# Finally- Gesshin Jinzo Aoto (synthetic aoto)



## JBroida

I know a lot of you have been waiting for this for a long time... its finally here (pics, measurements, and video coming soon...)
http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...-toishi-medium-stones/gesshin-jinzo-aoto.html

This is the stone i use most often to create beautiful misty finishes on knives i sharpen here at the store. Even when i do fake kasumi finishes (on solid steel knives), this stone is used. Here's an example:







I've also used it to create super smooth and even finishes on honyaki knife blade roads-






and here's a awase yanagiba (clad or 2-ply yanagiba) with a kasumi finish done on this stone:






we decided to have the stone be $5 off for the first month to make it a bit easier for people to try. The special price only lasts until aug 31st though.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

-Jon


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## Crothcipt

Dam, where is that pic. Pitonboy posted in the other thread. well anyway, look for my order soon. Love the look that leaves.


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## tk59

Is this the stone I tried out last year that made that kasumi finish so easily? There was one particular stone that I just couldn't believe so effortlessly produced that look. It was hard NOT to make a nice kasumi with it, lol.


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## JBroida

yup... this is it


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## tk59

I'll take one, if you don't mind carting one to the WCG. :bliss:


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## mkriggen

Gee, and I was just sitting here wondering what I was going to spend this weeks paycheck on


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## perneto

Do you recommend this stone also as a regular medium stone for primary bevel sharpening, or is it best used only for kasumi finishes?


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## pitonboy

I have done two single bevels with this stone and for whatever reason, it makes the kasumi ridiculously easy to accomplish; it probably outshines any number of other synthetic and natural stones in this regard. I could not be more impressed


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## jgraeff

Can you tell us more about this stone? is it just for kasumi finish or is it a good stone for double bevels as well? about what grit?


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## JBroida

you can use it on regular double bevels, but as its really soft, i tend to prefer other stones. The exceptions to that would be honyaki knives (of course single bevel ones, but also gyutos, sujihikis, etc.), and super wear resistant/hard to sharpen steels. I use this stone on wide bevel knives and single bevel knives most. And its not just for kasumi finishing... it also happens to be just a great fast cutting medium grit stone.


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## mhlee

I tried this stone at the WCG using my Global G-2 which is my test knife. This stone put the kind of edge I like on my knives. It was toothy and aggressive, but finer than other medium grit stones I've used in the 1000 to 2000 range. I was really impressed with it.


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## stereo.pete

I just picked one up, I will "try" to do a review when I get some time with it.


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## mpukas

where in a progression would you use this stone?


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## stereo.pete

mpukas said:


> where in a progression would you use this stone?



Great question! Jon, I currently use a Gesshin 400, 2000 and 4000, where would I use the Jinzo?


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## panda

synthetic aoto i use right now is a hard splash n go, it leaves a good edge but i hate how it feels. 
muddy medium splash n go is just what ive been looking for.
what grit would you say this leaves? im looking for 2000-3000 as a good spot to finish at. would love to try the gesshin 2000 but its a soaker.


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## tk59

I just broke mine out for the first time. I think I'm gonna use it as a strict wide bevel stone. So sweet... I'll continue to use harder stones to prep my cutting edges.


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## JBroida

I use mine as a medium grit stone (in place of any stones in the 1-4k range)... i can follow it up with something else finer, but if i want to maintain the look, i only use the finer stone along the edge (unless its another stone that leaves a nice kausmi finish).


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## mpukas

JBroida said:


> I use mine as a medium grit stone (in place of any stones in the 1-4k range)... i can follow it up with something else finer, but if i want to maintain the look, i only use the finer stone along the edge (unless its another stone that leaves a nice kausmi finish).



That's what I was wondering - if you use it for actual sharpening, or just for aesthetic finish. Thanks Jon. mpp


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## JBroida

panda said:


> synthetic aoto i use right now is a hard splash n go, it leaves a good edge but i hate how it feels.
> muddy medium splash n go is just what ive been looking for.
> what grit would you say this leaves? im looking for 2000-3000 as a good spot to finish at. would love to try the gesshin 2000 but its a soaker.


this one is not quite splash at go... it need a quick soak for sure... maybe 5 minutes or so


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## JBroida

mpukas said:


> That's what I was wondering - if you use it for actual sharpening, or just for aesthetic finish. Thanks Jon. mpp



both is the answer


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## edredlee

Jon, how big is this stone and how does it compare to the synth. Aoto that Dave used to carry that many of us love so much?


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## ThEoRy

The store won'e let me check out.


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## stereo.pete

I just used mine for the first time on two different knives. The first was a VG10 mystery Gyuto I purchased from Stefan a few years back. I had to repair a few dings in the edge caused by my stupidity and I started with my Gesshin 400, love this stone. Next up I used the Gesshin Jinzo Aoto to put the final edge and it performed quite well. Normally I would go Gesshin 2k then 4k but I simply used the Jinzo and it did the job well. The resulting edge was an absolute tomato destroyer, nice and toothy. 

