Thanks Billy, he whole jnat thing is very confusing with all he different mines and stamps.Here is the Same Mob it Would Seem as the UK Vendor....I Know How they Work But Never Used Em..Some of the Boys Like @RussellR5555 May Chip In..I Was Gonna Ask Him Myself about Where to Get a Sound JNAT Progression..I Asked My Friend in the USA about a Set I was Looking At & He Said this.. This was a Particular Set Up I Was Looking at..He Knows His Stuff..
If you trust the seller thats a good 3 Mikawa set (if they have grit in them) and good Wakasa can be very good and the hone is easy to test. The important adjectives are ‘if they have grit in them’ and a ‘good Wakasa’..
Modern Asano stamped Mikawa have been very much hit or miss with me, I’ve had just as good of an experience with non-Asano stamped Mikawa, and unstamped Mikawa which I had to grade myself..
I Trust this Seller..I Use this Vendor for My Naniwa Stones..Dunno if this Helps..Not My Area of Expertise..
Billy
Don’t get caught up in mines and all that. Some lines are closed and nice stones that were mined long ago and are good homes cost a fortune. At the same time you can get an Aiiwatani or Wakasa that are being mined for a fraction of the price of the rest and they are still very good razor hones. All you have to worry about it purchasing from someone that tests their stones and the person is reputable. JNATs are fool proof if you will. One stone and 4 nagura should cost you about couple of hundred and they do all what you do with 4-5 synthetics. If you go for a higher grit synthetics like the 20k or 30k the synthetic progression becomes more expensive than jnat. I have few bench stones and all have matching tomonaguras. I use the same Mikawa nagura on all of them... Hope this helps. Russ pointed you in a good direction. Maxim actually tests his stones and matches the naguras. The only think is his stones are a bit on the pricier side. He has sales every once in a while and free shipping.Thanks Billy, he whole jnat thing is very confusing with all he different mines and stamps.
Also, the stamps disappear after the first lapping. Those are important from a collectors standpoint. If you are gonna use the stone, don’t worry about the stamps. Kinda like getting a new car... as soon as you drive off of the lot, you are losing 5k on the value. Same analogy goes for the stamps on JNATs. They were initially done to attract customers and inform them about the stone they are potentially buying.Thanks Billy, he whole jnat thing is very confusing with all he different mines and stamps.
Hi BobThanks Billy, he whole jnat thing is very confusing with all he different mines and stamps.
Jay,Thanks guys I too will be going back to this thread when the time comes that I’m wanting to explore the natural stone rabbit hole
Haha I have no doubt Sam but some of those natural stones are just gorgeous and I’m sure they will be calling my name before long will certainly be reaching out for advice before jumping straight in though but for the time being I have my head buried in the synthetic hole...along with the strops it’s a beautiful view down hereJay,
Be careful there. That particular rabbit hole could be very deep and expensive...
Depends what Ya are Looking for on the Natural Stone Path..I Personally..Normally Prefer a Natural Edge to a Synthetic One..I Do Enjoy Both Mind..Depending on Steel Variations..But..The Vast Majority of My Razors have a Natural Edge..Thanks guys I too will be going back to this thread when the time comes that I’m wanting to explore the natural stone rabbit hole
All very interesting Billy going to get started with the synthetics for now some very good information there though to consider I had looked at the Belgium coticule from invisible edge not sure if they are a little pricey from there and perhaps get a better deal elsewhere. I’m going to take a look further at some of these stones you’re right though you can spend spend spend but at the end of the day it’s the talent in the mans hands using them that matters and you can’t buy that can only practice and learn. May I ask what is the 16k synthetic you use and in what progression would a 12k to a 16k be advisable ? Off the eye up some natural stone eye candy now some of these stones sound beautifulDepends what Ya are Looking for on the Natural Stone Path..I Personally..Normally Prefer a Natural Edge to a Synthetic One..I Do Enjoy Both Mind..Depending on Steel Variations..But..The Vast Majority of My Razors have a Natural Edge..
I Use the Best of Both Worlds in My Eyes Anyway..I Use a Top Notch Synthetic System to 16 K.. Usually..Then Finish on One of My Escher Thuringians..They have a Finishing Capacity of 17 K in My Hands..I Also Use a Surgical Black Arkansas Natural..This Stone is Like Glass with Oil & Can Produce a 20 K + Edge Easy..Almost All My Stainless Blades Excel on this Stone.. But..Most Carbon Steel Blades Just Cant Handle the Sharpness or Maintain the Edge when its Maxed Out in My Humble Experience...
But..I Know How to Use it..I Can Knock Out a Nice 16 K Edge with it..Or Whatever I Want..No Guess Work Once I Got to Know it & I Know it Well.. I Have Picked Up Escher Thuriingian Stones for a Good Price..Ya Only Need One Good One..They Come Up on E Bay UK..Also a Dans Surgical Black Arkansas Stone Does Not Cost an Arm & Leg Neither.I Also Enjoy an Edge Off My Belgium Coticule..No Mystery about Em..I Just Happen to Have an Effin Good One .
I Am Over the Moon with My Honing System..For Me..Best of Both Worlds..Thats Me Talkin Mind..
Billy
I Use a Naniwa Professional 1 K Stone for Bevel Setting..Naniwa Super Stone Progression..3 K, 5 K, 8 K, 12 K, 16 K = 1 Micron Lapping Film..That Lapping Film will Actually Knock Out a 20 K Edge Easy iin My Hands Anyway..You Will Get a Nice Vintage Coticule from EBay..They are Going for a Good Price Just Now..But..I Would Master Synthetics Before Moving on to Naturals in General..All very interesting Billy going to get started with the synthetics for now some very good information there though to consider I had looked at the Belgium coticule from invisible edge not sure if they are a little pricey from there and perhaps get a better deal elsewhere. I’m going to take a look further at some of these stones you’re right though you can spend spend spend but at the end of the day it’s the talent in the mans hands using them that matters and you can’t buy that can only practice and learn. May I ask what is the 16k synthetic you use and in what progression would a 12k to a 16k be advisable ? Off the eye up some natural stone eye candy now some of these stones sound beautiful