Thoughts on the new shobu jnats?

[Christian1212]

I see a few places selling new shobus (Been looking at one in aframes) and wanted to know if anyone has had one and liked it.

I am familiar with jnats and have gone through a few. With plans of only having 1 finisher during my future endeavors I wanted a top tier finisher to travel with me (still looking for full size). I do enjoy my current finishers but the 2 stones with my favorite finish (coticule and a karasu jnat) I will be leaving with family.

Thanks!

 

[JPO]

I bought one shobu from him some years ago. The stone was rated as a 9+ in hardness, and was advertised as an razor finisher. This stone is grate, but that was jus that particular stone.
I recently got a Nakayama Asagi from well known dealer. This was rated as a collector stone with a hardness rating of LV5. This is muddy compared to my shobu, and did not get close to finish as well. It was also much more expensive. So it is hard to judge by the name of the hole it was dug out of. My experience with aframes is only positive.

 

[R7photo]

Aframes is amazing his stones are superb
I purchased a Shobu Mizu Asagi, it is a magical marvelous beast , he is knowledgeable and helped me oick my stone

 

[cugel]

My shobu, purchased from gamma kvj looks just like those and is a wonderful razor hone. If used properly the feedback is just wonderful, elastic, chewy. A dynamo and packed with grit. Will easily remove 1k chosera scratches using atoma derived slurry if that’s your thing.

 

[R7photo]

My shubu is amazing, love the creamy color slurry but results are superb, just using jnat slurry only

 

[Matt O]

So I recently bought a brick Kiita off of eBay, and the seller said that he originally bought it from Aframes Tokyo years ago. I had no reason to doubt the seller, and so I accepted his word at face value. The eBay seller assessed the stone as not too hard, but not too soft, that it was a fast cutter, and that it was fine. I asked if it was fine enough to put a mirror on the bevel near the edge, and the seller remarked that with the right skills it was possible, because he had done it.

I took a chance and bought it, because the seller said it was great, I like big JNATs, I like Kiita stones, and because one of my pals recommended Aframes Tokyo.

The stone arrived a week or so ago, I tested it once or twice, and was happy with it. Last night I was bored (the first wave of kids had gone to bed), and so I tried to find the original Aframes Tokyo listing from years ago. I was successful, and here is the original listing from 2017.

Unknown Kiita Awasedo Japanese Natural Sharpening Stone 1502g

I was surprised to read that it came from an old Japanese Barber shop, and today I wanted to spend a little more time with the stone and its actual Tomo. In order to put it through its paces I grabbed a razor I use to cut boxes open, open letters, and cut tape. I did not connect with the razor, and so the blade was relegated to other essential duties. Needless to say under the Nikon loupe the edge was trashed, and the bevel near the edge looked like a cat with Tourette’s had gotten ahold of it! The bevel had been set perfectly, but I had serious doubts about the stone being able to rehab the edge without dropping it back to synthetics.

So I made a slurry with the tomo, and got to work…the slurry darkened quickly, so I looked at the edge/bevel under the loupe, and there was marked improvement. It surprised me, and it showed more and more improvement with further slurries! After a third slurry it looked amazing, and so I finished the razor under water only, and again looked under the loupe. It was immaculate!

I stropped the razor, and did an HHT. I usually use words to describe the HHTs, because I am not a fan of using numbers for some reason…so I will say it was excellent…and for those that like the numbers…5s all along the edge with a fine hair.

After being pleasantly surprised (shocked), I said to myself, “Hmmmm…I just shaved yesterday morning…but I have just enough stubble that I can get away with shave testing this thing!” So I did a two pass shave WTG and ATG) using MDC, and I was very very impressed. I did zero shave prep aside from soaking a boar brush for a few minutes, wetting my face, and knocking the shave test out.

Needless to say, this stone that was originally sourced from Aframes Tokyo, is fantastic! I agree with the Aframes proprietor in his assessment of the stone cuts fast, and that it is hard enough, but not super hard. I think it might be a little more fine that his numerical rating suggests…but it’s close enough.

