lesslemming
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- Apr 9, 2013
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Dear fellow scholars and students of all things sharp, it has been a while since I posted anything knife related. But recently I found myself with a renewed vigour for sharpening stones.
So here I have a treat for you, if you are unfamiliar with them (and chances are you are unfamiliar with them).
Naniwa Diamond stones.
Expensive.
Rare.
Elusive.
Before we begin, let me set the scene. I have been sharpening knives, razors for almost 20 years now. In my rotation, I employed every Stone Shapton has ever produced, all Naniwa Superstones, Chosera, Imanishi, Sigma Select... the list goes on and on. I have tested (and reviewed in my time) many stones.
All of them had their merits, none were truly bad.
I currently have a full set of Shapton Glass Stones, including the 30k, for my razors. There would be nothing wrong with also using them for my kitchen knives. Alas, I am a weirdo, thus I have a need for a separate set of stones specifically for my kitchen knives. Go figure.
Enter Naniwa Diamond stones.
I have a set of 1k, 3k and 6k. I have no need for the 600 and 400 but I am sure they perform similar to what I am about to describe.
I will present the stones in an inverse progression, from fine to coarse.
General description of Naniwa Diamond stones
All Naniwa Diamond are splash 'n go.
They do not require (extensive) flattening. I strongly recommend a synthetic Chosera nagura to keep the stone clean and reasonably flat.
I have yet to notice real dishing on any of them, after 1yr+ of working with them in a household kitchen environment.
The stones *do* load up. Again, I recommend the Chosera nagura to clean them during extensively long sharpening sessions or when necessary.
The Nagura provided with the stones is, in my opinion, worse than useless.
I use these stones on all my knives regardless of steel/hardness. They just work. Aogami? Yup. Hap40? Even better.
Without being able to draw comparison with other Diamond stones, such as the much more affordable options from Venev,
I can say the Naniwa Diamonds cut clean. Very clean. Each stone feels meticulously designed to follow its predecessor.
In summary I would describe them as Chosera on steroids.
Are they worth the price? Well, *puts on a lawyer voice* it depends.
There are more affordable options out there that will do just fine.
However, the Naniwa Diamond bring everything to the table that I am looking for:
Naniwa Diamond #6000, cream / yellow color
This stone is the finest in this line-up and honestly, 6k is about perfect for the kitchen. I have finished knives on much, much finer stones, achieving an even more perfect finish.
Yet, nothing is ever truly gained in doing so. To the contrary, I sometimes find myself desiring more bite when I finish on 8k stones and beyond.
The only reason I used to finish on my Naniwa 10k superstone is its impeccable capability to produce a true mirror polish, defying even my magnifying glass enhanced, probing eyes.
The Naniwa Diamond 6k is a hard stone, yet in no way glassy.
There is quite a smooth and delightful feedback which reminds me vaguely of Naniwa Chosera, specifically the 5k.
Despite their hardness they cut fast. Very fast, and their speed is proportional to the pressure you employ (d'uh). I find the Naniwa Diamond 6k to be the ideal finisher, because it leaves a nice and refined edge that retains enough bite to cut all materials equally impressive. It's a mean edge. Keen enough to shave, aggressive enough to cut.
Due to the hardness of the stone and the abrasive employed, the stone leaves what I would describe a very convincing mirror to the naked eye.
I tend to finish with strokes that run parallel to the edge and the Naniwa 6k, as opposed to other stones I encountered in this grit range, leave a very clean looking bevel.
I am hard-pressed to make out the scratch pattern with loupe and direct light, but off course they are present. To the naked eye, it looks almost perfect.
The more than adequate cutting speed allows this stone to double as a highly capable touch-up stone.
Put some water on it, do some strokes and restore an edge to its full potential in seconds, hassle-free.
