Can anyone help identify this combination stone?

[slowtyper]

Has this plastic divider thing built around the edges, which held the plastic lids (which I lost). Also lost the packaging...

Anyone can tell me about this?

Thanks, sorry I don't know any details about it like how coarse it is or know how to tell. Was hoping the design was unique enough that someone would know.

 

[juhha]

Looks kind of similar to a king combination whetstone #220 #1000.
I have one of those, but without the plastic divider. The green is 220grit. The brown is 1000grit.
King outsorses for some brands. Maibe this was made for a specific company...

 

[StephanFowler]

and i would really suggest lapping that flat before use, the picture looks like there's some pretty impressive sway

 

[slowtyper]

Stephan,
Thanks for the tip.

Does anyone know how I can go about finding approximate grit of these stones? I bought these on a whim a while ago from a store in Montreal selling japanese goods not really knowing anything about it or what I wanted it for. I just wanted it...haha. I don't have other stones and am not experienced so I don't know what to compare it to.

I plan on picking up a japanese knife soon and a basic stone setup and wonder if this will work at all or not.


edit: actually after some googling I managed to figure out the name of the store. Emailed the owner and sent a pic, hopefully they recognize it.

 

[Jim]

Henckels sells that exact stone branded as its own - it is a synthetic stone@ 250 and 1000 grit and its listed as a water stone. They retail for about 60-70 bucks.

 

[slowtyper]

Thanks.

Looks just like the King 250/1000 stone which I'm guessing is the same as the Henckel one you mentioned.

Now my next question....

I will get a konosuke HD Gyuto, would it be alright to use the 1000side of this stone along with say, a Rika 5K or Arashiyama 6K and that would be good for general sharpening for my knife?

 

[Jim]

 

[dmccurtis]

The Henckels stones are actually rebranded Naniwas. They have that 250/1000 and a 3000/8000. They're also now selling a range of rebadged Choseras under their Miyabi brand.

 

[Eamon Burke]

I will get a konosuke HD Gyuto, would it be alright to use the 1000side of this stone along with say, a Rika 5K or Arashiyama 6K and that would be good for general sharpening for my knife?

Yep.

You're going to want a strop to maintain the edge between sharpenings, but that is simple enough if you are on a tight budget--leather, compound and a piece of wood. If you aren't on so tight a budget, you can get a sweet setup like JKS' All-U-Need kit. A regular steel won't do anything to a hard steel knife, and the diamond coated hones will destroy an edge in 2 swipes.

 

[slowtyper]

Yep.

You're going to want a strop to maintain the edge between sharpenings, but that is simple enough if you are on a tight budget--leather, compound and a piece of wood. If you aren't on so tight a budget, you can get a sweet setup like JKS' All-U-Need kit. A regular steel won't do anything to a hard steel knife, and the diamond coated hones will destroy an edge in 2 swipes.

Thanks! Last night I ordered Chromium Oxide from ebay (liquid semi-paste type version). BTW do you think its a bad idea to start off sharpening my own knife (the konosuke hd)? In other words, could I really mess up the knife somehow as I'm learning how to sharpen?

Last question...I saw Dave's post on the other forum with a bunch of links about sharpening knives. I missed a few of the links, however I'm feeling unsatisfied with the links provided there. Maybe its just that I tend to find more value in good threads where many different people chime in and provide answers. Anyone can remember/link me to a good thread like this that has a lot of information for a beginner sharpener getting a knife similar to mine? (konosuke HD gyuto).

 

[mikemac]

I don't think there is anything you can do to really mess up a blade, and re-reading long threads won't necessarially help.

IMHO -

- Go Slow
- Skip the 220 or coarse stone (...new knife, probably pretty sharp OOTB, beginner sharpener - the cousre stone will exagerate any slip-ups, and it will happen faster.
- Find your angle, and figure out how to hold it. I prefer the magic marker trick for finding the angle, and I like holding my thumb on the spine using an edge leading grip for maintaining an angle. This way I can always see the gap between the spine and stone (angle) and my thumb floats over the top of the stone - a biomechanical aid.
- sharpen one side of the knife until you've raised a burr along the whole edge
- sharpen one spot until you have a burr started
- after raining a burr on the second side, switch to an edge trailing motion and strop on alternating sides to flip flop the burr back and forth a few times and then de-burr on a towel or soft wood or cork.
- after deburring, strop on alternating sides again to clean up the edge and you're done

 

[Eamon Burke]

Yes, you can learn to sharpen on that! Here's what I suggest. Take a good long look at the edge itself, so you know what it looks like, how wide it is, where there are and aren't scratch marks, etc. Out of the box, it isn't as sharp as it will ever be, but it is going to be really sharp compared to what most people are used to, so learn how to use the marker trick, and instead of trying to pick your angles and setting bevels, just maintain the edge on your finer stones, and take your time. Don't alter the bevel until you are more confident. If you get lots of damage, like tiny edge chips, use the 1k, just don't go crazy and use the marker trick.

There's really nothing you can do to really screw it up. If you wind up hitting some kind of major roadblock(which you will) and you can't seem to get it sharp at all for unknown reasons, just come back and ask us about it. Worst case scenario, you can send it off to get professionally sharpened, and it'll come back in great shape.

 

[kalaeb]

Take a look at the Japanese knife imports page. He has a good selection of sharpening videos. JKI Videos

And before you buy anything else or start to practice, get a lapping/flattening stone.

 

[Cadillac J]

My personal opinion on learning to sharpen on your HD: learn at least angle control on one of your cheaper knives first...when you feel comfortable and confident enough, then move onto the HD if that is what you want to do.

From strictly a use standpoint, a Konosuke HD is a really large jump from someone used to even nicer European knives, IMO. I've always believed in working your way up, as it makes you really appreciate what a knife like that can really offer. You may even realize that you don't like a laser that is that light to hold, especially if you don't adjust your technique accordingly.

Don't listen to me though, as this is my own thoughts...if you want to make that leap, by all means it is your prerogative. I think that most would agree with me to start with just a 1K stone and something like a Tojiro, Fuijwara or even Hiromoto AS, but you seem pretty gung ho with your choices already, so might as well jump into it.

Also, you mentioned not being satisfied with the videos and links posted about sharpening...but to be honest, right now there are more resources for a beginning sharpener than there have ever been before, so you should be able to find what you are looking for. My thought is that you are probably over complicating things(we all do this in the beginning)...once you have the basics down, you will learn more through trial and error than you will reading or watching videos, which is one of the reasons that starting with a really nice knife isn't always the best idea.

 

[slowtyper]

Thanks for the input. I like this knife because it had very positive reviews and its also carried by a shop local to me. I'm open to suggestions for other knives. I don't really want to buy and sell knives privately (don't like buying/selling private online, seems like a hassle).

I'm sure most newbies fall in love with the fancy damascus patterns, and I am no exception....I do like them. Maybe a bit of info about myself..

I just cook at home, and work in a restaurant as front of the house (yeah yeah I know...I should go to a pen and pad forum right? haha) but I'm moving into the sushi bar soon where my job will be cutting vegetables and also maki. its a small and very trustworthy place so I'm not afraid of theft. I do like flashy and I like the wa-handle. Any suggestions?