[JoshEarl]

After reading all the rave reviews about Old_School's natural hones, I finally decided to break down and try one out. I need to give some background before we delve into the review.

I don't exactly have HAD, but I have been on a mission to find THE perfect hone for me. Thus far in my quest, I've found that I always have to sacrifice something with any given sharpening strategy. My skin is sensitive and my beard is coarse, so striking a balance is difficult. My skin prefers duller edges, such as what you'd get from a medium barber hone, the Belgian blue hone, or the 8K Norton. My beard laughs at these edges, though. It is barely fazed by anything short of a wicked chromium oxide edge. So most of the time I go for a less-than-close shave to keep my skin happy.

My best results so far have come from pasted hanging strops, but I've always felt like pasted strops were "cheating," somehow, and hence my quest for the perfect hone.

I had high hopes when I ordered this hone from O_S, even though he told me it was a little on the soft side.

The hone arrived on Monday. As you can see, it has the rough-hewn appearance typical of Japanese naturals. It's like someone walked up to a cliff, whacked it with a hammer to break off a chunk, and flattened one side. I love how each of these hones is totally unique. This one is about 2.5" wide and 6" or 7" long.

The honing surface was very smooth and polished, so I decided not to bother trying to lap it. My experience with natural hones is that lapping is less critical than with artificial stones. (My Belgian blue developes a 1/16" dip in the middle between lappings, and it doesn't make a bit of difference.) The edges were chamfered slightly, so I was good to go.

I first tested the hone on a Wapienica razor that Joe Chandler had customized for me last year. I haven't used this razor much lately because I was having a hard time getting it to take a good edge off my coticule.

The hone is every bit as nice to use as others have reported. The razor glides right over the surface with very little sensation of cutting. On a Norton 8K, there's a sticky feeling as the hone bites into the steel, but this felt a little like velvety glass. It makes it easy to keep the pressure light and even.

Since this stone is softer, it creates a very thin slurry as I use it. I mist the hone with water from a spray bottle during honing. The stone is also porous, so the water soaks in and makes it change color a bit. Cool.

I did about 100 laps with the Wapi just to be sure I was getting the full benefit of the hone. The razor had previously been honed on a Norton and finished on a coticule.

After about 50 laps, I tested the edge on my arm hair, and my jaw dropped. My arm hair is wispy thin, and I've never been able to get any razor to pop the hairs above skin level. This one was doing just that! I could cut the hairs about 1/16" above my skin without difficulty.

The shave test was phenominal. It was the nicest hone-created edge I've ever used, sharp and smooth without being prone to cause irritation.

I've honed about a half-dozen razors on it, and all have taken the same amazing edge. One brand I've always struggled with a bit was Theirs Isaard. I've honed maybe six to 10 of them, and I was never quite happy with the edges I got. This hone handles them beautifully, though.

A few observations on using this particular hone:

• I don't find that I need a huge line-up of fine-grit hones to get great edges. It cuts quickly enough that you could go from a 4K to 8K hone without a lot of intermediate steps. Inserting more hones won't hurt, but it's not the case that you need a perfect 10K edge or this hone is worthless.
• I am going straight from the 4-6K Belgian blue to this Japanese hone. The Japanese hone has basically replaced the coticule in my progression. I go from the DMT 1200 to the Belgian blue to the Japanese. I'm sure I could get away with doing fewer strokes if I stuck another hone or two in there, but it's hardly necessary.
• The Belgian blue leaves a really nice edge that compliments this hone wonderfully. I am thinking of getting some lower-grit natural Japanese hones like the ones Randy has been talking about.
• Like other naturals, this hone doesn't have a tendency to overhone. It polishes to a certain point and then things just level out.
• I was surprised by how not polished the bevel was after using this hone. The coticule and even the Norton 8K leave a pretty shiny bevel, but this hone leaves the bevel looking cloudy to the naked eye. I am pretty sure I can even see the scratch marks without magnification. Still more indication that scratch marks don't tell the whole story.

My tentative conclusion is that I have found the ultimate hone for me. Unless maybe I decide to get one of O_S's top-of-the-line hones...

