spash and go middle grit for work

[slobodan]

Hi there,
I am thinking to buy a new spash and go stone to replace or complement my shapton pro1000 at work.
Is not a bed stone but I think it eats metal too fast (some people say that it acts more like a 800) and I use it very frequently.
So I was looking for a "touch up" stone maybe higher in grit to refresh the edge.

Where: EU
Type: Spash 'n' Go (I don't have the space to soak them)
Grit: 1000-2000?
What kind of steel: inox (440, SLD, sg2 ecc.)
feed back: better than shapton pro1000

I was thinking at the naniwa pro 2000 or shapton 1500 but I have never used them.
What do you used at work?

Any suggestion are welcome,
Thanks

 

[Choppin]

I'm not a pro but I'm very happy with my Naniwa Gouken Arata 2k (it's marketed as the improved version of Chosera / Naniwa Pro).

I usually use it for my "good stainless" knives. It's one of those versatile stones that can be used to sharpen, finish, or touch up. It cuts relatively fast for a 2k (but not as fast as the SP 1k) and probably finishes at 2.5-3k grit.

For the kind of stainless you mentioned, unless it's extremely dull, I often use it as a "one and done" stone: raise a burr, remove burr, light stropping, boom.

 

[mengwong]

Peter Nowlan’s pressure videos usually show up in threads like this – hope this helps!

 

[Rangen]

Have you considered a Belgian Blue? It might be just the thing to complement your Shapton Pro 1K, taking on the role of lighter touch-ups.

@mengwong raises a good point. How much pressure you use can have an enormous effect, especially with dense, creamy stones like the Shaptons. I know my Shapton Glass 1K has two very different personalities, depending on pressure, one fast at removing metal, and the other almost burnishing.

 

[stringer]

I use the SP1k a lot at work. For many years I followed it up with a Naniwa Super Stone 2k. The SP1k is coarser than 1000 and the SS is finer than 2000.

I like the SS because it has a better feel than the other stones you mention (SP 1500, SG 2K) and is nice for deburring even crappy stainless. I haven't used the Naniwa Pro 2k.

The main drawback to the super stone is that it glazes quick. But you can use your SP1k as a cleaning stone or even a green Scotchbrite pad or kitchen rag will work to scrub the surface and keep it clean. When the SS is clean it cuts very quickly with little pressure and finishes very nice for kitchen knives. And it is cheap.

The second biggest drawback is that it gouges easy. But I always thought of this as a plus because if you are gouging the stone then your angle is too steep. If you can't feel the apex trying to gouge the stone then you are too shallow.

 

[daveb]

I've kept a SP1000 and SP2000 at work. Works fine for a quickie with my knives or to get after the house knives.

 

[Doffen]

I have chosera 1k and 2k, and shapton glass 2k in this area. I like chosera 2k best, but it depend on your knives. SG 2000 is really good on some stainless steel.

 

[GorillaGrunt]

Belgian blue, and this Chinese yellow mudstone. I think at the time I just had more of this kind of stuff than I had spare 1k-3k synths, but nevertheless these two are a surprisingly good work kit plus a coarse one (Gesh 320 s&g) in case something really needs a fix and it can’t wait.

 

[gc0220]

Hi there,
I am thinking to buy a new spash and go stone to replace or complement my shapton pro1000 at work.
Is not a bed stone but I think it eats metal too fast (some people say that it acts more like a 800) and I use it very frequently.
So I was looking for a "touch up" stone maybe higher in grit to refresh the edge.

Where: EU
Type: Spash 'n' Go (I don't have the space to soak them)
Grit: 1000-2000?
What kind of steel: inox (440, SLD, sg2 ecc.)
feed back: better than shapton pro1000

I was thinking at the naniwa pro 2000 or shapton 1500 but I have never used them.
What do you used at work?

Any suggestion are welcome,
Thanks

I'd avoid the chosera for work. Too finicky and not actually splash and go. I'd get the 2k shapton pro. It's cheap, actually splash and go, lasts forever, stays flat almost as well a chosera with none of the fuss and also sharpens faster, etc etc. Or get the 1k shapton pro.


If you're not worried it about it being 1, more expensive, 2, more fragile, 3, slower sharpening, 4, more finnicky I guess you could say, ie not really splash and go, but also can't stay wet or it cracks, etc
a 1k chosera is great. It's more gentle than the Shapton, assuming you don't break it it's gonna last longer and IMO they are roughly just as hard but wear even slower and thus stay flat better than shapton pros, not to mention thicker stones... if you get the Japanese model it's another 5mm thicker than Naniwa Professional made for non domestic market. 15mm shapton pro, 20 mm naniwa pro, 25mm Chosera. The 25 mm Chosera is actually cheaper because you'd be buying through unofficial channels like the various re-sellers on amazon who source them from Japan.

