Razors on Jnat

Written by Maksim 

Japanese natural stones and razors go together perfectly — Jnats were used for razors long before they became popular for kitchen knives in the west. The edge you get from a good hard Jnat on a razor is unlike anything you can achieve on a synthetic stone. Different shave, different feel on the face — and once you try it it is hard to go back :)

This page covers both western straight razors and kamisori. Read the sections carefully — honing kamisori is different from western razors and if you treat them the same you will get poor results.

Kamisori on a hard Nakayama Asagi — the best combination for a fine shaving edge.

Which Stone to Use

There are many good natural razor hones from different countries — Belgian Coticules, German Eschers, American Arkansas stones and Jnats. All of them work. The difference is in the edge character — each stone gives a noticeably different feel on the face. Jnats give a polished, smooth edge that is excellent for sensitive skin.

Your skin type and hair type matters more than most people think. I personally have very coarse hair, abrasion-sensitive skin and eczema. I prefer a highly polished edge — and that is exactly what a hard Jnat gives. Someone with soft thin hair and tough skin might prefer a slightly toothier edge and could get away with a softer stone.

Western Straight Razor — Step by Step

For western style straight razors the honing is symmetrical — both sides of the razor get equal passes throughout.

Step 1 — Set the bevel first

Before touching a natural stone, always set the bevel on a synthetic stone (1000 grit). Even if the razor seems sharp already, set the bevel properly on a synthetic first. A hard Jnat is not a bevel setter — it is a finisher. If you skip this step and go straight to the Jnat you will be honing for a very long time with poor results.

Step 2 — Synthetic progression

Follow your synthetic stone progression (see Stone Recommendations). Finish your synthetics completely before moving to the Jnat. The Jnat needs to see a clean polished bevel — not a scratchy one.

Step 3 — Jnat with slurry progression

This is the most important step to understand. You work through a slurry progression on the Jnat — from thick and abrasive to thin and fine. Here is how:

• Start with thick slurry. Use a nagura (Toma or Botan) to build up a thick, cream-like slurry on the stone. Hone the razor with this thick slurry — this is the most aggressive stage on the Jnat. About 20–30 X strokes depending on how much work is needed.
• Progress to thinner slurry. Add tiny amounts of water with your fingertip periodically. The slurry gets finer and finer as you continue. Switch to Mejiro or Koma nagura if you have them to refine the slurry further. Continue until the slurry is almost all broken down.
• Diluted slurry — last passes. You should now be working with mostly water with just a faint slurry. This is where the edge gets very fine. Light pressure only — let the stone do the work.

Step 4 — Finish with water only

Rinse the stone clean. Use as little water as possible on the clean surface. Very light pressure. Only about 10 X strokes — no more !!! This is the final refining step. Too many strokes here will start to round the edge.

Step 5 — Strop on plain leather

Strop on plain leather only. No canvas, no linen, no compounds !!! Compounds will change the edge character and undo the Jnat finish. A Kanayama strop or similar high quality leather strop is ideal. About 20–30 light strokes.

Kamisori — Different from Western Razors

Kamisori are traditionally made with hard steel (White #2, Blue #2, Tamahagane) forge welded to soft iron — the same construction as a single bevel kitchen knife. Both sides of the razor are ground with different wheels to achieve an asymmetrical double concave grind. This is what gives the kamisori its extremely keen edge.

The two sides have names:

Bevel setting on kamisori

All kamisori need the bevel set when new (except Iwasaki that comes shave ready) — even if the razor looks perfect out of the box !!! Do not skip this. Depending on how much work is needed, the bevel can be set on a medium grit natural stone (5–6k equivalent) — coticules work well for this. Set the bevel the same way as any other razor — both sides equally until the bevel is established.

Honing after bevel is set

Once the bevel is set the technique changes. We use approximately a 1:1 ratio of front to back passes as a starting point — but this varies and you will develop a feel for it. At the very final finishing stages when doing the last few passes, an even number of strokes on both sides works well.

The slurry progression is the same as for western razors — thick to thin, finishing with water only on a clean stone.

Omote side (no kanji) — majority of passes	Ura side (with kanji) — kasumi on the soft iron

Touch Up and Maintenance

Once your razor is properly finished on the Jnat you do not need to redo the full progression every time. For regular touch ups:

• Mildly dull: Start from your final synthetic stone and go up through stropping. No need to go back to the beginning.
• Just needs refreshing: A few passes on the Jnat with water only, then strop. This is enough if you strop regularly and the razor is just slightly off.
• With diluted nagura slurry: You can also do a quick touch up with a very diluted Honzan Nagura (tomo nagura) slurry on the Jnat, then finish with water only. Very effective for bringing the edge back quickly.

The key rule for touch ups — do not do more than necessary. A few passes on the right stone is better than many passes on the wrong one.

Video

Full kamisori honing session — Nakayama Asagi and Ozuku with Honzan Nagura

Quick Reference

That is it :) If you have questions about your specific razor or stone combination, message me on WhatsApp — happy to help.