# Red Aoto



## jgraeff

I got a red aoto from Maxim yesterday and wanted to give a review on it. I know it had been previously mentioned in the thread below so i won't go too much into it but i will give my personal opinions. 








The stone is large much larger than any other stone i have used and i liked it quite a bit. It is a light reddish color and pretty smooth overall. 

The only steel i have right now is vg10 so i started with my shun. This stone doesn't cut extremely fast but it still cuts pretty good. If only using the knife it takes a little work to build of mud but once you get it going it becomes really muddy. With a nagura it works up mud instantly. 

After using this stone i would say this could definitely be a finishing stone for kitchens, the edge it left was very toothy but extremely sharp. It left a toothier than my 1k stone in feel but the polish is much higher id say 4kish. 

I wouldn't say its a polishing stone by any means but as far as performance it could be your final stone. I used my takashima afterwards and i got the best edge i have had on that knife since i have had it. 












I would say all you need is a course stone like a bester 500, this aoto, and a finishing stone( if wanted) and you wouldn't need anything else. 

I really enjoy using it and I'm extremely happy with the results i got from it.


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## jgraeff

sorry last pic is blurry will have to change it


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## GlassEye

I got mine yesterday as well, I am currently working on applying shellac as Maksim suggested. "Red Aoto have to be seal befor use with some Shellac or any Lac", said Maksim in an email to me.

I am hoping to put some steel to the red aoto sometime soon, everything is currently freshly sharpened. If you don't mind I will post some of my thoughts on the stone to this thread to keep them in the same place.


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## schanop

Glad you like it . It is a gem for single bevel kasumi knives or double bevel kasumi knives with shinogi lines, imo. Leaves a nice and easy to be refined finish for the next finer stone(s).


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## jgraeff

GlassEye said:


> I got mine yesterday as well, I am currently working on applying shellac as Maksim suggested. "Red Aoto have to be seal befor use with some Shellac or any Lac", said Maksim in an email to me.
> 
> I am hoping to put some steel to the red aoto sometime soon, everything is currently freshly sharpened. If you don't mind I will post some of my thoughts on the stone to this thread to keep them in the same place.



Sounds great to me. Also if you do seal it can you get a video or some pictures of how to do it?

I want to but I have no clue as to complete it.


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## tk59

how about some pics of the finish left on various knives?


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## jgraeff

i wish i had a wide bevel knife to get a good picture on.... i only have my shun right now which is hard to see a finish on and my tojiro Dp boning knife. I can post a few from that if you'd like. Maybe someone else that has this stone can get some better ones??


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## jgraeff

Oh il do a video here in the next few days so you guys can see how it performs.


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## schanop

Mine on a deba (from what is kasumi thread)









cwrightthruya's on Moritaka santoku (from aoto shootout thread)









I believe there are plenty more, tk, just don't recall at the moment.


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## maxim

Thank you for Reviews guys  
Red Aoto is actually mined below regular Aoto layer. So it is mind as a finisher and not as Aoto, thats why they are more uniform and more controlled then regular Aotos. When i visited Japan i talked with the miner of these nice stones. And he told me it is actually not profitable business for him to sell these  
Because he pays workers to digg them as finishers but he can only sell them as rough stone. I am the only one in the world that sell these because i bought all his stock wile we was there  They come from Atagoyama mine. And i bought these from Atagoyama mine owner. 

As all Jnats i really recommend to seal them, before use. Specially on soft ones like these. Regular clear lacquer is fine.


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## jgraeff

Just apply a couple coats to sides and bottom?


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## maxim

Yes  very simple !



jgraeff said:


> Just apply a couple coats to sides and bottom?


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## bieniek

This is a great deal, it is so cheap stone, it polishes very well, yet you can basically use it as a finishing stone, as Im doing now with my double bevels.


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## DK chef

i have to say i like mine , a couple of the chefs at work bought them last time Maxim visited us, first J-nat for most of them, me included besides a razor stone. 

its a easy stone to start with, gives you a great introduction to J-nats and i know they are used daily on a other restaurant were 2 of the chefs went.


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## mainaman

I love mine, great stone in the 2k range leaves very even finish and works pretty fast it is great substitute for blue aoto, which are hard to find (both quality and at affordable price). The finish is pretty even and the scratch pattern is easy to remove with the next stone in the progression.
I would definitely recommend those stones to a beginner that wants to get into J-nats.


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## Peco

Well I'm one of the guys that got this stone. A good beginner stone because if will not punish you if your angle is of - but that's about it.


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## Dave Martell

Gentlemen, this thread isn't going to be closed but some comments of a personal or business nature are going to be removed. 

Please keep the discussion on topic. 

If there is a personal or business issue that needs resolve please take this to a PM.


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## jgraeff

So I taped the front side of the stone with blue painters tape and applied lacquer to the sides n bottom. 

