New stone!

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HHH Knives

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Look what you guys have started.. After reading all your posts, and suggestions.. I had to do it!!
I just purchased my 1st Japanese water stone. I picked up a finishing stone? I think it would be classified as that?? I wanted a nice finish yet still a little toothy.. :) Oh yea, I grabbed a Suehiro Rika 5k

I have a feeling this is the first of many stones that I will be getting. Im a little O.C.D. about stuff, if you guys have not picked that up yet.. LMAO! :happy2: So this could get spendy!!

Thanks again Dave for talking the time to talk me through the selections you offere. And explaining how the different stones cut and work.
 
It was my pleasure to help Randy. I'm just hoping that you don't fall off that slippery slope. :)
 
well, that slippery slope could mean a few things. :D

keep sharpening. the rika is a great stone for beginners and experts alike. i still think that this is one of the best finishing stones available for lots of different metals. it gives that toothy feeling with a polish. for me, that makes the best edge.

hope you really enjoy that stone, and if it does its job, you will be in the market for something else real soon
 
I like it. It's a good stone for a three stones setup - Beser 500, Bestone 1200, Rica 5K
 
My newest addition arrived today! Its soaking as I type this. First up, the damascus 4 piece set I just finished for Son! :wink:

I will post some photos, B4 and after if everything goes well and I can get some good photos of the edge. Its sometimes tricky to do. :bashhead:

New stone! 001.jpg
 
Nice! The Rika is a great stone. I finish a lot of my knives on it. It has a good balance between toothy and refined.
 
Thanks so far Im really digging this stone, I just took the slicer to it and WOW.. yep this will defiantly bring my edges to another level of sharp! :D

Im already planning my next order. Im open to suggestions.. But I have already read almost every post about stones or sharpening I can find on the forum. That said. I get all the names confused and it becomes sort of a blur. Its like you guys are speaking Japanese or something half the time!! lol :)
 
i really like the kitayama as a finishing stone. it's different from most, though, and takes some practice.
 
I don't really notice anything advantageous about a Kitayama vs other 8k stones. The edges aren't as keen nor as polished as SS and more polished but not as toothy as the Gesshin. The only thing I don't like about it is reactive steels rust need to get polished quickly so you don't get visible rust spots.
 
i find my kitayama edges to be quite a bit keener than my 10k ss edges.
 
ive never been able to get a really toothy edge from the kitayama.

i do love that stone and it did take me quite some time to really get enough time with it to where i could get and see its true potential. i dont use it that often because of the non-toothy edge i seem to get but when i do get a wild hair and use it as my 3rd stone with the gesshin 400 and 4k, it is wonderful.

depending on what you are looking for, it could be the stone for you but it also could be the exact opposite. dont forget that its all about what you desire with your edges that will make a favorite stone in your collection. this one takes some practice.

i almost sold it a few months back and i am very very glad i didn't but if you are looking for something to finish with after the rika, you could consider an arashiyama or a SS10k
 
I don't really notice anything advantageous about a Kitayama vs other 8k stones. The edges aren't as keen nor as polished as SS and more polished but not as toothy as the Gesshin. The only thing I don't like about it is reactive steels rust need to get polished quickly so you don't get visible rust spots.

+1 I like the kitayama just on a yanagi at this point and never use it on double bevel knives. Nice stone, but not the edge I am looking for with those kinds of knives.
 
Well day 2 with the Rika 5k is turning out better then day 1.
Yesterday, I started with the slicer. and was able to keep a good bevel and actually improve the edge from where it was. Feeling all cocky, I grabbed the 255 gyuto and sat back down.. I proceeded to basically make the knife duller them it was B4 i even started adding my finished bevels! Slightly discouraged.. I stopped for the night leaving it as sharpened, if you want to call it that..

This morning I went back to the Rika and went for it again. This time with MUCH better results! :) Took some time. but I was able to fix what I had screwed up yesterday and get a very nice even bevel that is pretty sharp! :) Theres still quite a bit of room for improvement IMO. I deburred the edge with cork and did some of my standard tests. which is passed most, but barely.

What is the edge like off the Rika for you guys? toothy? fairly smooth? Scary sharp?
 
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