Josh

[netsurfr]

Thanks for that review. Appreciate the time you took to provide it.

[JMS]

Sounds similar to my experiences!
Enjoy your hone in good health!

[JoshEarl]

Someone pointed out that I didn't give a grit estimate... Good call. I don't like trying to estimate grits, because I'm lousy at it.

Grit is significant, but so is the shape of the grit particles. A natural hone of X grit produces a better shaving edge than an artificial hone of the same grit rating.

This razor shaves more comfortably than a 30K Shapton edge, but it's not as sharp. And it's way sharper than a coticule edge. So let's say it seems to work like a 15K to 20K hone. That's the best I can do.

Josh

[kaptain_zero]

Josh,

If you don't mind my asking, what price range is this hone in? All these reviews of Japanese naturals is starting to uhmmm..... distract my goat. Please say it's a stratosphere priced hunk of rock! That way I can go back to ignoring these types of posts... if, on the other hand it's affordable.... I'm probably about to become somewhat poorer once again...<sigh>.

Regards

Kaptain "I don't need another hone.... I don't need another hone.... I don't need another hone.... BUT I WANT ONE!!!" Zero

[ProfessorChaos!]

Well you would never describe the hones as inexpensive. But they are worth every cent and then some. Look at it this way: these hones have ended HAD for a few of us. So you have to evaluate value not just in terms of price, but also savings!

[JoshEarl]

Originally Posted by ProfessorChaos!

Well you would never describe the hones as inexpensive. But they are worth every cent and then some. Look at it this way: these hones have ended HAD for a few of us. So you have to evaluate value not just in terms of price, but also savings!

I like the way you think.

This hone was on the low end of O_S's offerings, and it was in the $200 range. His typical hones seem to run a good bit higher.

But using the Professor's logic, consider that a $350 hone might save you from buying the $300-ish Shapton 30K, plus a $1,000 Escher. So you're already $950 ahead of the game. And you might end up selling some hones that you already own... How can you NOT afford to get one?

Josh

[JMS]

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I like the way you think.

This hone was on the low end of O_S's offerings, and it was in the $200 range. His typical hones seem to run a good bit higher.

But using the Professor's logic, consider that a $350 hone might save you from buying the $300-ish Shapton 30K, plus a $1,000 Escher. So you're already $950 ahead of the game. And you might end up selling some hones that you already own... How can you NOT afford to get one?

Josh

Twisted logic!






I like your thinking!

[gugi]

Originally Posted by JMS

Twisted logic!

not at all! Plus that's the american way anyways

[JMS]

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I like the way you think.

This hone was on the low end of O_S's offerings, and it was in the $200 range. His typical hones seem to run a good bit higher.

But using the Professor's logic, consider that a $350 hone might save you from buying the $300-ish Shapton 30K, plus a $1,000 Escher. So you're already $950 ahead of the game. And you might end up selling some hones that you already own... How can you NOT afford to get one?

Josh

Originally Posted by JMS

Twisted logic!






I like your thinking!

Originally Posted by gugi

not at all! Plus that's the american way anyways

The key word in his logic is "might"!

[ProfessorChaos!]

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

But using the Professor's logic, consider that a $350 hone might save you from buying the $300-ish Shapton 30K, plus a $1,000 Escher. So you're already $950 ahead of the game. And you might end up selling some hones that you already own... How can you NOT afford to get one?

Josh

Exactly!

And that $950 can go towards vintage blades. Afterall, what is the point of having a superior hone and just a dozen razors?

[kaptain_zero]

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I like the way you think.

This hone was on the low end of O_S's offerings, and it was in the $200 range. His typical hones seem to run a good bit higher.

But using the Professor's logic, consider that a $350 hone might save you from buying the $300-ish Shapton 30K, plus a $1,000 Escher. So you're already $950 ahead of the game. And you might end up selling some hones that you already own... How can you NOT afford to get one?

Josh

The word "Might" in this context comes under the heading of the "Faint hope clause". Frankly, the only way to justify the savings of buying a $350 Japanese hone is to *prove beyond a shadow of a doubt* that it indeed is as good or better than a $300 Shapton + a $1K Escher and or the extra special Coticules with the ultra rare tiger striping, but only the ones with the 3.7 stripes per inch, unless it's metrically measured in which case it is entirely different and I'd need to start over again.....

