# Which 6k-12k honing stone?



## rmihai (Apr 20, 2015)

Hi all,

I am looking for a honing stone and I need your help - mainly I am thinking around 8000, but I am open to suggestions for between 6000-120000.
Important to me are, in order, keenness, maintenance, speed.
Money, as always are an issue, my budget is limited to US$160 EUR150 GBP110
To be honest, mainly I am leaning to towards one of these (in order):

Sigma Power Ceramic 8000 (or 10k, which has the advantage of a huge sharpening surface - 140mm wide)
MST Müller 
Imperia La Roccia
Suehiro Gokumyo 10000 
Arkansas Translucent 

I am happily using for sharpening a 1000-2000-4000 sequence of Suzuki-Ya stones described here https://fabulalignarius.wordpress.com/tag/pm-v11-test/ which replaced a combination of Naniwa Chosera (sorry - too expensive their 10k) and Shapton Pro (which I MIGHT consider for their 8k or 12k).

Thank you for your help.


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## Benuser (Apr 20, 2015)

Perhaps you still may find a Naniwa Junpaku 8k, AKA Snow-white. Hard, fast, unexpensive. Leaves a lot of bite.


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## gic (Apr 20, 2015)

The snow whites are still readily available by ordering from Japan, the Naniwa part number is IF-1001 I believe


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## Castalia (Apr 20, 2015)

Epicurean Edge has this Ohishi 8000 (and others):

http://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=88045

I have one in rotation. 

:doublethumbsup:


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## rick alen (Apr 20, 2015)

The translucent Ark is very fine and very slow cutting, and really only suitable for softer steels. One side of my Ark has been scratched with a diamond file, it leaves a finish in the 10K+ range, and I can easily jump to it from a 6K stone. The smooth side is just impossibly slow, and I'm guessing the finish in the 20K range. I have heard some argue that the translucent Arc is a superior finisher for razors, but that is not what you are sharpening here. In other words, forget the Ark.


Rick


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## rmihai (Apr 21, 2015)

The recommendations are leaning towards

1. Naniwa Snow White 8000
2. Naniwa SuperStone 8000
3. Arkansas Translucent
4. Yellow Coticule
5. Suehiro Gokumyo 10000 

Naniwa Snow White - I am, just a little bit, doubtful about his one - I hope is different than Chosera - which I just sold - or the Superstone. Chosera & Superstone, in my setup, was slower than Sigma Power (and than Shapton Pro for harder steels only). As for wear - Chosera AND Superstone both worn more than Sigma and Shapton Pro. Performance - No complains here - both Chosera & Superstone were able to produce the keenest and smoothest edge than any other stone I ever tried.

So my basic question is - is there a stone that performs as wonderful as Chosera/SuperStone but is quicker and less dishing prone (more stable, harder)? I was hoping Suehiro Gokumyo 10000 will be the one, but, for whatever reason, there are not too many people knowing it.


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## ThEoRy (Apr 21, 2015)

What exactly are you sharpening?


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## rmihai (Apr 21, 2015)

ThEoRy said:


> What exactly are you sharpening?



Anything that I need sharpened - I do not have the money for different setups. in short: knives, razors, carving tools


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## chinacats (Apr 21, 2015)

Won't need anything for your knives above 6k, May want to check in at the razor forums to see what preference people have in synthetics...I may suggest touching base with Maxim and maybe look at an inexpensive J-nat (they do exist).


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