That new red brick

[schanop]

Received the new red stone from Maximo's last week sale on Monday and have been playing with it for a bit.

It is quite as Maxim describes, fairly similar to red Atagoyama, both in hardness and fineness. I think it is quite a performer for wide bevel (single bevel knives included) carbon knives; tested with Hide blue #1 yanagiba, and Sakai Takayuki blue #2 usuba so far. With semi-stainless Yoshikane SKD, cladding gummed up the stone a little bit easier.

Now for a quick photo comparison within the stone line up that I usually use.

Let's start with superb JNS 800. It is quite easy to get dark even finish with this stone.




Next is bestor 1200. Didn't spend much time on this, so finish is so so. If I spend time, a greyish even finish is obtainable.




The famous, prone to crack, synthetic aoto. Result could have been more even, but cracks interfere with sharpening and polishing a bit, although I tried to polish between crack lines.




New JNS red aoto. It can produce nice and even finish easily, not as dark as JNS 800.




Red Atagoyama. This is still a better stone that JNS red aoto tries to imitate, very close though. I still find that atagoyama feels better and a bit easier to use.




For a final comparison on finish, a hakka. If spending a bit more time, I can get a nice even, matt, relatively dark, fine finish through out the blade. There are some patches of streak in this.

[Bill13]

Thanks for sharing! Nice photos too. I would love to have a hakka, maybe Maxim's next sale.

[vinster]

Everyone should have a hakka! or three

[schanop]

Agree, Vinster.

[panda]

i've got a hakka on loan to try for the first time, but for sure everyone should have an aoto!

[Andrey V]

Guys, just to continue: everyone should have a lot of good Jnats, and better be rich and healthy!