# Gesshin lineup



## mqphoto (Mar 29, 2016)

Hi guys, I live in Sweden and for some reason I fell in love with Gesshin stones lineup. So for that I'm gonna buy me 3-4 Gesshin stones, but I haven't decided yet witch one's. I need your help with it. I'm looking for about 800 grit to 6k grit.

I know meny of you like the 400 but I already have the Chocera 400 and I like it.


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## TheDispossessed (Mar 29, 2016)

I have the 2k and 4K soakers and couldn't recommend them more.


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## mikedtran (Mar 29, 2016)

TheDispossessed said:


> I have the 2k and 4K soakers and couldn't recommend them more.



Matteo, how long do you need to soak these for / how long does it take to dry? Or do you just keep them permasoaked?

I'm currently mostly using S & G and have though about transitioning.


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## Steampunk (Mar 29, 2016)

I have the 400, 1200 Splash & Go, 2000, and 6000 Splash & Go. Which I would recommend depends upon how you like to sharpen and what you are sharpening...

Firstly, I wouldn't rule out getting one of Jon's coarse stones. His stones tend to be fast cutters, and the G400 is the fastest stone in this grit range I have ever used, which is great for repairs. I actually slightly regret not getting the 400S, instead, which is supposed to be even faster cutting (Although slightly less fine), and more importantly Jon says retains water better. The G400 is a very thirsty stone, and it gets a bit annoying constantly having to splash LOTS of water on it, although you can forgive it its sins for the speed and feedback. This stone, like the rest of the soakers, really need to be perma-soaked, as the 400 in particular can still be bubbling upwards of 30-minutes after it is put in water, and they take some time to dry out fully.

If you sharpen with a lighter touch, and like soft stones, the 1200 Splash & Go has a wonderful, cushioned, creamy feedback. It's one of the most enjoyable 1-2K stones I've used just in terms of feel. It needs a quick 2-minute soak, or to be perma-soaked to get some water in it, but once you do it retains water on the surface really well, and generates some nice mud; particularly on wide bevels, where it also leaves decent contrast. It does dish, so you need to lighten up your pressure and try to use the stone evenly, although on the flip-side flattening it when needed is super fast and easy. The cutting speed isn't as high as the soaking stones, but it still cuts pretty fast. Because it is soft, it doesn't leave as crisp of an edge bevel as harder stones, so it doesn't shave arm hair as easily as - say - an 800-1K Chosera. However, it is very easy to de-burr on this stone (Even on cheap stainless, which can be prone to wire edges), so you can still get a clean and usable kitchen edge from it. I can imagine this stone would pair great with the 600 Splash & Go, which would make setting up your bevel faster, and limit the dishing. They're supposed to feel very similar. 

The Gesshin 2000 is a very hard, vitrified stone, and is the fastest, most capable 1-2K stone I have ever used. It's faster than some 800 grit stones. It has a very aggressive, grippy feedback, and is quite dish resistant. It's thirsty, but not as thirsty as the 400. It pulls off that amazing trick of being both fast enough to do minor repair work, and being fine enough to make a usable edge. This stone sets up a wonderfully crisp edge bevel, which helps to make it easier to maintain 'bite' when progressing to finer stones, even when those finer stones are somewhat softer. The edge is definitely 2K, but it is very toothy for a 2K, and is quite usable as a kitchen edge; if de-burred properly it can shave arm hair, and really rips through soft skinned vegetables... On double-bevel knives with steels with lower wear resistance, like Shirogami #2, this stone and a finisher would pretty much be all you would ever need unless you are doing some major thinning. This stone is great on woodworking tools, too, but I wouldn't suggest it on straight razors as the grit isn't quite as consistent as a Shapton or a Naniwa. If the G4K is anything like the 2K (Which it is supposed to be; just finer.), it must be one amazing stone! It's a bit rich, but I'd love to own the 4K...

