Next stone to get after Shapton 1k pro?

[paosquared]

Hey guys, still very new to sharpening and still need more practice but I'm looking into what I would need for the future.
The only stone I have right now is a Shapton 1k Pro and an Atoma 140 for flattening. I also have a rather small and probably low quality 120/240 stone I got from Japan Home that I haven't touched yet.
My knives are Yoshikane SKD Nashiji 240mm gyuto, Ashi Ginga 240mm stainless gyuto, Shun Premier Grey 8" Chef Knife, Gesshin Stainless 150mm wa petty, and Ashi Ginga 120mm stainless Yo Petty, as well as a Kiwi and some beaters.
What would be the next stone I should look into getting, and what after that? I still need quite some more practice with my 1k, but just trying to plan for the future. Thanks.

 

[gentiscid]

SG1500, SG2000, Naniwa Pro 3K

 

[Benuser]

IIRC the SP1k is quite a bit coarser than indicated, around 700 JIS, the Japanese standard. The Chosera / Naniwa Pro 3k is finer than it indicates, about 4k JIS. The jump is not impossible, but I would first try with a Shapton Pro 2k in between. The SP2k is a very nice, convenient stone, allowing a very easy complete deburring.

 

[paosquared]

IIRC the SP1k is quite a bit coarser than indicated, around 700 JIS, the Japanese standard. The Chosera / Naniwa Pro 3k is finer than it indicates, about 4k JIS. The jump is not impossible, but I would first try with a Shapton Pro 2k in between. The SP2k is a very nice, convenient stone, allowing a very easy complete deburring.

thoughts on rika 5k? i ask because it's quite a bit cheaper than many other stones in this grit category.

 

[AT5760]

Get an Ouka instead of the Rika. I have both and like the Ouka more as a stone after the SP1K. They are very similar in feel - really nice to use.

 

[GoodMagic]

thoughts on rika 5k? i ask because it's quite a bit cheaper than many other stones in this grit category.

The Rika is a soaker, good stone, but not splash and go.

 

[Benuser]

thoughts on rika 5k? i ask because it's quite a bit cheaper than many other stones in this grit category.

Have no own experience with it. Perhaps you best get first the SP2k. A lot will depend on which steel types exactly want to give a further refinement, once you've seen the SP2k's end result. Some steels will hardly benefit, and the improvement is diminishing as the grit gets finer, while the price raises.
If you had a lot of carbons I would probably suggest a Shapton Glass 4k or the said Chosera. It's not your case.
The Suehiro Ouka is a true 3k, a soaker. An excellent stone.

 

[pavlobee]

I started with SP2k and then magaed to get a SP1K. They are a reasonable jump and the 2k cleans up the 1k nicely. I also have the 5k which works but doesn't feel "nice".

Because in the true KKF way I am a stone collecting keeno, I also grabbed a Chosera 1k and 3k.

In my newbie opinion, the chosera feel nicer but they don't make it easier for me. And I have yet to exploit the better feel for a better result.

I also got a SG320 to help with cleaning up prior to the SP1K and it's an okay jump. If I only had the chosera 1k I would start with a SG500 as the chosera is noticeably finer.

If you're fixing up knives that have a really dull or chipped edge something between the atoma 140 and the SP1K might be worth adding. But if only for repair work some 320 or 400 grit sand paper might be just as effective.

Having to soak a stone for 20 minutes first wouldn't work for me at the moment so consider if that is an issue for you.

 

[paosquared]

Get an Ouka instead of the Rika. I have both and like the Ouka more as a stone after the SP1K. They are very similar in feel - really nice to use.

Have no own experience with it. Perhaps you best get first the SP2k. A lot will depend on which steel types exactly want to give a further refinement, once you've seen the SP2k's end result. Some steels will hardly benefit, and the improvement is diminishing as the grit gets finer, while the price raises.
If you had a lot of carbons I would probably suggest a Shapton Glass 4k or the said Chosera. It's not your case.
The Suehiro Ouka is a true 3k, a soaker. An excellent stone.

i've heard some talk from others that 2-3k stones won't feel much different from my shapton 1k and that a 5k stone would be better for refining my edge. thoughts? chosera is a little out of my budget, i'd probably be looking at either SP2K, SP5K, rika 5k, or ouka 3k.

The Rika is a soaker, good stone, but not splash and go.

i don't mind soakers, esp considering this is one of the stones that can be permasoaked.

 

[M1k3]

You'll get many different recommendations.

Here's mine, Shapton Glass 3k or 4k, Shapton Pro 2k. Glass 500 is a great stone, but kind of close in grit to your Pro 1k.

Alternatively, Venev Phoenix diamond stones.

If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of the harder, splash and go type stones.

Honorable mention, but completely unnecessary, a Coticule or Washita.

