One Stone, but Which ?

Advertise with us
Shop Knives and stones on ebay
Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
NO ChoP!

NO ChoP!

Old Head
Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Messages
2,983
Reaction score
926
Location
North Carolina
I have a progression of Shapton glass and Naniwa Superstones. They get the job done. I like both series better in the lower grits. The Superstones clog super quick and are very prone to gouging.

It is rare that I get the opportunity to do a full progression sharpening at work. I often pull out a 3k or 5k and just do quick touch ups. Sometimes I will splurge and run a few passes on a 500 first. That being said, I am very light with my knives in use, even though I work extended hours with a knife in hand. I am also a light sharpener; I come from the camp of the more you sharpen the more you will need to sharpen.
(At home I have a progression of the classic soakers that I use for more intense jobs)

Loaded with this info, what is your perfect, single stone, splash and go, or close, for quick sharpen jobs at work?
 
I would be tempted to say Shapton Pro 1K. It's a fast cutter/light thinner/bevel setter, can even work out a very dull blade, but will go about any refreshing/retouching very very fast. I just started to use the Naniwa Pro 800 and would be tempted to suggest that one because it will start coarse but the more you keep the mud the more you can refine it. The Shapton won't do that for you, which is why it is my suggestion: it's easy to maintain, doesn't create much mud if any, and I guess you don't have the time to work out the Naniwa's potential in your suggested use. The Shapton will keep it simple and is more forgiving on the drying cycle than Naniwa Pro.

Shapton 2K if you're sure you don't actually need to sharpen, but just touching up. Acts in between a coarse med and a coarse refiner. Almost instantly dislodges weakened parts of the edge, but need pressure to get a very fine burr, so you can bypass creating any quite easily and still work out a decent edge out of it... so I guess if the blade is not dull per say it can do touch ups very very fast.
 
There's a topic about that one stone, with lots of answers. Naniwa Professional 800 was mentioned quite a few times.

It's a matter of needs and preferences in the end.
 
I kept a Gesshin 1/6K at work for awhile, almost splash and go, did nice job on my knives but was not as fast as I wanted for the house Wusties.

Went to SP 1000, and 2000. The 1000 could raise a burr on anything, while 2000 was great for touch ups and finishing.
 
daveb said:
I kept a Gesshin 1/6K at work for awhile, almost splash and go, did nice job on my knives but was not as fast as I wanted for the house Wusties.

Went to SP 1000, and 2000. The 1000 could raise a burr on anything, while 2000 was great for touch ups and finishing.
Click to expand...

From the behaviors of both SP - and I'm happy to see that I appraised them right from your similar opinion - I am wondering if the SP1500 could make the perfect bridge - and a very good single stone. Did you ever use one?
 
ModRQC said:
From the behaviors of both SP - and I'm happy to see that I appraised them right from your similar opinion - I am wondering if the SP1500 could make the perfect bridge - and a very good single stone. Did you ever use one?
Click to expand...

I've not used the SP1500. Had the 1000 for awhile (actually a Wat rebranded stone) and picked up the 2000 to augment it after similar discussions here. Liked them enough to add the SG500 and SP5000 to the Shapton pile - but hardly use the 5000 at all.
 
With my light home use, I typically like to do light touch ups on a Shapton Pro 2k. I do a lot of proteins, so I prefer the toothiness over my 5k.

edit: oops didn't read that you asked about pro use
 
Last edited:
daveb said:
I've not used the SP1500. Had the 1000 for awhile (actually a Wat rebranded stone) and picked up the 2000 to augment it after similar discussions here. Liked them enough to add the SG500 and SP5000 to the Shapton pile - but hardly use the 5000 at all.
Click to expand...

Damn it! Gonna have to buy one and see for myself. Probably a good occasion to shell out some more money to try a SG500 - and yeah, the Naniwa Pro 2K. And the 3K is tempting too. No progression in mind, just stones.

When they'll all get here, I will sit in the middle of 10 different stones dressed like a hippie and tell anybody who asks: "I'm stoned but I'm still sharp".