It seems some got on the edge of the one side under the tape will this be an issue? Could I use a dmt to remove it? Or will sharpening take it off eventually?


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## GlassEye

jgraeff said:


> So I taped the front side of the stone with blue painters tape and applied lacquer to the sides n bottom.
> 
> It seems some got on the edge of the one side under the tape will this be an issue? Could I use a dmt to remove it? Or will sharpening take it off eventually?



I had some run onto mine as well, a quick lapping took it off.


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## maxim

Just use DMT to remove it. It will be no issue at all


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## jgraeff

Ok good to know thanks!


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## jgraeff

Just want to report, i have been using the aoto as my finishing stone for my shun, its been about two weeks now only one sharpening session and no touch ups, its still cutting tremendously good. I think it is due to the toothy edge this stone leaves but I'm digging it, i can tell its not quite as sharp as it was however still performing quite well.


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## DK chef

The red aoto is and will never be a miracle stone, but it's damn good for the price and money vs petformace. I have 5 aoto's and the red one is the one who perform best. I know it's not a aoto technical. It's easy to use. For me it was the most expensive stone ever, because after that stone I got the "jnat" flue. Now I know that jnats is my path.


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## Cutty Sharp

maxim said:


> As all Jnats i really recommend to seal them, before use. Specially on soft ones like these. Regular clear lacquer is fine.



I can imagine but, Maxim, why would you say it's so important?

I've got one stone (a Hideriyama awasedo) and haven't sealed the sides since starting to use it. Oh for a time machine to mend my sillly ways.....


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## bieniek

to reinforce it. My just cracked lengtwise. 

Just about before I got shellac over it.


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## Cutty Sharp

Jeez... Just ordered mineral oil all the way from the US for my boards after not finding it here. And now - I wouldn't suppose anyone knows the words for shellac or lacquer in Korean?.......:scared4:


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## maxim

You can also just glue it to wooden base. I just feel its importent to reinforce your expensive stones, i have one red aoto just for me to use and its not seald and not cracked at all but it can happen to any Jnat specially softer ones so why take chances


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## Cutty Sharp

Thinking again of how to protect natural stones from cracking, sure, using a wooden base should be better than a hard counter, and certainly better than a universal holder which only provide support at the two ends and sometimes in the middle. However, I imagine a thick wet towel, arranged uniformly underneath and placed on your counter, would be even more forgiving and still stop slippage. With a stone that is very irregular on the underside, I'd look into how to make a molded base of some kind. I've got no experience with this, though. Just thinking ahead.... Any thoughts out there?


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## GlassEye

If you used enough epoxy for attaching to base, I assume it would fill in the irregularities.


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## Cutty Sharp

Epoxy - yes, that's the stuff! Not sure if I, for one, would ever do it though. The stones just look better on their own, no?


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## mainaman

Cutty Sharp said:


> Epoxy - yes, that's the stuff! Not sure if I, for one, would ever do it though. The stones just look better on their own, no?


you have to make sure to use the correct epoxy, I used the wrong one once and the stones came off the bases in days. I use Gorilla glue and it works great, it expands while setting and fills all space between the stone and the base.


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## bieniek

My main concern is not stone breaking under too much pressure, cause Im not pressig hard on naturals. 

More of a stress for me is when I soak them, that I might just hit one, ever so slightly onto side of sink, and even if once will not do any harm, maybe after 15 small hits something breaks?


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## mainaman

bieniek said:


> My main concern is not stone breaking under too much pressure, cause Im not pressig hard on naturals.
> 
> More of a stress for me is when I soak them, that I might just hit one, ever so slightly onto side of sink, and even if once will not do any harm, maybe after 15 small hits something breaks?


lacquer it and it will be fine. I reinforced mine with washi paper then a few thick layers of cashew lacquer, the stone is bullet proof now.


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## bieniek

Thanks  Yes, I got shellac all over it already [not on the topside ]

Feels much better.


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## Cutty Sharp

mainaman said:


> lacquer it and it will be fine. I reinforced mine with washi paper then a few thick layers of cashew lacquer, the stone is bullet proof now.



I've never worked with lacquer, but can't help wondering if a bit of the stuff really does make any difference? Hardly seems like it would be strong enough to do so. On thin wood, yes sure, I can imagine it. But when set against the mass of a stone I have a hard time picturing it.


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## mainaman

Cutty Sharp said:


> I've never worked with lacquer, but can't help wondering if a bit of the stuff really does make any difference? Hardly seems like it would be strong enough to do so. On thin wood, yes sure, I can imagine it. But when set against the mass of a stone I have a hard time picturing it.


If you going to bash the stones into each other then probably they will not survive the routine, but occasional bump is fine IME. 
I have dropped lacquered stones in the sink and they are still intact.


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