The 6000 S&G is the stone I have the most mixed feelings about... In many ways, it's a great stone, but has the biggest learning curve of the ones I've tried. Firstly, it says it's splash & go, but I never saw what this stone was capable of until I started perma-soaking it. Until you do it loads up and doesn't retain water very well, nor does it build mud as smoothly. It's a medium density resin based stone, and does dish and convex the edge if you use too much pressure, so like with the 1200 you need to use a light touch. Even with care, it is difficult to get a hair-shaving edge on softer steels due to slurry dulling. On harder (62hrc+) knives, you can get an excellent, slightly 'bitey' edge that is starting to catch and shave hair above the skin; especially if you precede it with a harder 2K stone. The feedback and feel is nice and smooth, although a little more muted than on some other stones. Cutting speed, like the G1.2K S&G, is moderate. 

On wide bevels, the G6K S&G does leave a nice polish on the Hagane, and a refined kasumi haze on the Jigane, although it takes a bit of practice to do so without streaking/polishing the cladding. You need to use light pressure, short strokes, and you HAVE to perma-soak to get it to build up an even mud without loading and causing streaks. On wide bevels, you also have to manage the dishing more. On wide bevels, I really feel that you need to precede it with a 2-4K stone to get the best results from it. If you spend too much time on this stone polishing out coarser scratches on the core steel, you can easily polish out the kasumi on the Jigane, so it's best if all you do on this stone is just refine the polish/haze created by something like a JNS synthetic Red Aoto. Those two stones pair really well on clad knives. 

If I had to do it all over again, I would probably get the 400S, the 2K, and the 4K just for edge bevels, and then do naturals for Kasumi and anything above 4K. That said, I would miss the 1.2K; just for the way it feels. 

Hopefully this helps.

- Steampunk


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## Keith Sinclair (Mar 30, 2016)

You are covered with the 400 chosera is a good coarse stone. 2K & 4K soakers are both great stones. Instead of 2K if you like sharpening on a large stone the Gesshin 1K xtra large soaker is also good. I like large medium stones as that is what I use the most. Have used other large stones like the big white Gesshin the best.


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## Matus (Mar 31, 2016)

mqphoto, it just so happens that me and krakorak are organising an EU Gesshin Stone passaround that will start soon. If you are interested check it out *HERE*. That could help you to get an idea.


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## mqphoto (Apr 1, 2016)

First of all thank you everybody for your time. And specially thanks for STEAMPUNK, wow you made my choice much easier. Thank you for your time.


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## mqphoto (Apr 1, 2016)

Matus said:


> mqphoto, it just so happens that me and krakorak are organising an EU Gesshin Stone passaround that will start soon. If you are interested check it out *HERE*. That could help you to get an idea.




Yeah I did read about it, but thank you anyway. I wanna want to buy them but need some help with that from US members =).


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## Matus (Apr 1, 2016)

mqphoto said:


> Yeah I did read about it, but thank you anyway. I wanna want to buy them but need some help with that from US members =).



You are welcome. I would only add - my experience with Gesshin 400, 2000, 4000 (very recent) and 6000 reflect that of Steampunk very closely.


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## JBroida (Apr 1, 2016)

mqphoto said:


> Yeah I did read about it, but thank you anyway. I wanna want to buy them but need some help with that from US members =).



i'm trying to get a US passaround together soon... i actually am starting to finalize everything this week and get them shipped out early this month


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## Matus (Apr 1, 2016)

Jon, I am guessing that our new member here is trying to find a way around the import taxes & duties to Sweden


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## JBroida (Apr 1, 2016)

whoops... totally didnt read anything other than the last post... my bad. its been a long day already


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## mqphoto (Apr 2, 2016)

Haha Matus, you can't have everything in a smooth way but still for 3-4 stones and maybe a knife I would accept about 30% otherwise it would be a huge fail.


