Chosera specifically: 5k and 8k snow white

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Mike Shults

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I want to buy the Chosera 5k and 8k snow white. Some folks have trouble with cracks and others don't. I have owned the Chosera 2k for years and no issues. I read that the lower grits aren't prone to craze, but the higher grit Chosera's are. I believe a lot might have to do with the type of climate some people leave in. I live in East Tennessee. Any thoughts?
 
If I am not mistaken Chosera's and cracking have been because people were soaking them. These are resinoid bonded stones and the binder can leach if oversoaked.

Granted this was how it was YEARS ago. Not sure if Naniwa Pro branded choceras still exhibit this issue.

Edit: Magnesia Bonded! Thanks @Heckel7302
 
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MowgFace said:
If I am not mistaken Chosera's and cracking have been because people were soaking them. These are resinoid bonded stones and the binder can leach if oversoaked.

Granted this was how it was YEARS ago. Not sure if Naniwa Pro branded choceras still exhibit this issue.
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I have a Naniwa pro/Chosera 2 k had it for years hasn't cracked. But i heard that the higher grits are more prone to craze.
 
MowgFace said:
If I am not mistaken Chosera's and cracking have been because people were soaking them. These are resinoid bonded stones and the binder can leach if oversoaked.

Granted this was how it was YEARS ago. Not sure if Naniwa Pro branded choceras still exhibit this issue.
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Chocera's aren't resinoid, they use a ceramic binder.

The Naniwa Super Stones are resinoid.
 
I thought a lot of the issue came from drying a soaked stone incorrectly. You have to dry it over several days by wrapping first in a damp cloth, then to dry cloth. If the outter layers dry faster than the inside, you'll have cracking.
 
I have both a Cholera 800 and 3,000. I keep them wet when sharpening and when I'm finished I lay them on their side to dry. I have no cracks or other issues with the stones. They are not designed to break soaked.
 
There’s a Naniwa 8000 lobster for sale in the bst non-knife forum now. I don’t know if it’s similar to the chosera but it’s pretty cheap.
 
Towerguy said:
I have both a Cholera 800 and 3,000. I keep them wet when sharpening and when I'm finished I lay them on their side to dry. I have no cracks or other issues with the stones. They are not designed to break soaked.
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I've had similar experiences with my 800, 1k, and 3k. I also have the sides coated in epoxy just to prevent excess water absorption
 
cwk.v said:
I've had similar experiences with my 800, 1k, and 3k. I also have the sides coated in epoxy just to prevent excess water absorption
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Do you have the backside coated ln epoxy as well? youve experienced no cracks?
 
Bad thing is based on what i have read is that most of the time.cracking doesn't seem to effect the lower grit Chosera/Nanpro but only the 5k and above .
 
Mike Shults said:
Bad thing is based on what i have read is that most of the time.cracking doesn't seem to effect the lower grit Chosera/Nanpro but only the 5k and above .
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My Chosera 3k has a webwork of cracks, but they don’t affect its action.

My Chosera 10k has no visible cracks.
(both stones first owner)
 
Not sure if this is helpful but... I own a Naniwa pro 400, 1000, 2000, 3000 and 5000.
Guess what... the 5000 is the only one shows the the mini-cracks. It's also likely the least used of the bunch... largely because it's my least liked stone of the series (even before it started getting spiderweb cracks). I think they're about 10 years old now, but the 5k started showing the cracks about 5 years in, the rest is still fine even now.

If they all magically vanished overnight I'd happily rebuy all but the 5000.
My climate is... Dutch.
 
OP, what are you sharpening and what are you looking for?

I have had my Naniwa Pro 800 and 3000, and neither has suffered any cracking.

I can't say anything about the 5000 myself since I have no experience with one, but if it's been an issue for you, then have you checked out alternatives? I've heard good things about Morihei 4000 and 6000, and you might also check out relevant Shapton Glass stones.

For 8000 I currently use the Naniwa Fuji 8k (it's a resinoid stone, and very much a "bright-polisher". I use it as splash-and-go.) and I like it. So far I only ever use it for things like low-alloy carbon-steel single-bevel knives or else a white #1 gyuto.
 
Qapla' said:
OP, what are you sharpening and what are you looking for?

