# Naniwa Questions



## Knifolini (Sep 17, 2017)

Hello

Ive looked up but havent found answers on exactly these questions, so i hope someone here got the knowledge!
Im have some questions about naniwa stones. I can see the professional line only has 5000 and 10000 high grit stones. Is the 10k professional stone better than naniwa speciality 12k stone?
Also how does the speciality 8k stone compare, and what is the naniwa 8k white stone ive seen people talking about, and the speciality 8k?

Thanks very much


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## Dave Martell (Sep 17, 2017)

Knifolini said:


> Hello
> 
> Ive looked up but havent found answers on exactly these questions, so i hope someone here got the knowledge!
> Im have some questions about naniwa stones. I can see the professional line only has 5000 and 10000 high grit stones. Is the 10k professional stone better than naniwa speciality 12k stone?
> ...




I had to Google "Naniwa Specialty Stones" as I'd never heard if them before. First hit says that these are Super Stones at 1/2 the thickness.

I had to also Google "Naniwa Professional Stones" as this (I think) is new to me as well. First hit says these are Choseras. Likely just a name change?

I love the marketing BS :scared4:


Anyway, to answer your questions....

IMO the Choseras (Pros) are better stones (overall) than the Superstones (Speciality). They cut faster and have better feel/feedback. The Superstones (Specialty) are muddy fun though.

Chosera 10k can provide a wicked edge but only if the 5k is used with it. The 5k is a crack monster, if you buy this get it mounted on a base.

Superstone 10k provides the brightest edge I've ever seen and is super keen. I don't recall thinking much of the 12k or 8k.

The Junpaku (Pure White) 8k is a very nice stone although very hard. It's known to crack.

That's all I've got. 

Dave


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## Knifolini (Sep 17, 2017)

speciliaty and professional are their new name updated versions of chosera and super. its alot of conflicting info about these, but what im most curious about is the difference between the speciality 8k stone and the junpaku snow white 8k stone


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## nevrknow (Sep 17, 2017)

I have the Superstone 10K. It most definitely leaves a mirror finish.


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## Nemo (Sep 17, 2017)

I have Chosera 400, 1k, 3k. I have heard conflicting reports about whether these are the same as the Pro or slightly different. Certainly, they are a little thicker than the Pros. All are reasonably fast cutting and have pretty good feedback. I was told that the feedback in the 5k is not so good. The 3k doesn't really leave the prettiest finish on a wide bevel knife though. I use them exclusively as splash and go (no soaking at all) and also lacquered the sides (they came on a plastic base). I have had no problems at all with cracking.

The Junpaku Snow White 8k is also a fast cutter for 8k. As mentioned, it's quite hard. I think that it leaves a mirror or very close to mirror finish. I haven't compared it to a 10k though. The finish left by my 1micron diamond loaded strop is a little brighter but not much. Once again, I have lacquered it (no base on this stone, so I lacquered the base too) and use it only as S&G and there has been no cracks at all (many people have reported cracking with this stone).


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## K813zra (Sep 17, 2017)

Specialty stones come in regular thickness and half thickness, no different from the super stones or at least not if you ordered directly from Japan as they too came in two sizes. I have had the chosera and pro stones in 400 and blew through both of them. I did not notice a difference but I did not have them at the same time either. If there was a difference it was subtle enough that I could not recall from memory. My 800, 2000 and 3000 were all the old chosera so I can not compare. I have never had the 10k so I can not compare that either. The Snow white is very hard, as noted by Nemo and is a stone that I liked well enough. I too never had any issues with cracking like others claim. However, I bought sold and traded my way through synthetic stones at a rapid pace before dropping them for a natural progression. 

Having said that, and I am recalling this from memory, the chosera stones that I owned were faster and much harder stones than the super stones. The later were very soft, most of them, slower(relatively speaking), loaded up easily but were good polishers. I like them on razors better than knives.


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## ob-gym (Sep 17, 2017)

The super stones are known for their shiny polish, even at lower grit rating, if that's not what you're particularly looking for, I'd go with the pro/chosera stones.

I was also trying to decide on a high grit finisher between 

Naniwa 8k junpaku/"snow white" - hard, fast cutting, but tends to dry unevenly and crack

vs.

Kitayama 8k - softer, also fast cutting, polishes to 10-12k by working the mud, brings out contrast 

Went with the Kitayama, no regrets


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## Marek07 (Sep 18, 2017)

ob-gym said:


> The super stones are known for their shiny polish, even at lower grit rating, if that's not what you're particularly looking for, I'd go with the pro/chosera stones.
> 
> I was also trying to decide on a high grit finisher between
> 
> ...


I bought the Junpaku first then the Kitayama. If I did it over again, the Kitayama would be *the *one I'd buy. Great stone that takes on any steel you throw at it and produces a great edge. Shinichi tried to dissuade me from buying the Kitayama because he thought it would be _mottainai_. because I already had the Naniwa but I'm very happy that I still bought it.


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## ob-gym (Sep 18, 2017)

Marek07 said:


> I bought the Junpaku first then the Kitayama. If I did it over again, the Kitayama would be *the *one I'd buy. Great stone that takes on any steel you throw at it and produces a great edge. Shinichi tried to dissuade me from buying the Kitayama because he thought it would be _mottainai_. because I already had the Naniwa but I'm very happy that I still bought it.



Supposedly the Junpaku is _slightly_ better with stainless/PM and I believe it, the Kitayama is full of Jnat goodness which works best on carbon afterall. Gotta love that earthy Jnat smell though

Did you end up keeping both?


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## Marek07 (Sep 18, 2017)

ob-gym said:


> Supposedly the Junpaku is _slightly_ better with stainless/PM and I believe it, the Kitayama is full of Jnat goodness which works best on carbon afterall. Gotta love that earthy Jnat smell though
> 
> Did you end up keeping both?


Sorry, but that's not the case in my experience. The Kitayama excels when using German steels or even s**t steels. The Junpaku doesn't seem to do very well with them at all, but I guess that could be to do with my technique. That's not to say the Kitayama is a slouch with carbons - it does very well with them also but I've tended to go with naturals of late. 

Still have both though but the Jinpaku doesn't see much use - partly because I believe the Kitayama is a better performer and partly because of the forum warnings of it cracking. Been meaning to seal it for months now. Parting word... I don't think the Jinpaku provides a decent level of feedback. YMMV.


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## Dave Martell (Sep 18, 2017)

The Kitayama is one of my favorite stones.


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## ob-gym (Sep 18, 2017)

Marek07 said:


> Sorry, but that's not the case in my experience. The Kitayama excels when using German steels or even s**t steels. The Junpaku doesn't seem to do very well with them at all, but I guess that could be to do with my technique. That's not to say the Kitayama is a slouch with carbons - it does very well with them also but I've tended to go with naturals of late.
> 
> Still have both though but the Jinpaku doesn't see much use - partly because I believe the Kitayama is a better performer and partly because of the forum warnings of it cracking. Been meaning to seal it for months now. Parting word... I don't think the Jinpaku provides a decent level of feedback. YMMV.



Thanks for the correction! Doing research sometimes fills your head with all kinds of potentially questionable "opinions stated as fact" :biggrin:


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## Marek07 (Sep 18, 2017)

ob-gym said:


> Thanks for the correction! Doing research sometimes fills your head with all kinds of potentially questionable "opinions stated as fact" :biggrin:


Not intended as a correction... just another bloody opinion! 
That said, I'd take Dave Martell's opinion with a bit more gravitas.


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