Next up was my Yoshihiro White #2 yanagiba. I've been battling a few low spots on the blade road now for some time so the finish is not 100% consistent (left part of the blade road in picture) but this picture should give you the general idea of how it reacts with white #2. 







The overall feel of the stone is smooth as butter on both VG10 and White #2, all I can say is that I am very pleased with my purchase.


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## JBroida

ThEoRy said:


> The store won'e let me check out.



how odd... shoot me an e-mail if you're still having trouble.


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## ThEoRy

Yeah it says. "Sorry, no quotes are available for this order at this time."

Then I click next and it says."Your order can not be completed at this time as there is no shipping methods available for it. Please make necessary changes in your shipping address."

Yet all my billing and shipping info is correct.


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## JBroida

usps made some changes to their api recently, and its had us all messed up. Just shoot me an e-mail and we can invoice you for one.


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## phan1

Just got a chance to use this guy. I know everyone has their own preferances for what they want out of a stone, but this stone is something that came out of my wet dreams. The stone has an incredible amount of balance. It's like Goldilocks finding the bed that's "just right". It has the right amount of softness, yet it still cuts at a good pace. It's muddy but not so muddy that you get any "stickage". And I've never used a stone that has given me a more even, beautiful kasumi finish. It's not mirror at all, but it's so even that my knives look like they're brand new. 

It also leaves a really nice matt finish that's super smooth to the touch, so you get very little food stickage. The edge you get on it is really awsome for food. Going from the Gesshin 400 to this guy gives me the best food edge I've ever had on a knife (not the sharpest, but the best food edge). My usuba feels like it wants to go out and rape tomato skins all day long. 

As a guy who primarily uses traditional single-beveled knives (I don't even use my gyuto anymore), this stone is as perfect as a stone gets for me. I think it would be harder to appreciate this stone it you weren't using it with single-beveled carbon knives. After sharpening my stainless gyuto, the experience was just "meh". I own a synthetic blue Aoto and there's just no comparison between the two. The closest stone I can compare it with (and I've owned a lot of stones) is a takashima awasedo, though they're still a lot different... I don't think you can compare it to anything else out there that we talk about at the forums.

And the price can seem bit high, but you do get a lot of stone for the price. It looks expensive when there's no pictures of it, but when you see the stone in person, it's a pretty fair deal.


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## mpukas

JBroida said:


> I use mine as a medium grit stone (in place of any stones in the 1-4k range)... i can follow it up with something else finer, but if i want to maintain the look, i only use the finer stone along the edge (unless its another stone that leaves a nice kausmi finish).



When using this stone only for polishing (I'm using the term polish here instead of finish, meaning finished polish ;-) ), do you polish your secondary bevel and then proceed to finish the edge, or do you finish the edge and then come back and polish the secondary bevel? That doesn't make sense if your using this stone to polish the primary bevel as well, where most of the time the lamination line is and you want to contrast. But if you use this stone to polish the primary bevel and then proceed with finer grit stones, would that not then mess up the polish? And if you use this stone to polish the primary bevel after the fine grit stone on the edge would that not rough up the edge? This is where I'm confused. :scratchhead:


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## JBroida

Its a medium grit stone, so use it as such. If you want a medium grit finish on your edge, then use this on your edge... if you just want the look, then dont. There are no hard and fast rules here. It is possible to have angle and pressure control enough to sharpen just the part you want to be kasumi and not the part you want to be as polished.


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## mpukas

Cool. Thanks Jon. I guess I'll just have to get one and find out! mpp


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## labor of love

Hey Jon, I was interested in getting a Jinzo aoto. Ive been looking around the forum for examples of the finish it leaves on large bevel gyutos and I havent been able to find any photos. Do you happen to have any pics, or could somebody steer me towards an example of the finish? Thank you.


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## JBroida

i'll try to do a couple today and take pictures if i can find time


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## ThEoRy

Here's a few.

Gesshin Hide 210mm Kamagata Usuba 








Itonomon 210mm Petty


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## Dardeau

It does leave a really nice finish!


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## labor of love

thanks for the pics. finish looks great.


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## ThEoRy

For the finish I used a King 800 THEN the Jinzo Aoto.


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## labor of love

ThEoRy said:


> For the finish I used a King 800 THEN the Jinzo Aoto.



Yeah I already use the king 800. Im looking for a suitable stone to use after it.


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## JBroida

sorry i didnt get to this sooner, but rick's photos show the gist of it. I have similar results without the king first though.


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## labor of love

JBroida said:


> sorry i didnt get to this sooner, but rick's photos show the gist of it. I have similar results without the king first though.



Its all good. So using Jinzo after something like a gesh 400(my thinning stone) isnt a problem?


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## JBroida

Not at all


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## ThEoRy

I also used the Gesshin 400 prior to the king.


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