Naniwa Kagayaki Professional 12k or Naniwa Superstone 12k (Straight Razor Help)

[JesusisLord]

I’m about to order a 12k finishing stone for my Factory New Thiers Issard 6/8 Full Hollow grind. Steel: CARBON STEEL C135

I’m choosing between the Naniwa Kagayaki Professional 12k (210 x 70 x 20 mm) for $66.39 and the Naniwa Superstone 12k (210 x 70 x 10 mm) for $90.

Which one would be the better option, and is there a notable difference between them? This is my first straight razor, so I don't want to mess up.

After further research, this is what I discovered on other forums. Correct me if I'm wrong.

"The Naniwa Kagayaki series is often described as a new iteration of the Super Stone series. The primary difference noted by users is that the Kagayaki stones are harder than the Super Stones, which some people prefer because it provides better feedback during honing. However, many users report that the performance and finish between the two stones, especially at the 12k grit level, are very similar, with only subtle differences, if any."

 

[jedy617]

I have only had up to 8k on the superstone but they have horrible sharpening feedback. They are very useful in kitchen knives for mirror polishing core steel though. Not sure how this translates to razors

 

[JesusisLord]

Thank you! I will probably order the Naniwa Professional 12k unless someone can convince me it's not a good stone since it's cheaper and 10mm thicker.

 

[JesusisLord]

I have only had up to 8k on the superstone but they have horrible sharpening feedback. They are very useful in kitchen knives for mirror polishing core steel though. Not sure how this translates to razors

Thank you! I will probably order the Naniwa Professional 12k unless someone can convince me it's not a good stone since it's cheaper and 10mm thicker.

 

[riba]

I am surprised that the pro is cheaper than the SS. Where did you find a pro 12k for 66 usd?

 

[Rangen]

I know that the standard choice between them, for razors, is the super stone. I’ve seen it recommended often. I have a 10K, so I have a sense of what it is. It’s not an ideal stone in some ways — some of them warp; it feels numb, and it tends to load up (you’ll see visible streaks). But despite all that, it is often recommended, because it is so much lower cost than other finishers like the Iminashi 10K or the Suehiro Gokumyo 20K. I can’t recall ever seeing someone recommend the Pro for razors. That doesn’t mean it won’t work well, but it may lower the probability. A stone that does mirror polishing well has a good chance of being very suited to razors; a stone with lots of feedback may have less chance.

I can say that the Shapton Glass 10K is excellent for razors, and is one of the three stones in the Shapton Glass line that Shapton talks about as a razor stone, presumably because the grit is made deliberately more uniform in size than the others. But I don’t use it as a final finisher, just as the last synthetic step before a natural finisher, so I can’t speak to the shave qualities.

 

[JesusisLord]

I am surprised that the pro is cheaper than the SS. Where did you find a pro 12k for 66 usd?

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Kagayaki-NK-...x+0.8+inches+210+x+70+x+20+mm+,aps,131&sr=8-1

 

[riba]

Ah, automatically assumed a chosera / NP series when reading Professional, my bad.

 

[JesusisLord]

Ah, automatically assumed a chosera / NP series when reading Professional, my bad.

Is there a difference in performance from Chosera or Professional? I know Chosera you get a base.

 

[riba]

Is there a difference in performance from Chosera or Professional? I know Chosera you get a base.

I am not an authoritative source, but it looks like there are multiple series with Professional in it.

You are referring to Naniwa Kagayaki NK-2291 Professional, while I was thinking about the NANIWA (Chocera) Pro series.

I am not familiar with the Naniwa Kagayaki

 

[JesusisLord]

I am not an author active source, but it looks like there are multiple series with Professional in it.

You are referring to Naniwa Kagayaki NK-2291 Professional, while I was thinking about the NANIWA (Chocera) Pro series.

I am not familiar with the Naniwa Kagayaki

Thanks! Lol Naniwa confuses me with all the series they have.

 

[stringer]

The 12k super stone is the one you want for razors. It is, in my opinion, the best synthetic stone for a well balanced straight razor edge. It is the stone that I compare all of my naturals to. If a natural can't improve a Naniwa Super Stone edge in some way (make it sharper or more comfortable) then it's not very interesting to me.

 

[stringer]

I have only had up to 8k on the superstone but they have horrible sharpening feedback. They are very useful in kitchen knives for mirror polishing core steel though. Not sure how this translates to razors

The main issue with super stones is they load up and start burnishing putting a mirror polish on everything almost immediately after you start using them. This sucks for knives but is actually perfect for razors.

 

[jedy617]

The main issue with super stones is they load up and start burnishing putting a mirror polish on everything almost immediately after you start using them. This sucks for knives but is actually perfect for razors.

Ok well glad I ended with that last part lol. Superstones were my first stones and god I hated them after I got my choseras. But funny enough I bought one last year after milan said how good they were at polishing, and they really are awesome for mirror polishing

 

[JesusisLord]

The main issue with super stones is they load up and start burnishing putting a mirror polish on everything almost immediately after you start using them. This sucks for knives but is actually perfect for razors.

I did further research on the internet and found on the Badger and Blade forums that the Naniwa Kagayaki is a new series of the Super Stone. The only difference is that the Kagayaki is harder than the Naniwa Superstone. People on the Badger and Blade forums said they had both 12k stones and couldn't tell a difference. Some even said they actually prefer the Kagayaki because it gives better feedback due to being a harder stone.