Thread: Kamisori "Factory Edge" - Honing it with my arsenal

I've been sitting on my Nagamasa Kamisori for a while, trying to make a decision on how to get it shave-ready with the hones at my disposal.

I currently have the following hones that are big enough to accomodate the typical kamisori back-and-forth stroke:

Norton 4k/8k
C-Nat
Llyn Melynllyn

All of my other hones are too narrow to allow the blade to sit straight and benefit from that motion. Though I hear a coti does a nice job, mine is probably too narrow.

Questions:

1) What should I use for bevel-setting?
2) That done, what comes next?

Thanks for any pointers!

usually on kamisori you do not want to go under 4-5k unless you have to fix some serious issue.
In your case the 4k is the lowest you should go, I personally use Coticule for bevel setting on kamisori.
Once the bevel is set, you go to the 8k and polish the edge, after that next finest stone, then strop and test.

Originally Posted by mainaman

usually on kamisori you do not want to go under 4-5k unless you have to fix some serious issue.
In your case the 4k is the lowest you should go, I personally use Coticule for bevel setting on kamisori.
Once the bevel is set, you go to the 8k and polish the edge, after that next finest stone, then strop and test.

How would you deal with a narrow coti? Can I do the honing stroke on an angle?

Originally Posted by jdto

How would you deal with a narrow coti? Can I do the honing stroke on an angle?

My coticule is 40mm wide, I keep the kamisori @ ~45 deg to the stone so that the blade fits on the surface, and do up down strokes.
For kamisori it is also very important to set the bevel on the back properly.

Cool, so it sounds like I might be able to use my coti, then. When you say, "set the bevel on the back properly", I assume this is going to require something a little different than what I've seen in the kamisori honing videos?

+1 A Coticule is my first step on most Kamisori...cuts very shallow and leaves a nice hazy finish that just flows with the Nakayama finisher...
The only real Trick to honing a Kamisori is the use of pressure, on the stamped side the pressure is on the spine and the edge barely touches, on the non-stamped side (the larger bevel) the pressure is on the edge...Feeling your way through how the pressure works is how you learn to hone Kamisori

Ok, so for bevel setting, should I use an edge leading stroke on the back, or stick with spine leading?

I use edge leading like any other razor

How do you know the bevel needs to be redone? What is it telling you? Maybe you don't need to go through all that work.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

How do you know the bevel needs to be redone? What is it telling you? Maybe you don't need to go through all that work.

It looks like it's never been honed.