# adding an 8000 stone



## bosco (Apr 22, 2018)

After seeing the edge that clean cut.se put on my knife purchase, I learned that they use an 8000 Kitayama as their final stone. Now I am thinking of adding to my stone collection. 

I will eventually get a nice jnat, however, for now I am looking for something that will not break the bank. 

I have a few gesshin stones currently and will be adding a 500 shapton glass once I can find one in stock somewhere. 

I am trying to decide between a gesshin 8000 or the kitayama 8000

I have read excellent reviews but I am leaning towards the gesshin based on the fact that I have read that it does not dish much. I also read the the kitayama is known to cause gouging with the knife. 

Any thoughts?


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## Grunt173 (Apr 22, 2018)

While I do not have either of the stones you mention, I have read good reviews of the Kitty.I read that you can gouge it also but if you have your stuff together in sharpening,it shouldn't be a problem and it is cheaper at only 70 bucks. I have two Gesshins,a 400 and a 2000 and often just finish with Jon's Synthetic Natural but I have no doubt that the Gesshin 8K is a great stone. At times when I do want to go higher,I grab the only 8000K stone I have which is a Naniwa Snow White,which can be had for $110. It's a nice stone and I enjoy using it but the Kitty at only $70 is very tempting indeed,especially since so many like that stone.


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## Doug (Apr 22, 2018)

I tried the Gesshin 8000 when I visited Jon last year. I really liked the feedback and the speed of the Gesshin 8000 and would have purchased one but it was out of stock at the time.
I subsequently picked up a Kitayama 8000 and found it to be a pleasurable stone to use. Both of these stones have better feedback then the Naniwa Snow White which to me feels hard and glassy. 
If I had to choose one it would be the Gesshin because it has a creamy feel which I really enjoy. Also it's a bit faster if my memory serves me right.


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## Benuser (Apr 22, 2018)

I use the Junpaku Snow-white only for stropping and deburring, and the tactile response it affords is great. You really feel the burr remains coming off.
And the very few times I've used it for full sharpening -- just for fun -- I got the best results by making a bit of mud, using a small piece of Coticule or Belgian Blue as a Nagura. 
In both cases the Snow-white leaves a remarkable bite.


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## K813zra (Apr 22, 2018)

bosco said:


> After seeing the edge that clean cut.se put on my knife purchase, I learned that they use an 8000 Kitayama as their final stone. Now I am thinking of adding to my stone collection.
> 
> I will eventually get a nice jnat, however, for now I am looking for something that will not break the bank.
> 
> ...



Eh, gouging the stone is a cop-out. Yes, it is a soft stone and as such demands good technique or rather precise angular control to avoid gouging but that is user error not an issue with the stone, imo. 

Having said that, I do like the Kitayama but also feel that it is an odd (read temperamental) stone. It is a soft stone that can be splash and go or can take a little soak. It feels elastic and slightly muted in use. It has fair feedback in the sense of being able to tell where the edge of the edge is but it is not immediate and does not click into place like some other well known stones. It can leave an okay faux kasumi if you are diligent but it can also cause loads of streaking if you are not. It is a fairly fast stone and can be used after a mid range stone like a 1-2k and leave you with an edge that is refined yet has loads of bite. However, if you follow this stone after a 3k+ I find that it leaves a very, very refined and smooth edge, which I hate. 

I don't have the Gesshin 8k but I had the 6k soaker, which reminded me of the suehiro Shiramine, a lot. Anyway, the 6k was too close to what I already had but a wicked good stone with great feedback. If the 8k is anything like the 6k I would not hesitate to buy it if I wanted a soaker.

The Snow white is also, as already said, a good 8k stone. Hard and precise, which also demands angular control but for different reasons. I like the King 8k too. And my shapton 8k stones. Glass first and pro second. They are hard stones with slightly harder to read but still existent feedback and have a nice chalky feel starting to lean to the glassy side. 

Honestly though, I normally jump to a natural long before I get to the 8k mark.  But that is because I like to use mid grit stones. However I do find that the right 2-4k stones will setup a natural finisher just fine, for me. Others like to do something else and go as high as they can with synthetics and then jump backwards into naturals. 

To each their own. You will get lots of good but differing opinions.


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## Casaluz (Apr 22, 2018)

I use a Kitayama 8000 purchased from Shinichi Watanabe with fantastic results as finishing stone for knives and part of progression for razors, however, in comparison with some folks here I am a mere rookie with sharpening, so my comment needs a pinch of salt...:doublethumbsup:


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## Benuser (Apr 23, 2018)

Benuser said:


> I use the Junpaku Snow-white only for stropping and deburring, and the tactile response it affords is great. You really feel the burr remains coming off.
> And the very few times I've used it for full sharpening -- just for fun -- I got the best results by making a bit of mud, using a small piece of Coticule or Belgian Blue as a Nagura.
> In both cases the Snow-white leaves a remarkable bite.



Tried it again, on an AS. Full sharpening on a Chosera 400, no deburring, deburring on 800 and stropping and deburring on 2k. Full sharpening, stropping and deburring on the Junpaku. All took 15 minutes. Very clean result with lots of bite.


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## Grunt173 (Apr 23, 2018)

Benuser said:


> Tried it again, on an AS. Full sharpening on a Chosera 400, no deburring, deburring on 800 and stropping and deburring on 2k. Full sharpening, stropping and deburring on the Junpaku. All took 15 minutes. Very clean result with lots of bite.



Whenever I read good reports about the Snow White,which was my 8k of choice,I get all fuzzy inside.:thumbsup:


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## Benuser (Apr 23, 2018)

It's my understanding that the Junpaku is not optimal for high polish as required by yanagiba users, but that isn't my case.


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## TEWNCfarms (Apr 23, 2018)

bosco said:


> After seeing the edge that clean cut.se put on my knife purchase, I learned that they use an 8000 Kitayama as their final stone. Now I am thinking of adding to my stone collection.
> 
> I will eventually get a nice jnat, however, for now I am looking for something that will not break the bank.
> 
> ...



https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/173211862910


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## Keith Sinclair (Apr 27, 2018)

Use the Kitayama for single bevel carbons. It also has a large funky wood base that I like.


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