 

[Benuser]

I'm familiar with the Naniwa Pros, but as a one and only last stone for very different steel types I think the Shapton Pro 2k were a good solution. Paradoxically, the NP2k offers a finer end result but deburring is much easier with the Shapton. A clean NP2k starts quite aggressively.
You should check for prices with knivesandtools.com and Amazon.

 

[Matt Jacobs]

I love my shapton pro 2k and it does pretty much 80% of all my work. I have a knife in CPM-154 that I like to drop down to 800 before going to the 2k but I love my 2k

 

[Kawa]

For me the spaton pro 2000 is a perfect middle of the road stone. Fast enough to repair a lightly used edge and fine enough to finish on if you'd like.
If touching up on a 4k + stone doesnt work anymore, but the knife if still too good for a coarse full session, this is your stone.

Its hard and stays flat a long time and its splash and go.

Doesn't have as much feedback as I would think by feeling. I sometimes tend to start with a too high angle on the sp2k, while my sharpening feeling tells me I'm doing fine. Knowing this and adjusting for it solves it though. Might be me; others might not even have this issue.

 

[sumis]

why sp2k over sg2k?

thanks.

.

 

[BarryMM]

I'm like a record on repeat; naniwa 800

 

[Garm]

Doesn't have as much feedback as I would think by feeling.

This. I like so many aspects of the 2k Pro, including the feel during sharpening, but actual feedback on what's going on is lacking.
Every time I pull out my Naniwa Pros(400&1k) I'm reminded what feedback from stones can be like.

 

[Nemo]

Naniwa Chosera (the Pro line is pretty similar) 1k behaves like a 1.5k or so. Feedback is great. I've never soaked mine and never needed to. A 5 second rub with an Atoma 140 does get it going quicker, although there is a decent amount of slurry within around 30 seconds of working the knife on the stone if you don't do this.

It has excellent feedback, both tactile and aural. If you want feedback in a S&G stone, it's hard to go past Chosera 800 or 1k. Apparently King hyper are pretty good (I haven't used them) but I have read mixed reports on how S&G King Hyper are.

It cuts common cutlery steels up to and including HAP40 fine. Removes a decent amount of metal at high pressure levels and polishes somewhat at lower pressure levels.

In short, there are lots of reasons to recommend this stone.

The main downsides are:
1) Cost. It's a little on the expensive side compared to SP2K.
2) Some owners report issues with cracks appearing in the stone. Most (but maybe not all?) Appear to be related to the stones having been soaked. FWIW, my Choseras are never soaked, they are sealed on the sides and base (there are debates around whether this is a good idea or not) and are dried on their side. They have never had cracks (in 6.5 years' use). Keep in mind that this is only one data point.

Keep in mind that Naniwa stone behave as finer than their grit. So a 2k will behave probably more like a 3k, which is getting out of medium territory towards a fine stone.

 

[slobodan]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. It seems that the Shapton pro 2k is the stone to go.

About the naniwa I am a bit concerned of the cracking issues. In my restaurant the humidity is very high and it is not going to dry in my case over night.

King hyper 1000 hard is amazing. It’s my 1000 at home for the carbon but to me it needs to be soaked.

Another thing to consider is the base...I don’t bring mine at work and I am fine using the shapton case with a wet towel...naniwa pro could be a problem(?)

I will probably leave le chosera for the next trip to japan...too expensive in Europe

 

[PappaG]

Honestly, IMO any and all of the above stones will, and I emphasize WILL work just fine. I would go with sp2k (f you feel the sp1k is too course) for two simple reasons: It is probably the cheapest of all the stones mentioned and its compact. naniwa pro 2k is fine as well, but larger and more expensive.

Edit: oops. Seems you have reached a similar conclusion

 

[Nemo]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. It seems that the Shapton pro 2k is the stone to go.

About the naniwa I am a bit concerned of the cracking issues. In my restaurant the humidity is very high and it is not going to dry in my case over night.

King hyper 1000 hard is amazing. It’s my 1000 at home for the carbon but to me it needs to be soaked.

Another thing to consider is the base...I don’t bring mine at work and I am fine using the shapton case with a wet towel...naniwa pro could be a problem(?)

I will probably leave le chosera for the next trip to japan...too expensive in Europe

My understanding is that if anything, humidity may be protective for cracking, as it seems to relate to the rate at which the stones dry out.

You can get the Arata Gokuen ("baby Chosera") which is 15mm thick and comes in its own case which doubles as a detachable stand.

Nonetheless, as you have deduced, Shapton is a good solution for a more affordable price. Just the feedback isn't quite as good.

 

[M1k3]

I'll also recommend the Shapton Pro 2k.

 

[sumis]

again, guys, i'm curious: why the preference of sp2k over sg2k?
everyone loves sp2k, but no one raves about the sg2k …

.

 

[M1k3]

again, guys, i'm curious: why the preference of sp2k over sg2k?
everyone loves sp2k, but no one raves about the sg2k …

.

SG 2K is good stone. The Pro 2k has a nice feeling to it though. More, buttery you could say? But still a hard Shapton.