Looking for "Zen" Stone Set

Hello All,

I currently have an Edgepro with which I can put excellent edges on my knives (Carters, Takedas, Suisin Inox Honyaki, more).

I am thinking about trying freehanding, partly for the relaxation component, and was hoping to get guidance on a stone set that will enhance this aspect of the process. Something perhaps on the quieter, softer side. Budget isn't critical but I don't want to blow my brains out in case it isn't for me.

TIA

John

Hi John, where are you located and how much money are you ok spending?

I am in Canada, but can get packages in the US as well. I have not established a dollar budget - it is in part driven by what it would cost to get what I want. Cheaper would be better, but meeting the criteria is the key.

John

I had good results using JNS's 1k Matukusuyama and Takenoko 8k. Since you have no problems getting stones from the US, you could also try Jon's (at JKI) stones.

Naniwa Super Stone 1,000 grit is maybe what you want. My understanding is that it is a slow, quiet, and smooth feeling stone.

http://www.**************.com/superstone.html

Interesting, as usually the request is for a set that works well and isn't expensive...

My usual set is probably not what you want then -- Bester 1200 and Suehiro Rika 5000. The Bester is a great stone, cuts fast, stays flat very well, but isn't quite what I would call quiet. It's fairly hard ceramic, and sort of "rings" when you are grinding. Very fast, too -- after grinding forever on my 300 grit stone to fix a bevel or grind out chips, a dozen strokes on my Beston 700 and a dozen (or less) on the Bester have all the big scratches gone and an even gray matte finish on a plane blade. Not really Zen.

My synthetic aoto is also very fast, six or eight strokes and I have a burr on a clean stone, a dozen more with some mud and it's beginning to polish!

A 1000 grit Naniwa Superstone might suit you better, cuts slower and is probably quieter and smoother. From there you can try a Naniwa 3000 grit stone, and then an Arashiyama 6K/Takenoko 8K (the same stone, two different names), or a King 6000. The Arashiyama is a nicer stone, I think, the King works OK, I've used mine for decades, but it can be grabby without a slurry and doesn't feel as nice.

Peter

I strongly advise against 1000 Naniwa super stone. It is slow, soft and the knife is gauging a lot on it. Chosera (Naniwa professional) 1000 is much much better.

For the ultimate Zen sharpening experience I will suggest JNats or a mix of soakers at the low end and Jnat mid and finishing. The soakers (to me anyway) provide considerably more feedback and are more pleasant to use than splash and go. The JNats even more so.

For the "spa" experience I'll use a G2K, maybe a Ikarashi, a natural Aoto, then Takashima and/or Atagoyma finisher. Tough to beat the Gesshin soakers for tactile feedback and performance.

Ironically as I find less and less time for sharpening I'm gravitating more to the S&G. Gesshin diamond plates or a mix of Gesshin and JNS stones.