J-Nat Club

[Simply]

So I’ve been deep off the rabbit hole picking a first jnat. I’ve discerned I’d enjoy an Aizu and suita, the naming has my head spinning sometimes. Flexible budget. @ethompson would you be able to help me out? Goal is a nice Kasumi finisher primarily, with potential for edges as well.

Current stones
Atoma140
SG220
SG500
Chosera 800
Arashiyama 1k
SG2000
Chosera 3k
JNS Synth Aoto (red)
SG4k
Arashiyama 6k
Uchi finger stones / various powders

This caught my eye, as well as a few at jns and bst

https://kazsknifeonline.com.au/coll...-shohonyama-awasedo-yaginoshima-suita-b-1090g

 

[ethompson]

The soft suita @Kiru has listed or the shobu from @PineWood on BST both seem extremely promising as a starter stone for sharpening and kasumi.

I’ve also been trying to get people to get this stone from AFrames for over a year, looks like a total banger to me. I love Shobu.
https://aframestokyo.com/collection...se-natural-sharpening-stone-1423-6g-3lb-2-2oz

 

[ethompson]

If you want to splurge a little, the Ohira Uchi and shobu suits from @Censere look absolutely amazing

 

[Censere]

If you want to splurge a little, the Ohira Uchi and shobu suits from @Censere look absolutely amazing

Thank you Edward for the vote of confidence! Yes, they are very good stones that I picked out from my many visits to top collectors, and stone shops, and mine owners in Japan

I should add that the Okudo is also a fantastic one if one wants to go a step finer (semi mirror on the core + finer, lighter kasumi clad). Okudo itself is a highly sought-after mine with fast and fine stones, and this one is a standout for having (1) high purity (most Okudo's are full of lines though they normally don't hurt), and (2) very reasonable hardness and ease-of-use for kitchen knives that are not typical of the mine

Here's the listing
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/okudo-ohira-uchi-shoubu-maruo-hideri.70351/

 

[Simply]

All incredibly helpful info, very well may be in touch. Was looking at irononos as well

 

[DanielC]

Shobu Iromono in particular hits a certain balance between fineness, muddiness, feedback, and ease of use. You can get some really good, fairly easy results with them in general. They used to be my go to finisher years ago for polishing until I moved on to harder, finer stones.

 

[4bigblocks]

Anyone have a fine suita, I’m looking to trade my nakayama tomae for one.

 

[Censere]

Anyone have a fine suita, I’m looking to trade my nakayama tomae for one.

Could you share some pictures & descriptions of your naka tomae and what exactly you are looking for in a fine suita?

 

[4bigblocks]

 

[4bigblocks]

View attachment 315240View attachment 315241View attachment 315242

A hard and fine nakayama.
Also fairly fast.
Here is a video of the finish.

 

[Simply]

Thoughts on this renge suita? May try this or another suita paired with that shobu iromono

https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/oohira-red-suita-lv-3-a3098/

 

[panda]

iyo-meito this one left around 3k edge

 

[k4mino]

These boys arrived yesterday, I’m already excited how they will perform

 

[jacobwilder5]

Hey folks, I could use some advice. I'm building my first progression of JNAT's for polishing and interested in narrowing down options for a finisher. I currently jump from synthetic to an Aizu and then have been finishing on a Maruyouma Shiro Suita. The finish is ok, but want something that's finer and brings out some more brightness in the core steel.

What are some stones you'd recommend as a finisher after the Maru?

Thanks!

 

[ethompson]

Hey folks, I could use some advice. I'm building my first progression of JNAT's for polishing and interested in narrowing down options for a finisher. I currently jump from synthetic to an Aizu and then have been finishing on a Maruyouma Shiro Suita. The finish is ok, but want something that's finer and brings out some more brightness in the core steel.

What are some stones you'd recommend as a finisher after the Maru?

Thanks!

In my experience, relatively friable Nakayama, suita or tomae, is as good as it gets for brighting core while retaining some balance of contrast and kasumi. The jump from Maruo shiro to such a stone is usually achievable, but often an intermediate stone would speed things up. In that middle ground there are oodles of options.

 

[jacobwilder5]

In my experience, relatively friable Nakayama, suita or tomae, is as good as it gets for brighting core while retaining some balance of contrast and kasumi. The jump from Maruo shiro to such a stone is usually achievable, but often an intermediate stone would speed things up. In that middle ground there are oodles of options.

If you don't mind sharing, what are some examples of intermediates for after the Maruo? I'm putting together a wish list and not in a rush so may just go this route first before jumping to a true finisher.

 

[ethompson]

If you don't mind sharing, what are some examples of intermediates for after the Maruo? I'm putting together a wish list and not in a rush so may just go this route first before jumping to a true finisher.

A prudent approach most likely.

There are too many to list. Maruo shiro is in the coarser end of Kyoto awasedo (which is a strength, not a criticism) and Nakayama on the finest end, so pretty much everything will be in between.

Tomae and suita are the two types of stone you’re most likely to encounter. The very best suita are better than the best tomae, generally speaking, but on average the tomae are cleaner, cheaper, and generally a better bet most likely. I’d take a good tomae over a suita with flaws any day.

As for mines… generally for a brighter finish eastern mines are a better bet than western mines. So a narutaki or Okudo might be better than an ohira or hideri. But you can encounter stones that are too hard and just not user friendly which is counterproductive. And quite frankly almost any finer stone regardless of origin will have a brighter finish on hagane than Maruo shiro.