shinyunggyun
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Better cutting speed, tactile feedback, feel, and dishing rate?
Chosera 600 vs gesshin 600
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I have the Chosera 400 and Geshin 600 S&G. Not quite what you where asking but given the different grit grading systems they use, they are more similar in grit than the 600 and 600.
These are two very different stones.
Hardness : To me the Chosera is a hard stone. The Gesshin is closer to a medium stone.
Dishing : Chosera dishes slower
Speed : Gesshin is way way faster
Feel : Chosera is a relatively smooth firm stone that I think feels pretty decent on softer steels but gets glassy on hard steels. Because of this, I've stopped using it on hard carbons etc but still use it on occasion on soft steels and the Germans.
The Gesshin has a more consistent feel across a wide range of steels but I think it's more of a love it or hate it stone. Its feel is very slightly sandy. If you've ever used a Latte 400, the Gesshins feel is like a very refined slightly firmer version of that. Personally I like it and use it a fair amount where I need a stone in that grit range, but if you are used to harder stones like the Shapton Glass you might not like it so much.
Which would I choose?
If I had no lower grit stones I would chose the Chosera. The reason being its hard so its resistant to damage by some of the messed knives that come my way. Am thinking scalloped Germans here. On the other hand, if you have lower grit stones, the Gesshin is definitely worthy of consideration. I'm glad I have mine.
These are two very different stones.
Hardness : To me the Chosera is a hard stone. The Gesshin is closer to a medium stone.
Dishing : Chosera dishes slower
Speed : Gesshin is way way faster
Feel : Chosera is a relatively smooth firm stone that I think feels pretty decent on softer steels but gets glassy on hard steels. Because of this, I've stopped using it on hard carbons etc but still use it on occasion on soft steels and the Germans.
The Gesshin has a more consistent feel across a wide range of steels but I think it's more of a love it or hate it stone. Its feel is very slightly sandy. If you've ever used a Latte 400, the Gesshins feel is like a very refined slightly firmer version of that. Personally I like it and use it a fair amount where I need a stone in that grit range, but if you are used to harder stones like the Shapton Glass you might not like it so much.
Which would I choose?
If I had no lower grit stones I would chose the Chosera. The reason being its hard so its resistant to damage by some of the messed knives that come my way. Am thinking scalloped Germans here. On the other hand, if you have lower grit stones, the Gesshin is definitely worthy of consideration. I'm glad I have mine.
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The Chosera / Naniwa Pro 400 and 600 are very different stones. If possible, the 600 is even harder but lacks the 400s versatility if you vary pressure, mud, water. The 600 seems to me to be the fastest cutter. I would call it the most Shapton-like of the line.
P.S. The 600 doesn't offer the amount of tactile feedback the 400 does.
P.S. The 600 doesn't offer the amount of tactile feedback the 400 does.
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Steampunk
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Depends on the steel, how you like to work, and what you're trying to do... The Gesshin 600 S&G and Naniwa Pro/Chosera 600 can trade places depending upon what you're using them for. One thing I can say with the Gesshin, is if you go for it, splurge for the XL version, and pick up the matching 1200 S&G to go with. Perma-soak both. They're a perfect duo.
The Naniwa is a hard, dense, almost splash & go (Soaks up water for a minute or two when splashed, then holds.) magnesia-bonded stone, that has a pretty consistent particle size, and is a little finer than its grit suggests. A decently fast-cutting Coticule with some mud picks up really nicely from this stone.
As Benuser said, it's a pretty good cutter; especially when soaked for no more than 5-minutes. I can kind of see the 'Shapton Like' reference (It sort of responds a tiny bit like a finer version of the Shapton Pro 320, in terms of mud response and density, but feedback is even 'creamier' and it's not as sensitive to the alloy and hardness as much as the Pro 320. Can't say it feels like any of the other Shapton Pro or Glass series to me.), but not entirely; at least not with my blades and techniques. The Pro/Chosera 600 definitely likes a bit of pressure.
For me, the Naniwa 600 is a really underrated stone. It's a workhorse that does a little bit of everything. Creates a good contrast base for kasumi polishing (Better than most of the Naniwa's.), has a kind of 'creamy' feel for something that resists dishing this well, and leaves a really nice edge when you're looking for something towards the toothy side.
