polishing stones similar to those used on katana?

J

JZknives

Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
204
Are there any online retailers that sell these? the small ones you use in your hand?

I would break open my norton 8000 grit but thats alot of money down the drain. :(
 
Hazuya and jizuya can be found on ebay. Some of the ebay sellers have a video link showing how to use them, but it takes some practice to get the thumb and brain to work together. Get 100 grams worth, lacquer and paper the backs with parchment paper. Work down to a smooth and thin surface on an arato stone, and use half of them practicing ( use on a differentially hardened blade). As you practice, you will find they "cut" differently. Sort them as to how aggressively they cut the steel. Number them 1-2-3 for soft-medium-aggressive. Save the best ones for when you have figured out how to use them, and practice with the rest.

Here is an OK link on use:
http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/hazuya.html
 
Last edited:
JZknives said:
Are there any online retailers that sell these? the small ones you use in your hand?

I would break open my norton 8000 grit but thats alot of money down the drain. :(
Click to expand...

Save your 8k stone. It won't work like real finger stones for polishing a Hamon out
 
Got mine off ebay. Learning to use them right is a different story. Going to to be difficult to find them here in the states.
 
What are you intending on using them for? Depending on you skill level it might be better to save your money and pursue a more readily available method.
 
Leethal Cutlery said:
What are you intending on using them for? Depending on you skill level it might be better to save your money and pursue a more readily available method.
Click to expand...
Well I was reading one of the Japanese blade making books and found the use of stones interesting and possibly more economical since stones don't wear like high grit sandpaper.

I also really like the aesthetics of a ghostly hamon. And apparently these stones maximize that cloudy white effect.

But in general the way the Japanese finish the blades is interesting. For example they use a draw knife to do the flats on the knife which is very appealing to me.
 
JZknives said:
Well I was reading one of the Japanese blade making books and found the use of stones interesting and possibly more economical since stones don't wear like high grit sandpaper.

I also really like the aesthetics of a ghostly hamon. And apparently these stones maximize that cloudy white effect.

But in general the way the Japanese finish the blades is interesting. For example they use a draw knife to do the flats on the knife which is very appealing to me.
Click to expand...

There are a billion ways to achieve hamons like that. Just buying those stones aren't gonna give you what you want right off the bat. There is a big learning curve. Sandpaper is way cheaper and can get equal results. Also to get awesome hamons you need to practice your ht routine. You can polish a Hamon out all you want but if the activity isn't there, no amount of polishing will bring it out. I'd practice with sand paper and maybe pumice or flitz and work on getting better and better results that way before you dive in the deep end and try doing advanced techniques. IMHO anyway. And I think the tool your talking about is a Sen. They aren't that hard to make
 
I have to agree with Mason.....finger stones aren't exactly a beginners thing, and sandpaper is. I regularly use good quality high grit Wet-or-Dry paper cut into 1" squares for doing togi. A $1 sheet of paper gives you 99 of them. (Tip - keep them in separate baggies with the grit marked!) Work 1" with a piece, chuck it, and use another. Rouge powder, super-fine silicon carbide grits, and other powdered polishes applied with makeup pads or gun cleaning pads do wonders, too.

Side comment.....
I have watched videos of master togishi doing shiagi-togi, and it amazes me they have any thumbs/fingers left at all. It looks like they would have cut them off or worn them down long ago.
 
bladsmth said:
Side comment.....
I have watched videos of master togishi doing shiagi-togi, and it amazes me they have any thumbs/fingers left at all. It looks like they would have cut them off or worn them down long ago.
Click to expand...

You aren't kidding Stacy!! I'd be the thumbless wonder if I went at it like those guys do! And the crazy thing is alot of them are old men. But boy they move with speed and precision... They have the thumbs to prove it :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top