Mid-grit sharpening stone recommendation

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Via gifts and purchases here via the Creek, I've moved my sharpening regimen over to a Sigma Power 1K (I don't know offhand if it's the "hard" or "soft" - Chris?) and a Naniwa Snow White 8K. Moving up from the Naniwa Superstones, I'm quite pleased, and it's really made me realize that while I sometimes do miss the ease of slurry build up from the Superstones,I really do like the feedback and feel of a harder stone. I also really like the Naniwa Snow White - while I get what feels like the same polish as off my 8K Superstone, unlike the SS, the SW will actually eat through a burr from lower-grit stone - the 8K Superstone really had a problem getting through the burr from the 5K, no matter what I did. This has actually been quite handy - compared to my experience with the Superstones, it seems like I can get by with just two stones ninety percent of the time.

Reworking a lot of vintage tools lately, however, it seems like there are times, particularly when I'm working a back that I've started from the rough that I could really use a mid-grit stone. My next go at things, I figure I'll pull out the 5K Superstone, but I'm thinking I'd like to pick up a mid-grit stone with a "hard" feel more akin to what I'm getting with the Snow White and Sigma.

I'd like to keep cost down if I can - I was originally thinking of grabbing one of those off-brand magnesia stones that were all over ebay a while back, but I don't see them on there anymore.

Anyone got any ideas? I figure just picking up a Sigma from Stu is probably the best option, but maybe there's something off-brand but not terrible at one of the knife sellers or something? The Cerax/New Cerax also seem like an option, perhaps?

[Chris Griggs]

Its pricey but I like the Chosera 3k a lot...it's pretty much the same "make" of stone as the snow white. Has anyone used the Imanishi 4k that LV sells or the Ohishi 3k that LN sells? I'd be curious about those...both are a good bit less expensive than the Cho 3k.

Maybe Dave has something for you...seems he's always got extra stones to sell.

And yes, your Sigma is the "Hard" version.

[David Weaver]

chosera 3k. There really aren't a lot of 5-6 micron or so stones that are any good. (the cho 3k is 4 microns, but it's a strong cutter for that).

I had one until a couple of weeks ago. I'm slowly winding down having so many synthetics, but one spot that I never really had a lot of stones was the mid grit range of stones.

The bester 2k stone might also be an option (it's a lot cheaper), not sure how fine it is, though.

I'd keep the shapton 5k out of it, it's a 3 micron stone and too fine to do what you want to do.

For a sometimes stone, I think the cho 3k is too expensive. Used to be able to get one from takeshi kuroda for $95-$100 shipped, but I think it's more like $110 shipped now from japan and not worth the trouble, might as well just get it domestically and it becomes $119 or something, and as great of a stone as it is, that's really pushing the limits of good taste.

There is absolutely no reason it should be more than a snow white, but that's just how naniwa chose to price them. for a little while, the cho 10k was half as much as it is now. I seriously doubt they found their production cost doubled.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

The Chosera actually seemed appealing from the little leg-work I did before posting, but I have noticed the prices climbing. I also wonder about the pricing of some of these stones. The large price climb as you go up in grits from some makers also makes me wonder sometimes. It doesn't seem like the manufacturers cost would climb quite that much with each grit, but I don't know that much, not being the type to have made a stone!

There's another Naniwa 3K stone, a gold-ish one that shows up on vaguely confusing ebay auctions now and again, shows up with various part numbers beginning with "QA" - like the Snow White, it doesn't appear to be either a Superstone or a Chosera - anyone have an idea on what that is? Sometimes seems cheap enough sometimes that it's tempting to bite just to find out what the heck it is; but I feel like that's the first step into a slippery slope along a path some of you guys have already taken . . .

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Has anyone used the Imanishi 4k that LV sells or the Ohishi 3k that LN sells? .

I keep seeing the Imanishi stones name in conjunction with the Bester name . . . are they the same company? Different lines? Not that I have any experience with either.

[Mike Holbrook]

Why would one not consider the Sigma Power or Power Select II 6000 stones? I have the Power Select II which I was using on Japanese chisels today and marveling at how well it cut. I sharpen a good many knives and tools made from the newer powdered "super" steels and these stones work very well for those steels.

The only challenge I find in using the Select II stones is they require a little more care in keeping the edges oriented correctly. Too much angle can result in small superficial gouges in the surface. The few times I have managed to do this the resulting slight scar to the stones surface has not proven to present any problem, wearing away quickly.

[David Weaver]

I keep seeing the Imanishi stones name in conjunction with the Bester name . . . are they the same company? Different lines? Not that I have any experience with either.

Same group. Bester, Beston, Imanishi, Kitayama, Arishiyama (takenoko?), and there are probably more.

Imanishi also has a fairly large presence in labeling natural stones, though I don't know for sure that it's the same company.

[Chris Griggs]

Why would one not consider the Sigma Power or Power Select II 6000 stones?

The Sig 6k is an exceptionally fine (but still fast enough cutting) mid grit stone and the SW 8k he is going too is a very fast cutting fine stone. In terms of speed of cut there's not a huge difference between the two. I'm not certain of the micron ratings on the two stone, but I've been told that that SW8k is about 1.75 and IIRC the Sig 6k is somewhere between 2 and 3 micron. The SW8k does gives a finer edge than the Sig 6k and the Sig 6k does cut a little faster, but they are close enough that there isn't much to be gained by using both. I do still sometimes bridge from the 6k to the SW8k, just because the Sig 6k is the mid grit stone I have, but the SW8k is fast enough that a coarser mid grit stone than the 6k would be more productive.

(Stu, please correct me if I'm wrong about the micron ratings)

[Archie England]

Another mid-range stone that is fantastic in results is the Suehiro Rika 5000. As a soft stone, it will dish and get consumed faster than a hard stone; but, it provides the ultimate 2-5k range (and if dried some, even 6-7k) hone. Compared to the Gesshin 4000 and the Chosera 3000, I still prefer the Chosera 3k--though it's more limited than my SR 5000. The Chosera 3k is much more responsive and faster than the Gesshin 4k, though both produce very clean edges. Honestly, I don't need more than my Cho 3k unless I'm working difficult grain or end grain. Also, the Sigma Power 1200 does diminish the need for a mid-range stone. in many ways, it's a far superior stone to the Sigma 1000 hard. Hard for me to admit (b/c I really like my Sig 1k), yet still IMO true.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Still scrounging some change together. As an addition to Mike's question, what about the Sigma Power Select II in the 3K - I might be getting another LV gift certificate for Christmas (my wife was sick on Christmas day, so we haven't had official Christmas yet) so that's always an option. Or the "normal" Sigma Power in the 2K? I'm still leaning towards the Cho 3K, but just curious.

Archie's recommendation of the Suehiro is good to know, but I'm thinking I want something on the harder side.