 

[SwampDonkey]

A big fan of the Chosera 3k. Just a good place to stop for any steel. For carbons I'll usally go up to a bbw and/or coticule but that's more because it feels good than actual need

 

[aporigine]

IIRC the SP1k is quite a bit coarser than indicated, around 700 JIS, the Japanese standard. The Chosera / Naniwa Pro 3k is finer than it indicates, about 4k JIS. The jump is not impossible, but I would first try with a Shapton Pro 2k in between. The SP2k is a very nice, convenient stone, allowing a very easy complete deburring.

I go from a Shapton M24 1k to a Chosera 3k without a problem. I don’t know how the grit of the M24 compares to the current Pro.

 

[DoYoon Kim]

i've heard some talk from others that 2-3k stones won't feel much different from my shapton 1k and that a 5k stone would be better for refining my edge. thoughts? chosera is a little out of my budget, i'd probably be looking at either SP2K, SP5K, rika 5k, or ouka 3k.


i don't mind soakers, esp considering this is one of the stones that can be permasoaked.

It seems you mostly have stainless so I'd recommend the lower grits, the softer higher grits like the rika won't really do much other than polish the edge to make it look shiny.

I don't think anyone ever regretted getting a Ouka, best edge for cost for sure. Bester/imanishi 4k is also a low cost spash and go that's decent. I use one for my travel set along with a SG1k and a king 400.

 

[Benuser]

I go from a Shapton M24 1k to a Chosera 3k without a problem. I don’t know how the grit of the M24 compares to the current Pro.

From SG1k to NP3k isn't impossible but I'm not sure it's realistic for now to expect a successful complete deburring on the first one. You don't want to start on the fine NP3k with coarse burr remnants still present. And stay a short time with the last stone. All reasons to suggest the SP2k in between.

 

[daveb]

Another one that likes to pair the SP1000 with the SP2000. That's as high as you need to go unless you get into single bevels (or just want to)

 

[aporigine]

From SG1k to NP3k isn't impossible but I'm not sure it's realistic for now to expect a successful complete deburring on the first one. You don't want to start on the fine NP3k with coarse burr remnants still present. And stay a short time with the last stone. All reasons to suggest the SP2k in between.

For me, the lightbulb moment was in making sure stuff was sharp, well-apexed, off the coarse stone. If a knife won’t cleanly cut newsprint cross-grain off the coarse stone, it’s not yet time to go up a step.

It took me some time to get a sharp edge off the Shapton. Once I did, my higher-grit edges benefited.

 

[Mr Kooby Shemayrew]

i've heard some talk from others that 2-3k stones won't feel much different from my shapton 1k and that a 5k stone would be better for refining my edge. thoughts? chosera is a little out of my budget, i'd probably be looking at either SP2K, SP5K, rika 5k, or ouka 3k.


i don't mind soakers, esp considering this is one of the stones that can be permasoaked.

I’m in the crowd of 1K to 2K is too close of a jump. King sells a 1K/6K combo stone, and also a 800/6K combo stone. Would a stop in between help or speed things up? Maybe. That just comes down to preference IMHO.

You kinda have to ask, what is your goal? Does the Shapton 1K not deliver a sharp enough edge for you?

I say that as many of my kitchen knives are finished on a 240 grit Suehiro Gokumyo, or Norton India Fine which is like 400 grit.

A good step up from the Shapton 1K is the Naniwa Falcon / Hayabusa 4K. It isn’t too expensive either.

Your cheap 120/240 grit stone is perfect for thinning and resetting the bevel geometry. (It is black and green, right?) You can get screaming edges from this stone alone. Make sure to flatten it and bevel the edges to get the best performance from it.

 

[sumis]

i commonly go 500 to 2000,
or 1000 to 4000.

both works most splendid for carbon, as well as sg2. shapton glass in these cases.

.

 

[paosquared]

I’m in the crowd of 1K to 2K is too close of a jump. King sells a 1K/6K combo stone, and also a 800/6K combo stone. Would a stop in between help or speed things up? Maybe. That just comes down to preference IMHO.

You kinda have to ask, what is your goal? Does the Shapton 1K not deliver a sharp enough edge for you?

I say that as many of my kitchen knives are finished on a 240 grit Suehiro Gokumyo, or Norton India Fine which is like 400 grit.

A good step up from the Shapton 1K is the Naniwa Falcon / Hayabusa 4K. It isn’t too expensive either.

