Stainless Recommendation

[strumke]

I was asked to recommend a stone for a friend that has the typical german stainless Wusthof knives. Should I recommend something like a King 1000? Is it even worth me recommending a stone with those knives?

Looking for something along the budget side of pricing

 

[Marcelo Amaral]

I like to sharpen those with JNS 300 or, even better, with omura jnat. 1k used to help deburr without polishing the edge too much.

 

[Benuser]

I have good results with the Naniwa Pro 400.

 

[Nemo]

I have good results with the Naniwa Pro 400.

I use this (well, the Chosera actually but I believe it's the same stone) on Benuser's recommendation. My wife complains that her Mundials (she refuses to use good knives) are too sharp and I'm certainly no expert Sharpener.

I often deburr on a 1000.

 

[strumke]

Looks like the Naniwa pro is about $65, Anything more in the $30 range that would work? These are folks that aren't getting nicer knives any time soon, and they have never used a stone before. Maybe I'll put an ad in the BST too...

 

[fimbulvetr]

King 800? I haven't tried with the soft German stainless (usually use Gesshin 320 and Shapton glass 1000), but I bet it would work for *keeping* soft stainless sharp (although getting it back from dull might need more muscle). Mine was ~ $28usa.

 

[labor of love]

King 800? I haven't tried with the soft German stainless (usually use Gesshin 320 and Shapton glass 1000), but I bet it would work for *keeping* soft stainless sharp (although getting it back from dull might need more muscle). Mine was ~ $28usa.

Is there more than one kind of king 800? The one I have I use strictly for polishing.

 

[foody518]

Is there more than one kind of king 800? The one I have I use strictly for polishing.

There's King Neo 800 which also is in the similar price range. Not that dish resistant though.

 

[Butters]

I sharpen my wife's stainless knives (Victorinox) on a King 800. Leaves them nice and toothy so they'll slice tomatoes for a month.

It also does double duty as a half decent kasumi polisher for my wide bevels.

 

[daveb]

I keep a couple DMT duo plates around for other peoples stainless. Start with Coarse, then Fine, then a 1Kish stone if I like them. Hard to get to motivated on a knife that won't hold an edge vey long.

Note: By chance or happenstance I used an Omura then a Ikarashi on some cheap Henckels recently and was surprised at how well and how quickly they helped produce an edge.

 

[Matus]

I would get AI#1000 from Watanabe - crazy fast stone. Add a some 220 'pink brick' (Watanabe, Bester, Gesshin, Naniwa) to work on those thick blades. You will not need anything more.

 

[Yet-Another-Dave]

I've been thinking about this more....

I was asked to recommend a stone for a friend that has the typical german stainless Wusthof knives. Should I recommend something like a King 1000? Is it even worth me recommending a stone with those knives?

Looking for something along the budget side of pricing

Since you're looking for an economy stone for german stainless (softer & harder to sharpen), and it is going to a non-knife nut, maybe the waterstone route isn't best.

You can get an Aluminum-Oxide Combo stone or a Silicon-Carbide Combo Stone for around $30. Either should cut their steel OK and wouldn't dish as quickly as a waterstone.

ETA: also one of the diamond hones suggested at the end of THIS THREAD might work for your friends.

 

[DanDan]

What about a King 300 from toolsfromjapan? The description does say it's better for carbon although I saw it suggested in an old thread on stainless knives.

I don't mean to thread jack (and maybe I should make my own here), but I'm in a similar position looking for a cheaper coarse stone. I must have just read 10 threads on them and the grits are confusing enough let alone all the choices people use for cheap stainless. It may be my technique, but my 1k King just isn't cutting it and now I realize most people just finish stainless at 1k. I just sanded down one of those pesky Henckels bolsters and the back is completely rounded and needs a fresh edge along with some other old Germans that need new edges/refreshes.

What's the difference performance wise between the Naniwa Ebi stones at 330 Mate and the Naniwa Traditional/Professional stones? The prices are quite attractive on the Ebi stones if I can put up with the plastic base.

I would get AI#1000 from Watanabe - crazy fast stone. Add a some 220 'pink brick' (Watanabe, Bester, Gesshin, Naniwa) to work on those thick blades. You will not need anything more.

Is 220 to 1k too much of a jump and is it too coarse for regular use? I've read so many varying opinions around here. Some using as low as 140 plates to some using 600/800 stones for stainless. It confuses me. But, I guess a pink brick is a great versatile stone to have, it can be used to sharpen stainless and do work on carbon. Originally I was thinking Naniwa 400, but Pauls Finest up here in Canada has a great deal on a Naniwa Traditional 220 and they don't have the 400 in stock so I'm leaning towards that.