Took a chance on a jnat. Now I have to wait and see what I bought.

[PalmRoyale]

Anyone want to take a guess what I have here? My gut tells me it's probably a Mikawa nagura but it could be anything. I hope it turns out to be a good stone.

 

[tgfencer]

Anyone want to take a guess what I have here? My gut tells me it's probably a Mikawa nagura but it could be anything. I hope it turns out to be a good stone.
View attachment 48606 View attachment 48607 View attachment 48608 View attachment 48609 View attachment 48610 View attachment 48611 View attachment 48612

Looks like you need to lap the shi*t out of that thing, get it nice and cleaned up.

 

[PalmRoyale]

A fresh 80 grit belt on my large belt sander at work will deal with it quickly.

 

[childermass]

I‘m pretty curious what‘s underneath that whole dirt and whatever else is on this thing [emoji4].

 

[PalmRoyale]

Well, here's the stone all cleaned up and for the first time I'm at a loss. It's either the nicest synthetic or the most perfect Mikawa nagura I've ever used. It finishes like a natural with a clear definition between the hagane and jigane but it sharpens and feels like a synthetic. Either way it's a wonderful stone.

Edit: Chopped of a bit from one corner. It's definitely a synthetic. It feels super nice though and produces a wonderful edge.

 

[PalmRoyale]

Looked at the description again. Here's what it says: "Natural Whetstone Nakashi finishing details unknown plane cut kitchen knife about 1604g." Can a natural be this perfect?

 

[refcast]

That's probably a synthetic with maybe natural stone grit. Natural stones -- none that I've ever seen were this perfect: no speckles, swirls, skins, nothing. And this has dark swarf while the natural should have mud.

Anyway, neglected synthetic stones are really nice -- as they bake in the sun and stuff they get easier to sharpen on somehow, though they risk cracking and stuff.

Even tsushima-which are supposed to be super duper consistent, have shiny speckles.

 

[PalmRoyale]

as they bake in the sun and stuff they get easier to sharpen on somehow, though they risk cracking and stuff.

This one is super easy. I've started to seal it with varnish to protect it and this way it also won't be so thirsty.

 

[refcast]

Also by dark swarf I mean the swarf looks like synthetic swarf. Natural stone swarf that black is much finer and inky-- just like ink. Natural stones also are rarely that white, nor do they load that way. When they load they kinda burnish themselves and get shiny or glossy.

 

[MindTone]

This one is super easy. I've started to seal it with varnish to protect it and this way it also won't be so thirsty.

What kind of varnish do you suggest using?

 

[PalmRoyale]

I use spray varnish. The standard stuff you can get at the local paint shop.

Edit: Been playing with and here's how I would describe the stone. Think of the Shapton Glass 3000, how fast and consistent it is and how it'll chew through any steel you put on it. Now make it soft and smooth like a Rika and you have this stone.