Help me with my first JNAT

[Loam]

Hello,

I'm a professional chef which owns a pretty big collection of japanese knives (more than 40). I have many different carbon steels, as well as stainless, semistainless and PM steels. I got a couple of honyaki also. My current set of synthetic stones is: Atoma 140, Shapton Glass 220, Naniwa Pro 400, Naniwa Pro 800, Naniwa Pro 3000, Arashiyama 6000.

I feel ready now to get into the JNATs world and I wanted to start with a couple of stones, one prefinisher and one finisher, mainly for my raw proteins cutters, since I like my other knives to have more toothiness. I will focus on sharpening only for the moment.

My budget is around 800$, but flexible if needed.

 

[OkayMode]

I am currently selling a very clean Narutaki Suita for about half of your budget here: WTS - Size 30 Narutaki Suita

For edges on most kitchen tasks I would consider this stone a finisher as I wouldn't want to go any finer personally, but for slicing proteins exclusively, you might consider it more of a prefinisher.

It's quite a nice stone for a beginner because of the creamy slurry it quickly raises which provides a comfortable sharpening feel, the large surface area, and the fact it's fast.

It will be a good one to learn polishing on too if you become tempted to give it a go for the same reasons.

There are other way more knowledgeable folk than me here when it comes to natural stones though, so i'd hold out for their recommendations before jumping on this!

 

[Carbonara]

@ethompson can get you what you need. Highly recommended.

 

[ethompson]

Thanks for the plug @Carbonara.

@Loam, that Nartutaki suita @Ok__mode_6953 looks pretty great, would definitely scratch an itch for a finisher. For a pre-finisher, especially since you mention toothy edges, an Aizu would be a pretty good bet. I've also got a few nagura bench stones on BST now, which, if I may shamelessly say so myself, would also give a great toothy edge and be considered a pre-finisher in sharpening before a suita. As long as you don't go chasing heavily stamped full size suita you should be able to find what you want well within budget.

 

[Loam]

Actually, I was looking for a couple of Awasedo. Something softer like ~3/5 as a pre-finisher for raw proteins slicers and something harder (like ~4/5) as a finisher. Sorry for not making that clear in the first place.

 

[ahhactive]

@ethompson has great offering. but do give mikawa from Migoto a chance as well. Hard stone but soft enough to be easy to use. Gives very bitey edge and it gives a good finish in its own rights.

 

[ReiHamono]

Lots of great suggestions and insight here

I’m going to suggest a Maruoyama suita as an incredible versatile series of stone. I’m really enjoying the ao suita, but perhaps the shiro suita would be the best choice for easy of use, speed, and ability to create an incredibly well cutting edge.

 

[OkayMode]

Actually, I was looking for a couple of Awasedo. Something softer like ~3/5 as a pre-finisher for raw proteins slicers and something harder (like ~4/5) as a finisher. Sorry for not making that clear in the first place.

Apologies if I’ve misunderstood your comment, but Awasedo is a classification not a specific type of stone - it just means ‘finisher’.

An Aizu or Mikawa are usually considered nakatoishi and will sit just below that category of refinement, but the suita I mentioned and the recommendations @EricEricEric made would hit your brief for a soft pre-finisher Awasedo quite happily.

Everyone I know who has one really likes their Marouyama, maybe I need to get one…

 

[Loam]

Apologies if I’ve misunderstood your comment, but Awasedo is a classification not a specific type of stone - it just means ‘finisher’.

An Aizu or Mikawa are usually considered nakatoishi and will sit just below that category of refinement, but the suita I mentioned and the recommendations @EricEricEric made would hit your brief for a soft pre-finisher Awasedo quite happily.

Everyone I know who has one really likes their Marouyama, maybe I need to get one…

I was referring to the Aizu recommendations. Hopefully it's all clear now, thanks.

 

[shobudonnie]

Go for a Maruoyama shirosuita. Carbonknifeco has some right now.