Matus, how would you compare the speed of Gesshin 2000 to the Watanabe AI 1000?
Could anyone suggests where I could do some reading on stones, materials they are made from, differences, etc? Looking for a stones 101. Lol
Best stone for your buck depends a lot on location. For example in the US the Gesshin stones are very popular. However when you're in Europe, they're pretty expensive to import. Vice versa, the Naniwa professional / chosera stones are a lot cheaper in Europe so they're a much more viable option here than they are in the US.
I think another thing to keep in mind is 'best for what'. Some stone types work better with certain steels. Some people prefer a splash & go stone. But there's almost always a tradeoff involved somewhere. So you can't just say 'this is the best stone for everyone'. You have to match the specific trade-off with the desires of the user.
Best stone for your buck depends a lot on location. For example in the US the Gesshin stones are very popular. However when you're in Europe, they're pretty expensive to import. Vice versa, the Naniwa professional / chosera stones are a lot cheaper in Europe so they're a much more viable option here than they are in the US.
I think another thing to keep in mind is 'best for what'. Some stone types work better with certain steels. Some people prefer a splash & go stone. But there's almost always a tradeoff involved somewhere. So you can't just say 'this is the best stone for everyone'. You have to match the specific trade-off with the desires of the user.
I would only add that convenience-wise the worst solution is to use soaking stones, but not permasoak them. These will in average climate (say 50% humidity and around 20 - 20 deg. Celsius) take several days to dry + they need 15 - 30 minutes to fully soak. Most S&G stones dry within 24 hours, some considerably faster (JNS300 for example, but I have the impression that the Gesshin 320, 1500 and 3000 fall in the same category - none of these stones should be soaked). My wife always complained when I left all the stones on the counter for several days (to dry). Now I permasoak them so I can take them out, use them (even if just for few minutes), pop them back in water (a large plastic container with a sealed lid) and stash them away. Works like a charm
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