Naniwa Junpaku aka Snow White for sale at Buyee.

I know this stone is loved by knife sharpeners and you can still get it here for a good price.

You‘ll have to add buyee fees, shipment and taxes. Easily 30% on top of the sale price.

And it's awful.

It's not often I give up on a stone but this stone is just not for me

I just thought I'd dump the link here for those interested because I've read so many rave reviews about it. That's all.

In the states we still have a few options. I can get it from sharpening supplies for $109 or I can order it from Japan but after shipping it is pretty close to the same. I can get it from Australia too but it is pricey that way! Like Otto, I gave mine up. I liked it a lot until I tried other stones, lol.

Badgertooth said:

It's not often I give up on a stone but this stone is just not for me

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It seems that some seem to like it and some hate it.

It's been my only 8k stone until now, so I have nothing to compare it to (just received a Kitayama but haven't used it yet). There are certainly some things that I find very different to lower grit Choseras (hardness or perhaps a skaty feeling, different quality to feedback, reluctance to get muddy, very sticky mud once you do) and I'm not really sure which is related to the grit and which is related to the fundamentals of the stone.

Can you describe what you don't like about it? I'm keen to get the perspective of experienced sharpeners while I compare the two stones.

I think you've more or less nailed it mate. And I'm not arrogant enough to assume you can't get a good polish with it, im sure someone has
It unlocked and the skill. That person is not me

But yeah, glassy unyielding feedback. Streaky ****fest on soft cladding

Badgertooth said:

But yeah, glassy unyielding feedback. Streaky ****fest on soft cladding

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Do you have a peferred synth stone in this grit range or is this where naturals shine for you?

Very fast with a great tactile feedback, you really feel the last burr remainings getting off. Works best with a bit of slurry. As for its polishing qualities, I don't know and don't care.

And highly effective in touch-ups.

Nemo said:

Do you have a peferred synth stone in this grit range or is this where naturals shine for you?

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Arashiyama/Takenoko as a dry strop is about the fiercest synth edge you could hope for