Stone Recommendations!

[Vertigo]

Hey rockhounds!

For the last two months or so I've been using a Rockstar 500 and 2k in the office for routine maintenance. They perform well, the edges are more than adequate for my needs, and they are hella convenient.

That said, I've hit the same problem I encountered the last time I used SGs. The feedback just isn't there. It's a totally superfluous problem that has no bearing on anything other than fussy preferences, but what else do we do here?

Looking for some office-ready recommendations for either splash n go or super quick soak stones / combo stones that can meet the requirements of being fast, low care, low fuss, but that don't have such slippery ice skating feedback. Anything out there that might fit the bill?

Thanks!

 

[Simply]

Chosera 800 / 3k. Great feeling stones and the 3k leaves a great edge.

 

[Rangen]

Recusing myself because I love the elegant, detailed, and subtle feedback that the SG stones provide.

 

[Tekkz]

Recusing myself because I love the elegant, detailed, and subtle feedback that the SG stones provide.

Same. I love the smooth feedback of SG. The pro is still nice but is much grittier.

 

[gentiscid]

Chosera 800 / 3k. Great feeling stones and the 3k leaves a great edge.

Add a Chosera 400 to this and you are all set, man!

 

[azn_knives_4l]

That Naniwa Pro 3k gets some love, huh I probably should just buy one, lol.

 

[M1k3]

BBW, coarser Coticule or porous/low density Washita.

 

[JPAU]

Are bbw splash and go or quick soak?

BBW, coarser Coticule or porous/low density Washita.

 

[M1k3]

Are bbw splash and go or quick soak?

They'll soften up a little more with a soak, especially if the water is warm. They do work well as splash and go, and don't need to be soaked though.

 

[refcast]

Get a nagura and recondition the stone surface and to provide slurry

 

[harken]

Suehiro Ouka (3k) is one of the best feeling synthetic stones I’ve ever used, but it does require some soaking (10 mins or so). That being said, hard to go wrong with naniwa pro 3k (it has a finer/ shinier finish than the Ouka, and is much harder).

 

[Vertigo]

Thanks for the recs, folks!!!

 

[BillHanna]

You should buy that washita lot @stringer saw on the bay. You’ve spent 55USD worse.

 

[aporigine]

Are bbw splash and go or quick soak?

Back in the near-mythical days when I could still pull the better-appointed honeys, a quality BBW was both.

 

[Heckel7302]

What are you kissing in terms of feedback from the SGs?

I like them a lot, especially for soft stainless. But if I had to choose, I’d probably keep my Naniwa Pro 400/800/3000 over them.

 

[Mr Kooby Shemayrew]

I, personally, don’t really care about feedback so it isn’t a trait that draws me to or pushes me away from a stone. Synthetics, while marginally different, all fall within the same general grouping to me.

Naturals on the other hand, the experience of honing on them is completely different. Magnetic is the only way I can describe it.
While I love a nice Dan’s Ark, take an old JNAT with some history, throw in a nice stamped botan and / or koma, and it is bliss.

When I was searching for my first JNAT, I came across this video and fell in love with this particular black Ozuku. By shear fortune, I ended up winning one on an auction that was spot on identical to this stone. Yes, it is as amazing as it looks and sounds in the video. It is a razor stone and too fine for knives by itself, but with a botan or koma nagura slurry it does quite well.

I also have an Ohira Suita which is a perfect knife stone by itself so the black Ozuku doesn’t get used much on knives now. My Ohira has a creamy sensation which is typical of these and many people like that feeling.

Unfortunately, good examples of super hard Ozuku and quality Ohira Suitas can be difficult or expensive to come by now. I have seen many people here comment on their love for Aoto’s. Aoto’s are generally more common and less expensive (not cheap though). If you are doing knives and no razors, I’d recommend looking around for a quality Aoto, preferably hard and preferably old.

 

[azn_knives_4l]

Ooooooooh. Forgot to mention the Gesshin 2k. Super nice stone, especially for edges.