Your cheap 120/240 grit stone is perfect for thinning and resetting the bevel geometry. (It is black and green, right?) You can get screaming edges from this stone alone. Make sure to flatten it and bevel the edges to get the best performance from it.

the hayabusa looks good and on budget for me! honestly i just wanted something to a) further refine the edge after the 1k (not that the 1k edge isn't sharp enough, i would just like to experience a slightly more refined edge) and b) have a stone to do light touchups between sharpening sessions. how does the hayabusa 4k compare to the rika 5k or the ouka 3k? i'm mostly looking at those as they are quite on budget for me and i think i've settled on one of those 3, slightly leaning to to the rika or the hayabusa.


the 120/240 is not black and green. it's just a cheap thing i got from japan home on a whim that i mostly intended to use for repairs. here it is next to the sp1k for size reference.

 

[daveb]

IME, The Rika does its best as a polisher for stainless. Never been happy with one for edges.

If you're thinking soaker for final, the Gesshin 4K is best I've used.

 

[paosquared]

IME, The Rika does its best as a polisher for stainless. Never been happy with one for edges.

If you're thinking soaker for final, the Gesshin 4K is best I've used.

interesting as i've heard the exact opposite from multiple rika 5k owners - that it's a good stone for edge, but very mediocre at polishing!

gesshin is way out of my budget, i'm looking for something in the $50 usd or less range. hence why i'm considering rika 5k, hayabusa 4k, or ouka 3k.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

The Hayabusa is currently $34.19 from Amazon Japan store within Amazon.com, if you're willing to wait eleven days for free international shipping.

 

[paosquared]

The Hayabusa is currently $34.19 from Amazon Japan store within Amazon.com, if you're willing to wait eleven days for free international shipping.

yes, this is why i was considering the hayabusa. i'm waffling between that and the rika 5k, which is about the same price. i am just a little worried that it may not give me an edge that's toothy enough? people are saying it feels more like a 6k grit stone

 

[Mr.Wizard]

At that level (JIS 4000+) I think of tooth as coming from not entirely removing scratches from a coarser stone, or from a stone with mixed grit specifically for that effect. More accomplished sharpeners may see it differently. I don't mean that refined edges should have no bite, like a rounded edge from too much pasted stropping, but if I specifically want a "toothy" edge I'll not spend too long on a finishing stone.

 

[Seemore]

Another big fan of the Ouka here. Great for touch-ups if you prefer, or great to end with* after an 800 or 1K if you need that first.

*Of course you can go on from there, but more strokes on more stones = more chance for mistakes.

 

[kujaku]

I have seen many people who, after trying many grinding stones such as 3000, 5000, 6000, 8000, 12000, etc., end up using only up to 3000.Given that you have a lot of stainless steel knives and that the SP1000 is really more like #700, it is probably wise to stick with #3000 or lower grinding stone.

SP2000 or Ouka seem to be your best, NP3000 is great too.

Hayabusa 4k is probably best if you are polishing carbon knives, but I think there are other better choices for knife sharpening purposes.
If you want to sharpen and polish your knives, Naniwa Aotoishi 2k green brick is even better. It has a very high amount of slurry and dents quickly, but the grit can vary from 2k-4k by controlling slurry and the force with which you sharpen.

 

[paosquared]

I have seen many people who, after trying many grinding stones such as 3000, 5000, 6000, 8000, 12000, etc., end up using only up to 3000.Given that you have a lot of stainless steel knives and that the SP1000 is really more like #700, it is probably wise to stick with #3000 or lower grinding stone.

SP2000 or Ouka seem to be your best, NP3000 is great too.

Hayabusa 4k is probably best if you are polishing carbon knives, but I think there are other better choices for knife sharpening purposes.
If you want to sharpen and polish your knives, Naniwa Aotoishi 2k green brick is even better. It has a very high amount of slurry and dents quickly, but the grit can vary from 2k-4k by controlling slurry and the force with which you sharpen.

thanks, i'm pretty settled on the ouka, but how would the sp2k an ouka compare as a finishing/touch up stone? i don't really mind soaking. i ask because they're rather similar in price point. NP3k is a bit out of my budget.

 

[Koop]

Love my Ouka. Very versatile stone.

 

[kujaku]

thanks, i'm pretty settled on the ouka, but how would the sp2k an ouka compare as a finishing/touch up stone? i don't really mind soaking. i ask because they're rather similar in price point. NP3k is a bit out of my budget.

Both stones will give you a biting edge.
Ouka is even softer and creamier than SP. It's more fun to try different types of stones, so let's go with ouka!

 

[paosquared]

Both stones will give you a biting edge.
Ouka is even softer and creamier than SP. It's more fun to try different types of stones, so let's go with ouka!

IIRC the SP1k is quite a bit coarser than indicated, around 700 JIS, the Japanese standard. The Chosera / Naniwa Pro 3k is finer than it indicates, about 4k JIS. The jump is not impossible, but I would first try with a Shapton Pro 2k in between. The SP2k is a very nice, convenient stone, allowing a very easy complete deburring.

Is there a reason you guys rec sp2k and not sg2k?