# seeking advice on updating my kit for single bevels and kasumi finish



## matt79 (May 21, 2014)

Hi guys 
I need some advice on updating my stone setup.
I currently have an atoma 140,gesshin 400,2000,4000 and a kiro suita.
with that setup I am achieving great results on my gyutos and other double bevels.but thanks in no small part to this forum I have aquired quite a few single bevels over the last six months.although I get them reasonably sharp I feel like something is missing.
I was thinking of getting a higher grit synth like the jns6000 and a natural or synthetic aoto for kasumi finish.
please share your thoughts as to whether you think that would work with the rest of my setup or if I would need something like a king 800 as well
thanks


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## Norton (May 21, 2014)

If I could have only one stone for single-bevel knives, it would be the King 800.


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## daveb (May 21, 2014)

You've got a solid Gesshin lineup going. I like the kasumi finish from the Gesshin Aoto, and at the high end the G8K and/or Takashima Awasedo natural are good choices. From your side of the pond I also have a JNS 800 and Green Aoto that work for me. Don't know the JNS 6K but if Maxsim sells it....


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## jsjs103121 (May 21, 2014)

Hi Matt. I am in exactly the same situation. My current setup is Cerax 320, 1000 and Rika and feel like I could do better with more stones for my single-bevels. 
Reading many posts here and watching Jon's youtube clips it looks like King 800 and a mid-grit stone (like natural or synthetic Aoto) are needed for maintaining the kasumi finish and I was also recommended in a different thread that the Takashima natural stone will be great for finish up the yanagi. 

The problem for me is that I have a tight budget so I might consider getting King 800 and a finishing stone like Kitayama #8000 which is cheaper than natural stones but still highly recommended by Dave and others in this forum, and wait until I get more fund and buy a good synthetic Aoto later from JNS.


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## JBroida (May 21, 2014)

maintaining a kasumi finish doesnt really require more than 1 stone... just find a good finishing stone that leaves the kind of finish you want and be done with it

*this is not to say it cant be done with multiple stones, but they arent necessary by any means


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## jsjs103121 (May 21, 2014)

Thanks Jon for the clarification. I always wondered that myself whether I really need two stones or not. So if I am to only maintain kasumi, all I need is a natural or synthetic aoto (or similar). But if I want to make the Kasumi finish from scratch (or fix a badly damaged one), I would need a lower grit.


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## ThEoRy (May 22, 2014)

I like to go from the King 800 to the Gesshin Jinzo Aoto. Jon has told me I don't need the King in between and he's right, I don't "need" it but I do like the darker tone I get from using the King prior. It works really well for me.


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## matt79 (May 22, 2014)

Thanks for the input guys.
just to clarify theory after you have used the aoto and have the kasumi do you go to a higher grit and just sharpen the edge.


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## Matus (May 22, 2014)

Matt, the JNS 6000 is a hard & great finishing stone that leaves near-mirror finish. For kasumi the JNS 800 or JNS synthetic Aoto would be a good choice, but the best would be if you would drop Maksim an email.


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## ThEoRy (May 22, 2014)

matt79 said:


> Thanks for the input guys.
> just to clarify theory after you have used the aoto and have the kasumi do you go to a higher grit and just sharpen the edge.



Yeah. [video=youtube;jqe71SKhajI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqe71SKhajI[/video]


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## matt79 (May 22, 2014)

I actually emailed maxim and he suggested the same as jon getting one nice finisher such as hakka or takashima.i guess it makes sense but shelling out 350 to 400 euros will mean no new knives for awhile.i was eyeing one of jons kagekiyos but he told me that they won't be in stock for at least three months which gives me some time to restock my funds.any thoughts on whether to go with hakka or takashima.


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## Matus (May 22, 2014)

I was having a long look and exchanged few emails with Maksim concerning Takashima and Hakka. What I understood is that Hakka should do approximately the 'same thing' as Takashima, just a little smoother, nicer and with better feel. If there was a decent Takashima at normal size to be had around 200 I would have got one, but the natural stones keep going up in price. If you read an entry on Maksim webpage about choosing natural stone - he wrote there that you should not pay more than 200 for your first natural stone. I guess that number needs to be revised ...


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## matt79 (May 22, 2014)

Yeah the cheapest one I saw was round the 300euro mark .jki has a takashima for200$ but by the time you add shipping and import tax it would be about the same.plus I do love the fact that I never have to wait longer then two days for anything I order from maxim.


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## matt79 (May 29, 2014)

so i pulled the trigger today and ordered myself the jns 6000 and a hakka from maxim.hope they arrive by monday so i can give them a workout on my day off.cant wait.


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## panda (May 29, 2014)

why both the 6k and hakka? seems a bit redundant.


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## matt79 (May 30, 2014)

I think the 6000 will be a good addition to my lineup for gyutos pettys and suji where as the hakka is for nice kasimi finish on my single bevels however maxim did suggest using the 6000 before the hakka on these to .also jns had an offer on their synth. stones yesterday.


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## matt79 (May 30, 2014)

Plus its splash and go so it will be a handy stone to take in to work for touch ups


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## andur (May 31, 2014)

Whenever I graduate and get a decent job, I'll get decent stones too!
In the meantime I'll be sticking to my cheap budget. As an example of trying to find the cheapest solutions here's my knife with a kasumi finish I tried to do. It was a quick 10minute rub, but turned out ok.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nbgni09opo0j1t2/IMG_20140531_132034.jpg


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## andur (May 31, 2014)

Struggling with uploading a bit. Try #2






The stone is a 24USD Nakayama type stone but fairly soft and has got some inclusions and veins running through. I've never bothered to do anything about the imperfections, they can't be felt while sharpening.

The knife has been thinned down by me a lot but not very well as you can see from the uneven shinogi, that will be taken care of some day.


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