My grand-nephew's fiancé loves to cook and is getting increasingly intrigued by nicer knives. Right now she has a heavy-bolstered western-style and she understands why it isn't ideal and has been looking for something else.
At a family gathering today, she showed me a Shun she really likes. Pretty knives kinda took hold but we talked quite a bit about how pretty may not last long and my past lectures about function first and sharpening first obviously had sunk in because she understood and soon we were talking about sharpening.
Now, I'm not convinced if she really wants to learn how to sharpen or just wants sharp knives. Either is okay, but both are very different. Before I left, we agreed that her and my nephew should just come over one of these days and we'll talk knives and sharpening and they agreed. She was also much more interested in the idea of saving up for sharpening stuff before a knife.
Also, these are young kids just starting out so money is an object.
So, with all that background, even though I don't have the stone, I'm really thinking the King NEO 800 would be the stone I'd recommend if she decides she wants one. Splash-n-go, built-in holder, and perhaps a decent all 'rounder. I think @Deadboxhero is a fan.
I know I could go with oils like an India, believe me, I know, but I can see this girl really getting into Japanese knives down the road and I'm thinking I'd like to start her out on water stones and see how it goes.
Thoughts?
At a family gathering today, she showed me a Shun she really likes. Pretty knives kinda took hold but we talked quite a bit about how pretty may not last long and my past lectures about function first and sharpening first obviously had sunk in because she understood and soon we were talking about sharpening.
Now, I'm not convinced if she really wants to learn how to sharpen or just wants sharp knives. Either is okay, but both are very different. Before I left, we agreed that her and my nephew should just come over one of these days and we'll talk knives and sharpening and they agreed. She was also much more interested in the idea of saving up for sharpening stuff before a knife.
Also, these are young kids just starting out so money is an object.
So, with all that background, even though I don't have the stone, I'm really thinking the King NEO 800 would be the stone I'd recommend if she decides she wants one. Splash-n-go, built-in holder, and perhaps a decent all 'rounder. I think @Deadboxhero is a fan.
I know I could go with oils like an India, believe me, I know, but I can see this girl really getting into Japanese knives down the road and I'm thinking I'd like to start her out on water stones and see how it goes.
Thoughts?