Novaculite nagura?

[spaceconvoy]

Getting my first novaculite soon (Cretan) and I'm looking for an appropriate nagura. I know how important a good working surface is for my Jnats, and I don't want to hate this stone just because I'm not conditioning it properly.

I bought a cheap soft Arkansas off ebay on a whim, but I'm not sure what characteristics to look for in a nagura specifically for novaculites. Doesn't seem to be much info in the archives here. So what do other people do for surface conditioning?

 

[inferno]

i like coticule naguras. dont know if if will be good for novaculites though. its cheap to try though.

 

[deltaplex]

I don't (or haven't) used anything for surface conditioning on noviculite, just lap them as part of cleaning them up and put the knife on them

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I also don't do any surface prep on mine.

 

[captaincaed]

Ask @coteduCo about Cretans, he's a big fan, may have a spot of advice

 

[Benuser]

If you use them with water you may use the slurry you get from flattening with an Atoma. I use, very old school, saliva with Arks, Belgian Blue and Coticules. Find it far from practical to have oil-stones next to waterstones, and having to take care not to get any oil on the last.

 

[captaincaed]

Sorry ask @cotedupy about Cretans. Not sure how that got bunged up

 

[Skylar303]

Getting my first novaculite soon (Cretan) and I'm looking for an appropriate nagura. I know how important a good working surface is for my Jnats, and I don't want to hate this stone just because I'm not conditioning it properly.

I bought a cheap soft Arkansas off ebay on a whim, but I'm not sure what characteristics to look for in a nagura specifically for novaculites. Doesn't seem to be much info in the archives here. So what do other people do for surface conditioning?

I was advised it best worked for some being soaked in oil a few days until it gets a few shades darker. From our busy buddy. But I think it's you that also doesn't like to use oil on stones, even 'oilstones', like me...

Imo, I think really either a diamond and thay slurry and or another novaculite would be best. When I get some time I'll try some other various arks with it and see if I can notice a difference. In my experience with hard stones and nagura it tends to just be what the nagura is since the base stone is basically just a 'holder' for that slurry for lack of a better term. (Not hard evidence, just tends to be what happens for me)

Mine the first go around was really slow with water but did speed up a little after working it. Oh also it was a SS knife and not a 'good' one to prob 99% of the people here, pretty much all I have atm...

Glad you got one. If nothing else they won't be around forever and the history behind them I find interesting.

 

[spaceconvoy]

Glad you got one. If nothing else they won't be around forever and the history behind them I find interesting.

Thanks, me too. I'm glad I overcame my own cheapness and pulled the trigger, if for no other reason than rarity.

Definitely still not thrilled about using oil, but I've resigned myself to giving it a good try. If that's how this stone works best, than I want to experience it. I'm mostly just paranoid about contaminating my water stones with oil, but that's ultimately a minor logistical problem.

Oh, and the soft Arkansas seems to improve the Cretan. Even after washing the slurry off, the surface feels grippier. Still testing things out though

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Thanks, me too. I'm glad I overcame my own cheapness and pulled the trigger, if for no other reason than rarity.

Definitely still not thrilled about using oil, but I've resigned myself to giving it a good try. If that's how this stone works best, than I want to experience it. I'm mostly just paranoid about contaminating my water stones with oil, but that's ultimately a minor logistical problem.

Oh, and the soft Arkansas seems to improve the Cretan. Even after washing the slurry off, the surface feels grippier. Still testing things out though

I predominantly use oil with my Arks and if you stick with that route, give designated honing oil a good consideration. It's highly refined mineral oil and much thinner and nicer to deal with than pharmacy grade stuff.

 

[cotedupy]

I tend not to use slurry stones on novaculites; Washitas and Cretans I use with oil and are quite fast enough already, and I've just never really done it with Hard Arks, tho maybe I should try - I do sometimes use them with soapy water.

The Cretan stone will certainly finish finer than a soft ark (I have a cheapy soft ark too - great stone, but Cretans/Turkish are better ), though should give a fair amount of grip for how fine it finishes. Oil soaking (imo) is definitely the way to go with these stones, and playing with pressure certainly makes a big difference.

Maybe I'll give one of mine a spin in a bit and post some more detailed pics and thoughts about how I use them...

 

[stringer]

I use small chunks of soft ark and hard ark as nagura. But not for raising slurry. Just for surface cleaning and conditioning other novaculite stones. It's good surface prep after flattening on coarse SiC. Helps keep them keep cutting cleaner longer, less clogging, especially if you are honing on water. And they're great for bringing the surface of hard/black/translucent finishers to a very fine polish for straight razors.