So…based off of my experience with this stone…I would be very comfortable buying from this vendor.

I hope that helps!

Vr

Matt

 

[cugel]

So I recently bought a brick Kiita off of eBay, and the seller said that he originally bought it from Aframes Tokyo years ago. I had no reason to doubt the seller, and so I accepted his word at face value. The eBay seller assessed the stone as not too hard, but not too soft, that it was a fast cutter, and that it was fine. I asked if it was fine enough to put a mirror on the bevel near the edge, and the seller remarked that with the right skills it was possible, because he had done it.

I took a chance and bought it, because the seller said it was great, I like big JNATs, I like Kiita stones, and because one of my pals recommended Aframes Tokyo.

The stone arrived a week or so ago, I tested it once or twice, and was happy with it. Last night I was bored (the first wave of kids had gone to bed), and so I tried to find the original Aframes Tokyo listing from years ago. I was successful, and here is the original listing from 2017.

Unknown Kiita Awasedo Japanese Natural Sharpening Stone 1502g

I was surprised to read that it came from an old Japanese Barber shop, and today I wanted to spend a little more time with the stone and its actual Tomo. In order to put it through its paces I grabbed a razor I use to cut boxes open, open letters, and cut tape. I did not connect with the razor, and so the blade was relegated to other essential duties. Needless to say under the Nikon loupe the edge was trashed, and the bevel near the edge looked like a cat with Tourette’s had gotten ahold of it! The bevel had been set perfectly, but I had serious doubts about the stone being able to rehab the edge without dropping it back to synthetics.

So I made a slurry with the tomo, and got to work…the slurry darkened quickly, so I looked at the edge/bevel under the loupe, and there was marked improvement. It surprised me, and it showed more and more improvement with further slurries! After a third slurry it looked amazing, and so I finished the razor under water only, and again looked under the loupe. It was immaculate!

I stropped the razor, and did an HHT. I usually use words to describe the HHTs, because I am not a fan of using numbers for some reason…so I will say it was excellent…and for those that like the numbers…5s all along the edge with a fine hair.

After being pleasantly surprised (shocked), I said to myself, “Hmmmm…I just shaved yesterday morning…but I have just enough stubble that I can get away with shave testing this thing!” So I did a two pass shave WTG and ATG) using MDC, and I was very very impressed. I did zero shave prep aside from soaking a boar brush for a few minutes, wetting my face, and knocking the shave test out.

Needless to say, this stone that was originally sourced from Aframes Tokyo, is fantastic! I agree with the Aframes proprietor in his assessment of the stone cuts fast, and that it is hard enough, but not super hard. I think it might be a little more fine that his numerical rating suggests…but it’s close enough.

So…based off of my experience with this stone…I would be very comfortable buying from this vendor.

I hope that helps!

Vr

Matt

View attachment 1339847

I saw that one and it's a nice one for sure. I take it the tomo was broken off a long time ago?

 

[Matt O]

I saw that one and it's a nice one for sure. I take it the tomo was broken off a long time ago?

Thanks!

I believe that it was unintentionally broken during shipment from Japan to the Aframes Tokyo proprietor in Hawaii. So sometime before Sept 2017.

It works out beautifully since it is an actual base stone tomo, and there is still a large amount of real estate to hone upon!

I am very very happy that I was able to snag it. I have an Easy Aces razor arriving today…it’s going to get the same treatment that the Puma in the picture received earlier this afternoon.

Vr

Matt

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Nice score. And the result you got from an unknown stone was fantastic. My luck hasn't been as good buying from the Bay. Congrats on a great stone.

 

[Matt O]

Nice score. And the result you got from an unknown stone was fantastic. My luck hasn't been as good buying from the Bay. Congrats on a great stone.

Thanks!

Vr

Matt

 

[cotedupy]

Might I ask what a 'new' shobu is? Did the mine stop production for a while...?