most delicious stones?

[Choppin]

Weird title... anyway, lots of threads about favorite stones but I haven't found anything specific about this.

What stones (synths or naturals) have the best tactile feeling, when sharpening or polishing?

For me it's Gesshin soakers, specially the 6k resinoid. Firm but not too hard, creamy and pillowy. Gesshin 600 also comes to mind. I'm addicted to the feeling and looking for other options. Just ordered a Morihei 4k, heard it feels good.

Some naturals feel nice and smell great to boot, but I don't have much experience with those.

 

[deltaplex]

I like naturals best for this, but it's stone to stone variable and I don't want to really dive into that. I really like the Suehiro 3K feel as far as synths go (gesshins are also very nice, but you already mentioned them).

 

[M1k3]

The 1 Coticule I have feels really nice. Shapton Pro 2k also.

Shapton Glass 500 feels nice, for it's grit.

 

[Choppin]

I like naturals best for this, but it's stone to stone variable and I don't want to really dive into that. I really like the Suehiro 3K feel as far as synths go (gesshins are also very nice, but you already mentioned them).

You mean the Ouka / Cerax, right?

The 1 Coticule I have feels really nice. Shapton Pro 2k also.

Shapton Glass 500 feels nice, for it's grit.

Love my Coticule as well... and agree on the SG500. I use it for light thinning instead of a 220, it's slower but feels so much better...

 

[jnat0215]

Natural stones are no doubt some of the smoothest stones you could lay your knife on, offering you textures no synthetic stone can offer. Natural stones also vary hugely from mountain to mountain, layer to layer which is really unfriendly to people whose budget is pretty tight cause it takes time experience, and a lot of money to try out all kinds of natural stones and find the perfect suit for you if there is no one to guide you along the way ( luckily there is kkf).

This shelf is my favorite, 4 years of collecting these specimens, most of these I personally selected from Japan

 

[Choppin]

Natural stones are no doubt some of the smoothest stones you could lay your knife on, offering you textures no synthetic stone can offer. Natural stones also vary hugely from mountain to mountain, layer to layer which is really unfriendly to people whose budget is pretty tight cause it takes time experience, and a lot of money to try out all kinds of natural stones and find the perfect suit for you if there is no one to guide you along the way ( luckily there is kkf). View attachment 264218
This shelf is my favorite, 4 years of collecting these specimens, most of these I personally selected from Japan

damn it, I was succeeding (so far) in staying out of this rabbit hole...

 

[ethompson]

damn it, I was succeeding (so far) in staying out of this rabbit hole...

Gesshin 6k is a remarkably good feeling stone. My Morihei 9k karasu when perma-soaked felt similar. But once you get to the north of 6k stuff naturals do tend to feel better. A really smooth suita or nakayama tomae or coticule is sharpening bliss. On the other hand mid grit naturals tend to not feel as good (in a traditional sense) compared to synthetic counterparts.

 

[dragjp]

syth- not much that I've used but really love the chosera 1k
natural- a lot but I'd say the Maruka Kiita really stands out with fine yet soft and bitey feeling.

 

[jnat0215]

syth- not much that I've used but really love the chosera 1k
natural- a lot but I'd say the Maruka Kiita really stands out with fine yet soft and bitey feeling.

The Maruka Kiita stones are some of the best demonstrations of smooth yet bitey, a couple of drags and pulls iron tinner than dust will form on the surface. Although, the harness due to its characteristics, are usually pretty high. That leads to my personal favorite which is shiro suita, specifically softer ones because I like that cloudy feel on my shinogi.

 

[deltaplex]

You mean the Ouka / Cerax, right?


Love my Coticule as well... and agree on the SG500. I use it for light thinning instead of a 220, it's slower but feels so much better...

Yuuuuuppppppp

 

[Desert Rat]

I love the feedback of a Hindostan or Translucent ark on soap and water. Two very different sensations, I can't decide whIch one I like best, soft and creamy or hard bite, sticky feel of the ark.

 

[stringer]

An Escher Thuringian feels pretty nice. So does the JNS synthetic aoto. And if you just want to go off of creamy feeling, my Chinese 12K river stone is hard to beat.

 

[fortheloveofmoar]

Natural stones are no doubt some of the smoothest stones you could lay your knife on, offering you textures no synthetic stone can offer. Natural stones also vary hugely from mountain to mountain, layer to layer which is really unfriendly to people whose budget is pretty tight cause it takes time experience, and a lot of money to try out all kinds of natural stones and find the perfect suit for you if there is no one to guide you along the way ( luckily there is kkf). View attachment 264218
This shelf is my favorite, 4 years of collecting these specimens, most of these I personally selected from Japan

How do you catalogue and organize all of these….

 

[jnat0215]

How do you catalogue and organize all of these….

Well, I purchase stones straight from japan, they are stones produced from the mines and are flatened, branded and marked ( which usually cost a lot), there are also stones that I make myself, process is basically buying huge blockes of stone and cutting them into useable bits according to experience ( these are much cheaper and performs the same sometimes even better). Then after that, I test them out with all kinds of steel (zdp-189 m2 v3n asp60 440c s90v m390, aogami shiogami ) then rate them from experience, whether it is a hard rock, soft rock, shinogi appearer or mirror finish. I also do the same with naguras.

this is me cutting open a rock with hand saw cause if you use machine it vibrates and might crack the rock
Hope this helps

 

[AT5760]

Call me low brow, but a soaked King 800 is pretty nice.

