Guys a question on sharpening 01 steel on hard
jnats. I feel like nothing is happening. My plane
blades are standard stanley blades and high carbon
replacement blades. Range 58-61HRC for all of my
blades.

Japanese plane blades have very hard steel at
the cutting edge, 66-68HRC. I am guessing
this is the reason they work well for japanese
natural stones. The high hardness of the japanese
plane blades makes it possible to get slurry out of the
stone whereas the much softer standard stanley blades
and their replacement blades are just too soft to do this.
Could anyone confirm if my thinking is correct?

When I make slurry on the jnat, then it will cut the softer
blades, but without slurry, there is practically zero cutting
action.