Edge magnified 10x with direct light source
Impressions of the polish left by the Naniwa 6k on my Konosuke HD2 240mm Wa-Gyuto, Japanese HD-2 steel (semi-stainless)
Naniwa Diamond #3000, blue / petrol color
This stone is an excellent alternative or compliment to the 6k, depending on how you look at it. The 3k is enough to get a used knife back to life. It cuts very well and can be used to polish away some minor dings that happen during use (no chips, of course). It leaves a very nice edge, more than suitable for the kitchen use. Slightly more aggressive than the 6k edge, it will not shave as easily but certainly cut through material with ease.
The petrol coloured 3k feels a little finer than most 3k's I have used; it reminds me of the 3k Chosera. The Naniwa Diamond 3k also cuts similarly fast but leaves a better polish and works better with exotic steels.
The 3k leaves a very convincing polish on hard steels such as Hap40; almost as good as the 6k.
On more normal steels, it leaves a very fine scratch pattern that can still be mistaken for a mirror polish. I have used this stone as a touch-up for my Hap40 knife. It worked very well and left nothing to desire.
Naniwa Diamond #1000, green / grass color
The 1k is clearly meant as a starting point for knives that have been neglected and are in need of sharpening. It cuts fast and feels similar to the Chosera 1k. However, I find it cuts a little more aggressive, yet leaves a clean edge that just feels brutally sharp, yet burr-free (as a 1k should). I find myself bagging the 1k diamond when I visit a friend that has a knife that needs sharpening, as long as I don't expect any re-profiling to be necessary.
It consistently gets the job done.
The scratch pattern this stone produces is clean and homogenous, easily erasable with the Naniwa Diamond 3k.
If you want to impress a friend with how sharp you can make their knife but don't want to pack multiple stones: Pick this one.
I find it leaves a cleaner edge and cuts faster than my worn Atoma 1.2k.
Be advised, though. The Naniwa Diamond 1k will remove metal, especially when used with pressure
So here I have a treat for you, if you are unfamiliar with them (and chances are you are unfamiliar with them).
Naniwa Diamond stones.
Expensive.
Rare.
Elusive.
Before we begin, let me set the scene. I have been sharpening knives, razors for almost 20 years now. In my rotation, I employed every Stone Shapton has ever produced, all Naniwa Superstones, Chosera, Imanishi, Sigma Select... the list goes on and on. I have tested (and reviewed in my time) many stones.
All of them had their merits, none were truly bad.
I currently have a full set of Shapton Glass Stones, including the 30k, for my razors. There would be nothing wrong with also using them for my kitchen knives. Alas, I am a weirdo, thus I have a need for a separate set of stones specifically for my kitchen knives. Go figure.
Enter Naniwa Diamond stones.
I have a set of 1k, 3k and 6k. I have no need for the 600 and 400 but I am sure they perform similar to what I am about to describe.
I will present the stones in an inverse progression, from fine to coarse.
General description of Naniwa Diamond stones
All Naniwa Diamond are splash 'n go.
They do not require (extensive) flattening. I strongly recommend a synthetic Chosera nagura to keep the stone clean and reasonably flat.
I have yet to notice real dishing on any of them, after 1yr+ of working with them in a household kitchen environment.
The stones *do* load up. Again, I recommend the Chosera nagura to clean them during extensively long sharpening sessions or when necessary.
The Nagura provided with the stones is, in my opinion, worse than useless.
I use these stones on all my knives regardless of steel/hardness. They just work. Aogami? Yup. Hap40? Even better.
Without being able to draw comparison with other Diamond stones, such as the much more affordable options from Venev,
I can say the Naniwa Diamonds cut clean. Very clean. Each stone feels meticulously designed to follow its predecessor.
In summary I would describe them as Chosera on steroids.
- Similar feel and equally consistent
- More cutting surface (75mm width vs 70mm)
- Works with ALL steels
- Better polish, finish and cutting speed throughout the range
Are they worth the price? Well, *puts on a lawyer voice* it depends.
There are more affordable options out there that will do just fine.