The Gesshin is a very different animal. It's a very muddy, fairly soft resin stone, that needs to be perma-soaked (Holds its water much better, though, than the previously referenced Gesshin 400. Pretty good analogy, though.), and the abrasives aren't as fine or as consistent as the Naniwa. I can't even say it's as fast of a cutter on most steels, as you can't apply as much pressure as on the Naniwa, and the mud - when you try - can actually build up so much it gets in the way of the cutting speed. What it does do, is feel and work brilliantly when doing hamaguri sharpening on wide bevels. Much easier to create a facet-less finish than with the Naniwa (Though the Pro 600 is actually easier to avoid facets with than the Pro 800.), and the mud feels like sharpening on a cloud. A somewhat sandy cloud, but a cloud. Paired with the 1200 S&G, it's a really tactile joy of a combo. You can really play around with that mud to get a nice finish. Because of the softness and high abrasive release, I can't say this stone often creates edges as 'sharp' feeling as the Naniwa for me all on its own, as there is some slurry dulling. Sometimes, on some steels it'll shave hair, but not on as many, as much of the time as the Naniwa... It also works pretty well for light repairs on edge bevels, if you are a sharpener with a light touch. Seems to slurry-dull less on Aogami than Shirogami.
The Naniwa does work a little better to preserve a crisp Shinogi line, and doesn't wash away kurouchi quite as easily as the Gesshin. The Gesshin still isn't as bad in this regard as the Gesshin 400 soaker, though. Using the Gesshin combo just feels so 'organic', though. The Gesshin 600 S&G, 1200 S&G, and the JNS Red Aoto is a really fun combo for wide/single bevels. Can hide some sins if the grind isn't too perfect, as well.
Both Gesshin and the Naniwa pick up really nicely from a 220 grit stone.
The Naniwa is a hard, dense, almost splash & go (Soaks up water for a minute or two when splashed, then holds.) magnesia-bonded stone, that has a pretty consistent particle size, and is a little finer than its grit suggests. A decently fast-cutting Coticule with some mud picks up really nicely from this stone.
As Benuser said, it's a pretty good cutter; especially when soaked for no more than 5-minutes. I can kind of see the 'Shapton Like' reference (It sort of responds a tiny bit like a finer version of the Shapton Pro 320, in terms of mud response and density, but feedback is even 'creamier' and it's not as sensitive to the alloy and hardness as much as the Pro 320. Can't say it feels like any of the other Shapton Pro or Glass series to me.), but not entirely; at least not with my blades and techniques. The Pro/Chosera 600 definitely likes a bit of pressure.
For me, the Naniwa 600 is a really underrated stone. It's a workhorse that does a little bit of everything. Creates a good contrast base for kasumi polishing (Better than most of the Naniwa's.), has a kind of 'creamy' feel for something that resists dishing this well, and leaves a really nice edge when you're looking for something towards the toothy side.
The Gesshin is a very different animal. It's a very muddy, fairly soft resin stone, that needs to be perma-soaked (Holds its water much better, though, than the previously referenced Gesshin 400. Pretty good analogy, though.), and the abrasives aren't as fine or as consistent as the Naniwa. I can't even say it's as fast of a cutter on most steels, as you can't apply as much pressure as on the Naniwa, and the mud - when you try - can actually build up so much it gets in the way of the cutting speed. What it does do, is feel and work brilliantly when doing hamaguri sharpening on wide bevels. Much easier to create a facet-less finish than with the Naniwa (Though the Pro 600 is actually easier to avoid facets with than the Pro 800.), and the mud feels like sharpening on a cloud. A somewhat sandy cloud, but a cloud. Paired with the 1200 S&G, it's a really tactile joy of a combo. You can really play around with that mud to get a nice finish. Because of the softness and high abrasive release, I can't say this stone often creates edges as 'sharp' feeling as the Naniwa for me all on its own, as there is some slurry dulling. Sometimes, on some steels it'll shave hair, but not on as many, as much of the time as the Naniwa... It also works pretty well for light repairs on edge bevels, if you are a sharpener with a light touch. Seems to slurry-dull less on Aogami than Shirogami.
The Naniwa does work a little better to preserve a crisp Shinogi line, and doesn't wash away kurouchi quite as easily as the Gesshin. The Gesshin still isn't as bad in this regard as the Gesshin 400 soaker, though. Using the Gesshin combo just feels so 'organic', though. The Gesshin 600 S&G, 1200 S&G, and the JNS Red Aoto is a really fun combo for wide/single bevels. Can hide some sins if the grind isn't too perfect, as well.
Both Gesshin and the Naniwa pick up really nicely from a 220 grit stone.
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