 

[SwampDonkey]

I have a few coticules and there is a little variance but as a class they feel really freaking nice. Far and away my favorite stone, luckily in both feel and final edge. Just a real grin-inducer, especially after a screechy, slatey BBW.

For synths I'm always happy with with how a Chosera 3k feels, though frankly the 800 is more pleasant than it has any right to be for a ~lower grit.

 

[spaceconvoy]

Call me low brow, but a soaked King 800 is pretty nice.

yes! I was about to say King Neo 800. Not sure how different that is from the regular, but definitely my favorite feeling synthetic

for naturals it's gotta be my humble binsui, just the right amount of grip and a slight sandiness but also a little muddy when it gets going

 

[KasumiJLA]

For me it's a good old kuromaku 220. As if someone was running their nails on a board

For real it's my Maruoyama Aisa bought from Otto 3 years ago. This stone is so creamy, buttery and lovely to use. I sometimes finish my knives on it for the cutting edge too. Lovely polish, nice edge, just a good all around stone. (Second one in the clip)

 

[Ruso]

View attachment 264218
This shelf is my favorite,…

Nice shelf indeed, but what about the stones?

Gesshin 2K and Rika 5K are my feedback faves.

 

[jacobwilder5]

The first time I really understood the hype behind stone feel as a new sharpener was when I sharpened ashi aebl on an sp2k. Been chasing that feeling ever since.

 

[simona]

Natural stones are no doubt some of the smoothest stones you could lay your knife on, offering you textures no synthetic stone can offer. Natural stones also vary hugely from mountain to mountain, layer to layer which is really unfriendly to people whose budget is pretty tight cause it takes time experience, and a lot of money to try out all kinds of natural stones and find the perfect suit for you if there is no one to guide you along the way ( luckily there is kkf). View attachment 264218
This shelf is my favorite, 4 years of collecting these specimens, most of these I personally selected from Japan

4th shelf from the top, right hand side, curved wooden plinth, square-ended black stone. What is that? Cheers.

 

[user 16756]

I have two really nice Nakayamas, one kiita tomae and one namito. Those would probably be it for me.

But, such stones are brutally expensive so I feel compelled to make an honorable mention that most of the Aiiwatani kiitas that have come through my hands are really, really nice feeling both for edges and bevels. Wish I could find a nice big one =/

 

[cotedupy]

Suehiro have got to win this at a canter in terms of synths. The Cerax 1.5k, 3k (Ouka), and 5k (Rika) are utterly, utterly glorious. Nothing else is even remotely close tbh.

For naturals I think a lot of Japanese stones feel pretty nice; as tcm said above nakayama can often be really gorgeous and quite distinctive, and the couple of Aiiwantani I have are silky af. But lots of other jnats too, I think softer Aoto feel really gorgeous for instance.

Outside of Asia; Tam O'Shanter, Thuringians, softer BBW, Charnleys (in a weird way), and certain Cotis. Though the variation of yellow coticule is about as wide as the whole world of jnats so it's kinda hard to be definitive there. The very best cotis tend to feel seriously slinky.

Curve ball - my Khao Men feels as nice as even the most delicious Japanese rocks.

 

[jnat0215]

4th shelf from the top, right hand side, curved wooden plinth, square-ended black stone. What is that? Cheers.

That stone is a Tsushima, the name come from where they're from which usually is Tsushima Japan. They're usually soft but not too soft, at the right point. Very slurry and usually grit around ( speaking from experience and finish on knife) 1000 to 2000 ish, sometimes people use them as slightly grittyer nagura( they're also pretty cheep). I would compare it similar as a Naniwa Chosera 1000, same feel but better surface, more smoother. It is a great stone for sharpening kitchen knives any hardness below 64, suitable for people wanting to tryout natural stones but have a tight budget. The one I own is to act as a edge formation stone for razors( thats why it is long and thin). Hope that answers your question.

 

[simona]

That stone is a Tsushima, the name come from where they're from which usually is Tsushima Japan. They're usually soft but not too soft, at the right point. Very slurry and usually grit around ( speaking from experience and finish on knife) 1000 to 2000 ish, sometimes people use them as slightly grittyer nagura( they're also pretty cheep). I would compare it similar as a Naniwa Chosera 1000, same feel but better surface, more smoother. It is a great stone for sharpening kitchen knives any hardness below 64, suitable for people wanting to tryout natural stones but have a tight budget. The one I own is to act as a edge formation stone for razors( thats why it is long and thin). Hope that answers your question.

Thanks for that

 

[MowgFace]

Gesshin 2K and Aizu.

 

[Chasingsharpness]

I really love the sound and tactile feeling of King 300. I'ts probably the stone I have spent the most overall time grinding away the hours on.

I haven't tried naturals yet however.

 

[MowgFace]

Curve ball - my Khao Men feels as nice as even the most delicious Japanese rocks.

Just pulled out my Thai Binsui and Khao Men the other day!

I will admit that monster of a stone sure is underrated.

 

[Keithpaints]

Gesshin 4K soaker

 

[Vertigo]

Nice shelf indeed, but what about the stones?

Gesshin 2K and Rika 5K are my feedback faves.

Rika 5k oh my lord, that's an all time fave.

I'm not letting myself buy any new rocks until this King combo gives up the ghost, but when the time comes that's gonna be the first one I buy.