Sorry OP. I think @Benuser suggestion is a very good one for touch ups, if not the SP2K. I like the edge from my NP800 better than one from SP1K or SP2K - perhaps it's the same with the NP2K. Perhaps it's my ill technique.

I'm impressed with the SP2K however for how efficiently it refreshes an edge, and never tried the NP2K.
 
I haven't used either of these options, but these are what come to mind:
- the Spyderco Ceramic Benchstones - say a fine which according to the Grand Unified Grit Chart is between the 2K and 3K Shaptons
- compound on balsa - simple but messy to carry.
 
ModRQC said:
I like the edge from my NP800 better than one from SP1K or SP2K - perhaps it's the same with the NP2K. Perhaps it's my ill technique.
Click to expand...
We must share some similarities in technique. Actually, and this isn't hyperbole on my part, but I prefer the edges I get from just about every other stone I've tried in similar grits to the SP/Watanabe 1k and 2k.

For the OP; the only stone I've come across that could be a true one stone solution for me on a variety of knives is the Kohetsu 2k. Needs a short soak, but will handle any ordinary cutlery steel with speed and some finesse. Very aggressive and toothy, but it has some natural-like qualities to the edge. Depending on pressure it can really go from medium fast 1k speed to refined 2k finish with some natural-like push cutting abilities. Longest lasting edge I've ever produced was using only this stone on a Tanaka blue#2 gyuto. Apparently popular with people who break down fish in the Tsukiji market.
Only negative for some is the non-s&g nature, and the the only place to buy it rhymes with Chefswiveswhoblow.
 
i really like the JKI diamond 1k. Seems to fit the bill and give a working toothy edge quickly and on the fly.
 
Since you already use 3K and 5K at work you need something lower for that quick job.
I have to echo Shapton Pro 1K or Naniwa Pro/Chosera 800
Alternative King 1/6K combo stone or just King Deluxe 1K or 1.2K if you want something on a cheap side.
 
When you "touch up" your knives for maintenance on a 2k-5k stone, are you just stropping on the stones lightly? Or actually sharpening on those stones to a burr? Thanks!
 
I do exactly as with deburring. In my case by small edge leading strokes, but do just as you're used to. My favourite stone is Blue Belgian, the Coticule's neglected nephew, because its particles are almost rounded and won't raise a new burr as they remove the old one.
 
Stropping on a stone in the mid grits is always very dangerous when refreshing, that’s how burrs get raised. Even on higher grits it may not be the best idea until you know the effet of said stone on said steel.

Stropping is a good move to learn though when you actually want to sharpen - pin down that one swipe whole edge length. That’s how you flip your burr quickly to weaken it.
 
Benuser said:
I do exactly as with deburring. In my case by small edge leading strokes, but do just as you're used to. My favourite stone is Blue Belgian, the Coticule's neglected nephew, because its particles are almost rounded and won't raise a new burr as they remove the old one.
Click to expand...

If I buy one more thing because of your advice I might make you pay for it... :p
 
ModRQC said:
Stropping on a stone in the mid grits is always very dangerous when refreshing, that’s how burrs get raised. Even on higher grits it may not be the best idea until you know the effet of said stone on said steel.

Stropping is a good move to learn though when you actually want to sharpen - pin down that one swipe whole edge length. That’s how you flip your burr quickly to weaken it.
Click to expand...
For refreshing, do you go with a leather strop then? I've read different ideas of leather strops (or other surfaces like balsa wood) vs others using the stones to maintain knives. I'm just looking to keep an edge longer in between sharpenings.
 
Sorry, my bad and I knew it.

By stropping I meant on a stone, and by it meant edge trailing strokes.

When you sharpen, truly sharpen to raise a burr and deburr, you should know that your edge leading moves help abrading at the edge, but your edge TRAILING moves do most of raising that burr. And that's okay - when sharpening. And it is thus wise - until you know so much better than you can skip on certain parts of the process and know what you're doing and I'm not there yet by the way so bear with an almost noob sharpener here - when sharpening that you'll weaken your burr once it got raised on both sides to your satisfaction with edge TRAILING - "stropping" motions.