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## mqphoto (Apr 2, 2016)

And Jon, if you can help me to decide between 1k and 2k grit, I would appreciated that =) Only stone that I have decided for is the 4K


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## daveb (Apr 2, 2016)

mq, Prob better to pose a question for Jon in Jon's sub-forum. Or just go with the G2K - best soaker ever.


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## Matus (Apr 2, 2016)

mq, I hear you. I have spent high 4 digit number on taxes and import fees on used photography equipment and later on knives. Just importing that Andy Billipp damascus gyuto would cover the complete sharpening set you are about to buy. Got me weak in the knees when I was paying that in local customs office - though I kept my smile  Very few items I bought and imported to DE passed without taxes. Just a note of warning - I do not know how the things are in Sweden, but in Germany I have to bring proof of payment - the declared value rarely pays any importance.


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## mqphoto (Apr 3, 2016)

Matus said:


> mq, I hear you. I have spent high 4 digit number on taxes and import fees on used photography equipment and later on knives. Just importing that Andy Billipp damascus gyuto would cover the complete sharpening set you are about to buy. Got me weak in the knees when I was paying that in local customs office - though I kept my smile  Very few items I bought and imported to DE passed without taxes. Just a note of warning - I do not know how the things are in Sweden, but in Germany I have to bring proof of payment - the declared value rarely pays any importance.



Matus, I understand that as well. I did work as photographer for about 8 years and know what you mean. The way to go today is if some friend send you the package. 

Are you a Nikon or Canon fan?

And yeah, now I have decided on two stones. 2K and the 4K.

Most of my knifes are carbon steel, so 6K or the 8K for finishing stone?


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## Matus (Apr 3, 2016)

Until our little girl was born I was shooting 4x5", Mamiya 6 and Rolleiflex T + Nikon V1. From the film cameras I only have today Rolleiflex 2.8E fully restored with Maxwell focusing screen. My main digital system is m43 - Olympus EM5II with 12-40 and 40-150 pro lenses. I need to add some prime lenses once I will not spend every free Euro on knifemaking tools 

back on topic 

If I were you I would get the 2K followed by either 4k (serious bite) or Synthetic Natural (excellent balance of bite and fine edge, I am starting to love this stone) and should you want anything beyond that, than just add some 'basic' natural stone like Takashima Awasedo or Hakka from Maxim.

The truth is, that unless you really like very fine, 'polished' edge, than the Synthetic Natural will be all that you need on the fine end. It truly is a great stone. I would say - if you want to go higher get the 2k, 4k and natural stone (or the 8k - that one should be great too, but I have never used it), if you plan to stop at around 4k edge, than get 2k and Synthetic natural (and you will still be able to add natural later should you wish).

Should you later want to make some kasumi finish on wide or single bevel knives, than you will anyhow need too add 1-2 more soft, muddy stones.


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## daveb (Apr 3, 2016)

I like to go from a 4K to a JNat when I want a highly refined edge.

I believe Matus is selling a very nice one (though not particularly forgiving?) on bst now. JKI has a Takeshima (sp?) that is a little softer and more forgiving and of course JNS has a large selection.


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## mqphoto (Apr 3, 2016)

First thumbs up on your camera equipment, you are old school and that's great. 

Witch Synthetic natural you mean?

Thank you for your help


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## Matus (Apr 3, 2016)

mq, Gesshin Synthetic Natural of course 

That is actuallt a very nice to use stone (lv 2.5, so on the soft side), makes up nice mud with nagura. A little finer than Hakka, or Takashima. I will not cry if it will not sell


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## mark76 (Apr 3, 2016)

[edit : something went wrong, but there must be something wrong with any European knife lover willingly not participating in the Gesshin stone pass-around  ]


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## mqphoto (Apr 3, 2016)

Mark, I want to buy the stones directly. The passaround is for people who to try them first. I wanna buy them instead =)

I'm going to look into it


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## berko (Apr 3, 2016)

> there must be something wrong with any European knife lover willingly not participating in the Gesshin stone pass-around


+1


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