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Thread: Sigma Power Stones

  1. #1

    Sigma Power Stones

    I've noticed a few Sigma Power stones available on eBay, one being the coveted 6,000 grit Pink speckled stone. I'm curious as to how to go about figuring out, if these stones, are the same stones offered by Tools from Japan, or Japan Tool?

    I would like to pickup the 2, 6 and 8,000. The 13,000 is available at Lee Valley, as far as I know, as a Select II only. Any input is appreciated. The stones are for PMV and O1 primarily. I don't love my Shapton Pro 5,000 to 12,000 jump.

    I know this is not a new discussion. My main curiousity is for people who might have the packaging for the Sigma Power stones, who could post a picture to reference from when looking on the Bay.

    Thanks,
    RH

  2. #2
    This is the box mine came in. It's the pink speckled stone. Mine came glued to a wooden base, so this box is probably slightly different from one without a base.

    IMG_3017.jpg

    I have a Shapton Pro 5000, and compared to it, the Sigma feels softer and wears faster, and blades don't stick to and skate on the stone like they do on the Shapton. I find the Sigma much easier and more pleasant to use.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    My 6,000 box has been Long gone. It is pink speckled, and is not glued to anything. Buy it.

    The 13k was either one, or the other (I forget whether Select II, or Power), and is a great stone too.

  4. #4
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    My original Sigma stones came from Stu as a three-stone deal (1K, 6K, 13K). The white box photos are of my original pink speckled stone and the dark labeled box is the box my new dark yellow 6K stone came in. My pink 6K is thin and eventually broke (on it's own - no dropping). I continued using it after the first break, but ordered a new 6K (what I thought pink) stone from Stu. Over the next couple of months the original pink broke again. I was not happy about receiving a dark yellow stone when I expected a pink one, but Stu was in the process of shutting down and I did not want to jump into that situation. I also ordered a replacement 1K (white) Sigma from Stu when I ordered the 6K and the 1K was also a different color (black). I use the dark yellow 6K now and have to admit it works just fine on O1 and A2. My initial impression was that it did not work quite as well as the pink one, but that may or may not be due to my initial irritation. I suppose i could try a comparison test with the remains of the pink stone and the dark yellow, but I do admit that the dark yellow is working just fine. If anyone runs into a source for more of the pink speckled ones, I would like to buy another just to have it.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by David Eisenhauer; 06-19-2020 at 12:39 PM.
    David

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Winston Chang View Post
    This is the box mine came in. It's the pink speckled stone. Mine came glued to a wooden base, so this box is probably slightly different from one without a base.

    IMG_3017.jpg

    I have a Shapton Pro 5000, and compared to it, the Sigma feels softer and wears faster, and blades don't stick to and skate on the stone like they do on the Shapton. I find the Sigma much easier and more pleasant to use.
    I can't see photos right now, I guess I don't have permission. That's alright. I purchased the Pink speckled one from the bay.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    My 6,000 box has been Long gone. It is pink speckled, and is not glued to anything. Buy it.

    The 13k was either one, or the other (I forget whether Select II, or Power), and is a great stone too.
    I bought the Pink speckled stone. I'm wondering about the 8,000 and 10,000. It looks like the 8,000 is the same as the one on the Japanese tool site. The 13,000 I don't see without being a select II, so I imagine I'll get that through Lee Valley when the time comes (if my patience can persist for now with the Shapton 12,000).

    Quote Originally Posted by David Eisenhauer View Post
    My original Sigma stones came from Stu as a three-stone deal (1K, 6K, 13K). The white box photos are of my original pink speckled stone and the dark labeled box is the box my new dark yellow 6K stone came in. My pink 6K is thin and eventually broke (on it's own - no dropping). I continued using it after the first break, but ordered a new 6K (what I thought pink) stone from Stu. Over the next couple of months the original pink broke again. I was not happy about receiving a dark yellow stone when I expected a pink one, but Stu was in the process of shutting down and I did not want to jump into that situation. I also ordered a replacement 1K (white) Sigma from Stu when I ordered the 6K and the 1K was also a different color (black). I use the dark yellow 6K now and have to admit it works just fine on O1 and A2. My initial impression was that it did not work quite as well as the pink one, but that may or may not be due to my initial irritation. I suppose i could try a comparison test with the remains of the pink stone and the dark yellow, but I do admit that the dark yellow is working just fine. If anyone runs into a source for more of the pink speckled ones, I would like to buy another just to have it.
    I got the pink one ordered today. I am very interested in whether or not your 13,000 looked like the one offered by Lee Valley. I haven't seen a Sigma available online, that was 13,000 which wasn't a Select II. So I'm wondering if 13,000 is only available in a Select II mix.

  6. #6
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    It's been some years since I ordered them from TfJ, but I do remember that the 13 was available as only one type. I skipped types between grits, and forget which is which now. They're both so fast that I don't think it matters much. I liked them so much that I got them in small steps, so it requires even fewer strokes on each stone, since I'm making small jumps in grits. Mine have seen much more use than any hobbyist would use them, and they are still just fine after some years of use. We use sharp chisels for many things other than normal woodworking in working on old houses.

    I bought the 10k off the Classifieds here. It had a number of gouges out of the surface, and we haven't even worn down through those yet.

    i use mine under running water, so no soaking, and no buildup of swarf. They just go under the stream of water, and go to work.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    It's been some years since I ordered them from TfJ, but I do remember that the 13 was available as only one type. I skipped types between grits, and forget which is which now. They're both so fast that I don't think it matters much. I liked them so much that I got them in small steps, so it requires even fewer strokes on each stone, since I'm making small jumps in grits. Mine have seen much more use than any hobbyist would use them, and they are still just fine after some years of use. We use sharp chisels for many things other than normal woodworking in working on old houses.

    I bought the 10k off the Classifieds here. It had a number of gouges out of the surface, and we haven't even worn down through those yet.

    i use mine under running water, so no soaking, and no buildup of swarf. They just go under the stream of water, and go to work.
    Thanks for letting me know Tom. The 10,000 is a brownish beige? The 13,000 is a pale, lighter, tinted cream/beige? As I said, I have found the 8 & 10 on the Bay, and am wondering if I need to jump on them given they're hard to come by normally. I agree with the small increments, and I would say the stones will see more use than a hobbyist, but not a production environment. Somewhere in the middle.

    My ideal would be 6,000 Pink speckled, 8,000, 10,000, 13,000. If I can make sure to find the ones basically offered by Stu.

  8. #8
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    Sounds right except my 10k is more yellow. I forget which it is, but I'm thinking Select II. I don't have an 8k, but the jump from 6 to 10 is plenty small enough. I also have 400, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000. I just bought them while I could get them from Stu when he was having trouble. They all stay in a lid rack on my sharpening sink.

    When I'm in the middle of a finish planing session, I usually start with the 6 when it's time to hone again. The 400 is great for starting on something that's had hard use, but no big chips out of the edge.

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