruichi Kiita Razor hone (<-- click) as well and that happened to arrive last night too. I decided to try out the Oohira and leave the Nakayama for later.
So as not to ruin one of my shave ready razors I took an old Henkels, that I have, up to #5000 Chosera, and then tried out the Oohira. Initially I didn't make a slurry to see what would happpen, if anything. Nothing really happened. There was some change in the scratch pattern on the bevel but not much. So I worked up a light slurry and went back at it, this proved successful.
After examining the edge of the Henkels under magnification I decided that the hone wouldn't harm my edges and would work just fine for razors.
I took out my Le Canadien made my TI and my Robert Williams Custom. Both razors had been finished on a very fine coticule and then cro oxide. They had also both been shaved with several times and both have quite hard high carbon steel. The only difference is the grind and the size.
I did about 50~75 laps on both. I didn't rinse off or change the slurry when I switched razors. I did add a little though for the second razor. I have to say that it is a very nice size to use with razors. Size 40 = 205mm x 75mm and seems just about right.
I took both razors to the bathroom to strop. I ussually do at least fifty cloth laps before I hit the leather but I didn't this time to see if the initial edge was going to need any toning down of any harshness on a cloth strop. I ended up doing 50 laps on TM horsehide and 50 on Kanayama cordovan.
The shave was very nice. I have had troubles off and on with the harsh feel of freshly honed razors and this was DEFINATELY NOT the case. The edge was smooth and keen and left a silky smooth face that didn't even hint at a burn when my AS splash was applied afterward.
All in all an excellent result. I will keep using them without the linen to see how the edge holds up.
The Oohira was an expensive hone but if it keeps on working like this I will be a happy man. I may not even try the new Nakayama I have sitting in my razor drawer.
I have had 7 Japanese natural hones come and go. There was one that was nice but the edges I got off of it weren't consistant and I ended up selling that one to. I have settled on a Vintage Belgian Yellow Coticule as a finishing hone with a chromium oxide balsa hone the final step before the strops.
Be that as it may, I have used this method for the longest of any of the methods I have had and I have loved it. No matter the razor or the grind, the edge was a comfortable & smooth one.
I have had an itch to re-enter the Japanese natural hone world (I live and breath in Japan so it makes sense). So I set out about a month ago casually browsing the Japanese hone sites for something that I would like to plop down some green for. I had decided I wouldn't skimp this time and if the cost was managable I would pay it.
In my quest I decided that I wanted to buy locally and not over the internet. And this led me to a shop accross the street from where I work, in downtown Tokyo. I have been in and out of there many many times. In fact I bought up all of the Filarmonica Novodur stock that they had (a number of years ago). So the guys at the shop knew who I was.
The shop had four high-end naturals one marked as a #36,000 grit, one at #50,000 grit, one at #60,000 grit and one at #75,000 grit. The lowest one was in my budget (barely) and I made the move to buy it.
What it is, is an Oohira Suita Yama - Size 40 - 'Betsujou' (special) finishing hone. It also has the added bonus of having 'Renge' patterning throughout the hone (Renge pronounced 'ren-gay'). Renge is a red freckle that is indicitive of a fine hone with a high cutting strength.
Here is a pic I took at the store.
Here is a close-up of the renge.
I actually also bought a Nakayama Maruichi Kiita Razor hone (<-- click) as well and that happened to arrive last night too. I decided to try out the Oohira and leave the Nakayama for later.
So as not to ruin one of my shave ready razors I took an old Henkels, that I have, up to #5000 Chosera, and then tried out the Oohira. Initially I didn't make a slurry to see what would happpen, if anything. Nothing really happened. There was some change in the scratch pattern on the bevel but not much. So I worked up a light slurry and went back at it, this proved successful.
After examining the edge of the Henkels under magnification I decided that the hone wouldn't harm my edges and would work just fine for razors.
I took out my Le Canadien made my TI and my Robert Williams Custom. Both razors had been finished on a very fine coticule and then cro oxide. They had also both been shaved with several times and both have quite hard high carbon steel. The only difference is the grind and the size.
I did about 50~75 laps on both. I didn't rinse off or change the slurry when I switched razors. I did add a little though for the second razor. I have to say that it is a very nice size to use with razors. Size 40 = 205mm x 75mm and seems just about right.
I took both razors to the bathroom to strop. I ussually do at least fifty cloth laps before I hit the leather but I didn't this time to see if the initial edge was going to need any toning down of any harshness on a cloth strop. I ended up doing 50 laps on TM horsehide and 50 on Kanayama cordovan.
The shave was very nice. I have had troubles off and on with the harsh feel of freshly honed razors and this was DEFINATELY NOT the case. The edge was smooth and keen and left a silky smooth face that didn't even hint at a burn when my AS splash was applied afterward.
All in all an excellent result. I will keep using them without the linen to see how the edge holds up.
The Oohira was an expensive hone but if it keeps on working like this I will be a happy man. I may not even try the new Nakayama I have sitting in my razor drawer.
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