TheLuthier
Well-Known Member
Very interesting, thanks Naader!
Man this sounds like a nightmare. You'd be looking at 30 hours per side on a wide bevel finished on a wheel if you wana remove steel with aizu, not to mention how much refreshing it would need to keep from burnishing.Over time, I've really become quite fond of the Aoto/Aizu combo for removing the makers grind marks, low spots etc, while maintaining the makers intended geometry
It still seems to make not much sense to invest that much money into a single stone, particularly if you want it predominantly just for edge sharpening...I for instance had a pair of quite cheap Shobudani koppas, one softer/medium fine, one harder, finer, which would be totally sufficient for someone looking for great edges from a natural stone..Is the aosuita so different to use than the Shiro Suita?
Sharpening technique wise I think i have a good grasp and trained a steady hand on both sides. Maybe having different steels/forms helped. I can obviously still improve by alot!
What do I want? I would really love a superb finishing stone for sharpening at first that doesn't kill the Bank completely.
And in summer a mid grid. A higher quality Aizu maybe a nice Ikarashi and later something super hard. Then I want to try my first polishing project and working on grind geometry.
Would you suggest a different route or what stone would you suggest for a finisher for edges at start.
You're definitely right on ao suita in my experience. They can be a bit coarser than a lot of people expect. Not poor quality stones per se, but maybe not what many imagine.I've been told by more than one person that Ao Suita are one of the biggest gambles in jnats. Some are great, many are terrible. Buyer beware.
Besides, seems too fine a choice for kitchen edges to me. Jnats typically recommended for kitchen edges are more in the mid grit range, like Aizu, Ikarashi, Numata, maybe Natsuya depending on the stone.
Just bring a container of water outside with you and rub it back and forth on a paver/sidewalk/some relatively flat concrete.First Jnat is on its way!
A Watanabe Uchigumori, Hazuya, Akarenge Hardness: 56HSD
45 x 75 x 165mm. Weight 1,390g
View attachment 222921
Can send feedback on the 13th of February
Cheap ways to flatten?
I thought I'd use a SiC grid a "L-Type Ruler" and lots of free time =)
12" concrete pavers are just a buck or two. I'd use that to grind off most of the rough top, then switch to a diamond plate to finish.First Jnat is on its way!
A Watanabe Uchigumori, Hazuya, Akarenge Hardness: 56HSD
45 x 75 x 165mm. Weight 1,390g
View attachment 222921
Can send feedback on the 13th of February
Cheap ways to flatten?
I thought I'd use a SiC grid a "L-Type Ruler" and lots of free time =)
I go with the prevailing wisdom that you should always seal natural stones. I don't see much value in not sealing the back too. Spray lacquer has worked well for me. Just tape off the face with painters tape, put it upside down, and spray away (even coats of course). I do about 5 coats, 30 minutes dry time in between coats, dry for 24 hours before getting it wet again. I would flatten the top most of the way before sealing.To seal or not to seal?
Debating wether i need to seal or not.
Currently i lean more towards not sealing and just looking after the stone.
If i seal my idea currently is to buy coat shellac and only seal the sides not the bottom.
Sealing sides and bottom feels like the water will be "trapped"
If i seal. Before or after lapping?
Yahoo Japan is great. I’ve gotten exactly two bad stones in about 7 years, one just didn’t have much grit and the other fell apart in my hands. I think that the latter stone had probably undergone freeze cycles because it had the typical saw marks on the side, and it would have never withstood the saw in the condition that I got it, though it was intact.
I‘ve gotten one stone off Yahoo that I believe was misdescribed. I was looking for ‘targets of opportunity’ for razor hones, and saw a 207 x 80 ‘hard mouth’ Ozaki that looked promising. Got it for a nice price and it was more like 200 x 70 and fairly soft for a razor hone. I just don’t think that the listing went with the stone. It happens on eNay too. That said, it’s big, it’s pure, it makes an unstreaked ji/ha (but high key) and is a fine grained knife finisher. So beat the seller with a wet noodle.
The biggest problem that you encounter with Yahoo stones is that some of them have been ‘oiled’ with a water-soluble machine tool lubricant called Duraron that ‘pro’ honers use. The stuff stinks to my nose though not strong, and it changes the colors of the stone. I can’t stand it. You can de-oil them with alcohol soaks, but it takes time.
Ive had mixed luck in the sense that not all my yahoo Japan purchases were great, but none were really abysmal, and probably my favorite ever stone cost me way less than it had any right to off an auction. I also got a habutae suita that looks suspiciously similar to a "very rare" stone. who knows.
The main issue is that good stones often cost good stone money, and I just prefer to buy my rocks from folks who I have some shared understanding with so that I have a better hit rate.
Very if you like spending 3-5x what the stone is worth lolHow reliable of a source is watanabe for jnats?
So what are your favorite sources? And also, what do you think about lacasadetoishi on instagram?Very if you like spending 3-5x what the stone is worth lol
Auctions used to be great, you can still find great deals there. I haven't bought from there in a while though. If you have friends in Japan or a lot of time to travel and look for rural ancient tool shops or get friendly with old collectors, those can be good sources. Other than that, lots of people sell what they don't use anymore. I used to a lot but I've slowed down heavily. Ed Thompson, tennentoishi on instagram is a great dude, I think your best option these days.So what are your favorite sources? And also, what do you think about lacasadetoishi on instagram?
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