However, the Naniwa Diamond bring everything to the table that I am looking for:
- Splash'n go
- Luxurious size
- Hassle free, rub them with a Nagura if they need cleaning, don't worry about dishing
- Consistent feel and finish throughout the progression
- Don't worry about exotic steels. The harder the steel, the better the polish the stones leave
- Fabulously rare, yet excellent performance
Naniwa Diamond #6000, cream / yellow color
This stone is the finest in this line-up and honestly, 6k is about perfect for the kitchen. I have finished knives on much, much finer stones, achieving an even more perfect finish.
Yet, nothing is ever truly gained in doing so. To the contrary, I sometimes find myself desiring more bite when I finish on 8k stones and beyond.
The only reason I used to finish on my Naniwa 10k superstone is its impeccable capability to produce a true mirror polish, defying even my magnifying glass enhanced, probing eyes.
The Naniwa Diamond 6k is a hard stone, yet in no way glassy.
There is quite a smooth and delightful feedback which reminds me vaguely of Naniwa Chosera, specifically the 5k.
Despite their hardness they cut fast. Very fast, and their speed is proportional to the pressure you employ (d'uh). I find the Naniwa Diamond 6k to be the ideal finisher, because it leaves a nice and refined edge that retains enough bite to cut all materials equally impressive. It's a mean edge. Keen enough to shave, aggressive enough to cut.
Due to the hardness of the stone and the abrasive employed, the stone leaves what I would describe a very convincing mirror to the naked eye.
I tend to finish with strokes that run parallel to the edge and the Naniwa 6k, as opposed to other stones I encountered in this grit range, leave a very clean looking bevel.
I am hard-pressed to make out the scratch pattern with loupe and direct light, but off course they are present. To the naked eye, it looks almost perfect.
The more than adequate cutting speed allows this stone to double as a highly capable touch-up stone.
Put some water on it, do some strokes and restore an edge to its full potential in seconds, hassle-free.
Edge magnified 10x with direct light source
Impressions of the polish left by the Naniwa 6k on my Konosuke HD2 240mm Wa-Gyuto, Japanese HD-2 steel (semi-stainless)
Naniwa Diamond #3000, blue / petrol color
This stone is an excellent alternative or compliment to the 6k, depending on how you look at it. The 3k is enough to get a used knife back to life. It cuts very well and can be used to polish away some minor dings that happen during use (no chips, of course). It leaves a very nice edge, more than suitable for the kitchen use. Slightly more aggressive than the 6k edge, it will not shave as easily but certainly cut through material with ease.
The petrol coloured 3k feels a little finer than most 3k's I have used; it reminds me of the 3k Chosera. The Naniwa Diamond 3k also cuts similarly fast but leaves a better polish and works better with exotic steels.
The 3k leaves a very convincing polish on hard steels such as Hap40; almost as good as the 6k.
On more normal steels, it leaves a very fine scratch pattern that can still be mistaken for a mirror polish. I have used this stone as a touch-up for my Hap40 knife. It worked very well and left nothing to desire.
Naniwa Diamond #1000, green / grass color
The 1k is clearly meant as a starting point for knives that have been neglected and are in need of sharpening. It cuts fast and feels similar to the Chosera 1k. However, I find it cuts a little more aggressive, yet leaves a clean edge that just feels brutally sharp, yet burr-free (as a 1k should). I find myself bagging the 1k diamond when I visit a friend that has a knife that needs sharpening, as long as I don't expect any re-profiling to be necessary.
It consistently gets the job done.
The scratch pattern this stone produces is clean and homogenous, easily erasable with the Naniwa Diamond 3k.
If you want to impress a friend with how sharp you can make their knife but don't want to pack multiple stones: Pick this one.
I find it leaves a cleaner edge and cuts faster than my worn Atoma 1.2k.
Be advised, though. The Naniwa Diamond 1k will remove metal, especially when used with pressure
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