Which 6k-12k honing stone?

[rmihai]

Hi all,

I am looking for a honing stone and I need your help - mainly I am thinking around 8000, but I am open to suggestions for between 6000-120000.
Important to me are, in order, keenness, maintenance, speed.
Money, as always are an issue, my budget is limited to US$160 EUR150 GBP110
To be honest, mainly I am leaning to towards one of these (in order):

Sigma Power Ceramic 8000 (or 10k, which has the advantage of a huge sharpening surface - 140mm wide)
MST Müller
Imperia La Roccia
Suehiro Gokumyo 10000
Arkansas Translucent

I am happily using for sharpening a 1000-2000-4000 sequence of Suzuki-Ya stones which replaced a combination of Naniwa Chosera (sorry - too expensive their 10k) and Shapton Pro (which I MIGHT consider for their 8k or 12k).

Thank you for your help.

 

[Avenolpey]

You not only need a finisher, you need one that can bridge from 4k and then give you a proper finish. Synths do not do well at that. You would need a minimum of two synths to get there and maybe 3. An Apache, Coticule or Jnat can do that for under $160.

 

[rmihai]

You not only need a finisher, you need one that can bridge from 4k and then give you a proper finish. Synths do not do well at that. You would need a minimum of two synths to get there and maybe 3. An Apache, Coticule or Jnat can do that for under $160.

As I need a 70-75mm wide stone, Coticule are going over my budget - I guess...

 

[mikael]

Why do you need a 75mm wide stone? And what are you trying to do? if it's for finishing a razor then you probably need something to bridge in between your 4k and your finisher. The king 6k can be purchased cheaply and is really quite fine for a 6k stone. With a little patience you should be able to go to your finisher after it.

Where are you located? maybe you can find a vintage finisher close to you.

 

[rmihai]

Why do you need a 75mm wide stone? And what are you trying to do? if it's for finishing a razor then you probably need something to bridge in between your 4k and your finisher. The king 6k can be purchased cheaply and is really quite fine for a 6k stone. With a little patience you should be able to go to your finisher after it.

Where are you located? maybe you can find a vintage finisher close to you.

I need it wide to be more versatile - so I can use for carving chisels and marquetry knives too.
I sharpen razors for quite some time - jumping from 4k to even 12k was never an issue - no need for bridge here. King I tried - sorry - not what I am looking for.

 

[Avenolpey]

Xxx

 

[SliceOfLife]

Of those, for an 8k stone, I'd get the synth (sigma) no question.

In general though, I'd say both the 8k and the ark could prove just as useful but for different reasons. Both are stones I'd like to own. If you don't have a finisher already, get the ark, if you do, get the 8k.

 

[totorlekiller]

The Naniwa 10K is well within your budget and is very good.
The Shapton 12K is even a bit cheaper and delivers a nice edge fast as well. Under x100 magnification, the Naniwa seems smoother than the Shapton.

 

[rmihai]

The Naniwa 10K is well within your budget and is very good.
The Shapton 12K is even a bit cheaper and delivers a nice edge fast as well. Under x100 magnification, the Naniwa seems smoother than the Shapton.

The recommendations are leaning towards

1. Naniwa Snow White 8000
2. Naniwa SuperStone 8000
3. Arkansas Translucent
4. Yellow Coticule
5. Suehiro Gokumyo 10000

Naniwa Snow White - I am, just a little bit, doubtful about his one - I hope is different than Chosera - which I just sold - or the Superstone. Chosera & Superstone, in my setup, was slower than Sigma Power (and than Shapton Pro for harder steels only). As for wear - Chosera AND Superstone both worn more than Sigma and Shapton Pro. Performance - No complains here - both Chosera & Superstone were able to produce the keenest and smoothest edge than any other stone I ever tried.

So my basic question is - is there a stone that performs as wonderful as Chosera/SuperStone but is quicker and less dishing prone (more stable, harder)? I was hoping Suehiro Gokumyo 10000 will be the one, but, for whatever reason, there are not too many people knowing it.

 

[SliceOfLife]

You not only need a finisher, you need one that can bridge from 4k and then give you a proper finish. Synths do not do well at that. You would need a minimum of two synths to get there and maybe 3. An Apache, Coticule or Jnat can do that for under $160.

I think a lot of people rush lower grit honing and wind up overestimating how much work is needed on finishers consequently. I go to most finishers off a dmt8k which is similar in finish to most jis 4k, and haven't found a synth that can't reasonably make that jump, including Sp13k, shap 30k, and goku 20k.