Anyway, it sounds like even the $200 range can purchase a quality stone, if not the ultimate and do a darn fine job. I've been ogling a Japanese natural at the local Lee Valley store... it's in the show case, going for a song as it is a *seconds*, they've stopped bringing them in and it's not generating any interest. I have no illusions that it's in the class of these razor grade hones but then again... I don't know that for a fact and the price is sub $100.

All I do know is that my partial set of glass Shaptons are in transit, perhaps I should wait until I put them through the wringer and see what kind of shaves I get out of them before buying more stuff........

Regards

Kaptain "I never realized a common leather wallet could have a hair trigger!?!?" Zero

[Bruno]

I seem to remember that the Lee Valley stones are narutaki hones.
I have both, and trust me the narutaki doesn't come close. not even remotely.

My narutaki has its uses, as I use it as a coarse hone (~6000 ish) before going to the Nakayama.

But by itself, the Narutaki is not able to produce shaveready edges.
They may be cheaper (and the lee valley hones are not top grade narutaki either), but 100$ for something that is no good for its intended purpose (finishing) is wasted money.

[OLD_SCHOOL]

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

Frankly, the only way to justify the savings of buying a $350 Japanese hone is to *prove beyond a shadow of a doubt* that it indeed is as good or better than a $300 Shapton

But a $300 Shapton can be replaced time and time again, but a natural Japanese (or any other) cannot be replaced. Well they can but it won't be exactly the same. And they are like pieces of art that actually have a function other than being eye candy, but a Shapton,..*YAWN*

[JimmyH-AD]

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

But a $300 Shapton can be replaced time and time again, but a natural Japanese (or any other) cannot be replaced. Well they can but it won't be exactly the same. And they are like pieces of art that actually have a function other than being eye candy, but a Shapton,..*YAWN*

I'm not knocking Japanese hones, I've never owned one. But I do have a Shapton 30K and it works very well. As far as a hone being a work of art, my grandmother used to say,"Handsome is as handsome does". IOW, performance is more important then appearance. At least with a 30K you know what you are getting.

[JoshEarl]

A few more observations to add to my original review:

• This hone is every bit as good as my first impressions indicated.
• It really, really loves Thiers Issard razors. I have honed two of them now, and they gave the two best shaves I've ever had.
• The Japanese markings aren't very durable. I'm glad I photographed them, because they started to wear quickly. I finally just decided to lap the hone because it was painful to watch them slowly fade...
• The original surface wasn't very flat. It was better than some of the Belgian naturals I've lapped, but it was definitely out of true. This didn't seem to affect the performance of the hone much, however.
• Lapping is more difficult than with Belgian hones. A thick slurry forms quickly, and this made the stone stick to my DMT 325 lapping hone.
• Going from the Belgian blue to the Japanese isn't too big of a jump. I've done this on about eight different razors now, and it works very well.
• I seem to like using about 50 to 100 strokes. After 100, I don't notice any improvement, but it doesn't hurt anything. I'm going to try scaling back and see what the minimum is.
• Ultra light pressure creates a better edge. Fortunately, the smooth surface makes achieveing ultra light pressure easier on this hone than on any other I've used.
• The hone works for a range of razors, from Sheffields to Solingens to TIs. Every razor that I've tried on it has improved markedly.

Thanks again, O_S.

Josh

[inawe]

simply-

i want one!


cheers and thanks for the review josh,
ryan

[kaptain_zero]

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

But a $300 Shapton can be replaced time and time again, but a natural Japanese (or any other) cannot be replaced. Well they can but it won't be exactly the same. And they are like pieces of art that actually have a function other than being eye candy, but a Shapton,..*YAWN*

Well, I've seen a lot of art and some of it isn't worth the cost of the material it's painted on! BUT, I agree that the right natural can be outstanding in quality, the trick is to find the right one. I love my Belgian stones but I'm quickly developing an admiration for my new Shaptons who's development was no doubt fostered by the dwindling supply of quality natural stones.

As I re-evaluate the hones I have, I'm