I haven’t tested it yet, but it feels hard and seems promising.
Fingers crossed!
Congratulation that is a stellar looking beauty. Taste the Rainbow.
So I did a tomo slurry refresh on a W&B and got HHT 3 after stropping (I think I could get more if I spent a little more time). I usually finish on a misty slurry but I felt this one needed to be taken to water only to get the refinement I needed. It certainly has the most luxurious feel of any razor stone I have - very soft and suede like in feel, but still capable of finishing a razor. Many of my harder finishers can easily leave scratches on the bevel on water only but this one wasn't scratchy in the least. Very enjoyable and the easiest finisher to use on water only.
How hard it's it? I have a Nakayama kiita with iromono and it's rated a lvl 4.5 and the kiita slurry stone I use with it is rated at a lvl 4, same supplier. I think the bigger one is either softer or just releases grit easier. The stones more abrasive than I expected just from what I've read on jnats. The slurries break down and get dark real fast. 3 quick(until they break down) tomo nagura slurries and it gave up an amazing shave. I was looking around for an actual benchstone today because I like the stone so much.
To my surprise I just took a kiridashi to it and it reacted like a very hard stone - slow cutting action on the soft iron jigane, and a super high polish on the entire bevel. I'm not great at putting numbers to hardnesses, I prefer to describe how the stone reacts in certain situations. Maybe it was that particular kiridashi, but it does seem like it's a pretty hard stone, yet feels soft and luxurious under a razor. You're looking for a Nakayama kiita bench stone?
I was looking around. I decided I need to finish flattening and testing the other larger ones I have. They aren't too small, but at some point in the fairly near future I'll be looking for a Nakayama kiita bench stone. I like the one I got.
When the stone is dry. Take a drop of water and just place it on the stone. Let it sit and see how long it take to start absorbing. That will give you an idea of hardness too. If it sits for only a few minutes and then starts to absorb it is probably more medium stone below 4 also below 4 will self slurry under a blade with pressure. If it sits proud for 30 minutes or more it is probably around the 4-5 range hard pressure and effort is required to get slurry in this range. If it sits proud and round on the surface for an hour or more it is probably more in the 5+ and up range. These won't slurry under even extreme pressure from a blade. These are just helpful variables and not hard facts though.
Thanks for the tip, I'm trying this out now.
This is great advice, looks like I got some testing to do this weekend.