My bad was that stropping pretty much goes both ways... some will strop trailing, some leading, and they will all have a reason and experience to back their ways and that is fine. They use a gazillion different medias, and compounds even. But usually "stropping" is the idea of an edge trailing motion to smooth the edge - or in sharpening, to flip the burr.

Forget about "stropping" and replace with EDGE TRAILING. Think stones. Read my previous reply again. Avoid edge trailing when you're refreshing, you don't want a burr, that would mean a whole deburring process. You want to just clean/refine. Short/light edge leading ONLY will do that without ever raising a burr. Even the lightest edge TRAILING could mess your job up on a so fine level you wouldn't feel for it with fingers - but have a failing edge when going cutting. And when people say "failing" edge it's rarely so bad that the whole edge fails - just the parts that still got a microscopic but consistent burr attached.

If I've still left you with confusion only, please say so. I'd be happy to tell you those things using the most righteous vocabulary just to make sure.
 
About stropping - and the whole idea of leather and balsa and cardboard and newspaper even - what you have to understand is that people do that as you meant it when they're done sharpening on the stones, to refine their edge. And yes, getting good at it as they do, they might want to switch a stone to maintain to a stropping media instead. But mind you, that stropping media will use compound. You don't do much good to an edge that's in between sharp and dull with just the "bare" stropping media. You need some abrasive power, and that's what the compound does. But what I came to understand reading the pros is that you can go a thousand different BAD ways of stropping to only about a handful good ones. That will mean, among other aspects, knowing your angles very very much, and depending if leading or trailing, adjust not to round your edge; knowing the effects of different compounds and if that, of the bare media too, for what you need.

Stones are simpler. You need to know your stones to sharpen, and when you get to know them, you can refresh quite correctly with a single angle - your sharpening one - and the right level of pressure for the stone/steel at hand. That is simple too because you know these stones, and you've sharpened this knife. Edit: Of course, that would be using only edge LEADING strokes, and ideally, in a single motion that touches from heel to the very tip. That right there is something of a monster to just get right - for every knife profile you have to do.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the detailed explanation @ModRQC! The edge trailing vs edge leading impact to raising a burr makes complete sense now, and I get why @Benuser and @M1k3 also suggested edge leading strokes.

I also appreciate the insight on stropping media and compounds. I've done a bit of reading on it and it seems like a whole other rabbit hole to go down - so many different combinations and perspectives on what works. I need to get better with sharpening/deburring in general on the stones I have, as I'd be worried about messing up the edge on any type of stropping media (and I probably wouldn't know where I'm going wrong until I get more experience with the basics).
 
A man of my own mind!

I trust you’ll do much better within a couple more sessions with stones if you just focus on them as your main and true sharpening media, understand their immediate workings, and forget about all the surrounding buzz but getting great results... if you allow me saying so much.

Treat yourself with your best steel/best knife. Get it crazy sharp. Feel awesome about yourself, and benefit from the relaxing vibes of those somewhat scary rectangles of joy.
 
ModRQC said:
Damn it! Gonna have to buy one and see for myself. Probably a good occasion to shell out some more money to try a SG500 - and yeah, the Naniwa Pro 2K. And the 3K is tempting too. No progression in mind, just stones.
Click to expand...

Why not instead first identify what sort of sharpening one seeks to do and on what sorts of blades, and then pick a stone based on that?

ModRQC said:
When they'll all get here, I will sit in the middle of 10 different stones dressed like a hippie and tell anybody who asks: "I'm stoned but I'm still sharp".
Click to expand...
That kind of "stoned" should be done after doing the knife sharpening.
 
Back to the topic, I recently picked up the morihei 3000. It’s splash and go, though suggested to give a 2-3 min soak, it’s not the fastest or most aggressive (which you might prefer with your sharpening style) it has great feedback, is good for wide bevel work, and leaves a pretty toothy edge. Plus it’s around $58. @NO ChoP! i think it ticks most of your boxes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top