I have had my Naniwa Pro 800 and 3000, and neither has suffered any cracking.

I can't say anything about the 5000 myself since I have no experience with one, but if it's been an issue for you, then have you checked out alternatives? I've heard good things about Morihei 4000 and 6000, and you might also check out relevant Shapton Glass stones.

For 8000 I currently use the Naniwa Fuji 8k (it's a resinoid stone, and very much a "bright-polisher". I use it as splash-and-go.) and I like it. So far I only ever use it for things like low-alloy carbon-steel single-bevel knives or else a white #1 gyuto.
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Thanks for the reply! I am Looking to replace my Shapton glass HR 2K and 4k..I like them they're fine and fast (i use them on razors) but i don't like the way they load/gum up with swarf. I have a Chosera 2k for a bevel setting stone and i really like it, the swarf doesn't embed into the stone, but stays suspended in the water, if that makes sense:) And it's never cracked. I am gonna keep my 10k glass stone, i really like it. Anyways i thought about my new progression to add the 5k Nan pro and the 8k snow white. So my progression would be 2k Nan pro, 5k nan pro, 8k snow white, 10k glass stone 15k Gok, and 20k gok. I know its a 6 stone progression but the last 3 stones i would only do a minimum of 15 strokes on each stone. If you keep the grits tight then it does take long on the polishers

I read that the 5k Chosera is soft, and some say its hard. So is it a soft stone like say a Naniwa 12k? I read about backing these stones with glass with 2 part epoxy and sealing the sides with epoxy as well on a virgin stone and that will remedy the cracks from even starting?!
 
I have the entire chosera line except the 10k, I also had a Snow White. I take exceptional care of all of them but the Snow White cracked within the first year, so sad I loved that stone. The 5k takes some getting use to, I personally think there is better options in the 5k range.
 
I'm well aware my point of view is not generally accepted. Sealing is a very bad answer to possible problems, as they find their origin in poor, incomplete drying. Once the inner part of the stone has got wet and stays so, its structure changes and will expand, making the outer layers to crack.
Most problems did occur with the first generation Chosera, thicker, and with a standard. That standard hindered full drying of the bottom.
The next generation, the Naniwa Professional, was thinner, and had no standard. Composition if possible even denser in abrasives. Haven't seen any problem with them. Don't expect them with the newest Naniwa Chocera Pro.
In the time of the first generation it was commonly advised of course not to soak it, but to apply a layer of water and wait for a while, raise slurry with the nagura and apply water again. No good idea.
Not sure if getting both the 5k and the Junpaku Snow-white 8k makes a lot of sense.
Both can be used directly after a 2k, or even the 800, depending on the kind of edge you're looking for. The Junpaku offers some surprising refined bite — which the 5k doesn't.
You may consider as well the Shapton Pro 12k, which delivers a similar result in the 7k range with the same bite without being that fussy.
 
All generations behave the same, including the Professional. No difference whatsoever. But none of the epoxy ones from the start had any issues. Now I just do that and let the guys use them as such.
As for 5 and 8k, I agree since this isn't a razor topic.
 
FWIW my spidercracking Naniwa Pro 5k was a stand alone baseless Naniwa Pro, not one of the earlier choseras. And it was always dried on a rack that allowed ventilation on all sides.

Same treatment never gave me any issues on the 400, 1k, 2k & 3k.

Tho honestly my main gripe with it is that contrary to all the other stones I found the 5k neither pleasurable nor enjoyable to sharpen on. Dries out too much, gets gummy, lack of feedback... and very high price to boot.
Most of the time I use my vastly cheaper Arashiyama 6k instead when I go that high in grits.
 
Mike Shults said:
Thanks for the reply! I am Looking to replace my Shapton glass HR 2K and 4k..I like them they're fine and fast (i use them on razors) but i don't like the way they load/gum up with swarf. I have a Chosera 2k for a bevel setting stone and i really like it, the swarf doesn't embed into the stone, but stays suspended in the water, if that makes sense:) And it's never cracked. I am gonna keep my 10k glass stone, i really like it.
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If this is for razors, then you might talk it over with the forum's razor aficionados.

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/lets-have-a-new-razor-thread.43148/
 
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