# if you were allowed to only have 1 stone...



## inferno (Mar 5, 2020)

imagine this: you wake up one day and see the sink is full of mud. during the night the evil stone fairy was there and ground up all your stones on an atoma. and from now on you are only allowed to have 1 singe stone. otherwise the stone fairy comes back (and grinds away all your knives this time).

so armed with what you know now, what would you chose? also you can't cheat with sand paper, or a belt grinder or similar. no sharpening gizmos, or rods/steels either. and definitely no strops!!

obviously there will have to be some compromises 
motivate why you chose a particular stone.


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## MowgFace (Mar 5, 2020)

Do combo stones count as 1?


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## Barmoley (Mar 5, 2020)

Would have to be diamond vitrified or resin 800-1000 grit. Would suck for repair or thinning, but leaving everything at 400 would suck too and around 1K is used a lot more. Diamond because would work for anything and would last a very long time without dishing, etc.


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## F-Flash (Mar 5, 2020)

From my collection, king hyper 1k.


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## DanielC (Mar 5, 2020)

Ohira Suita!


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## esoo (Mar 5, 2020)

I was originally going to say something like a Shapton 1500 or GBOJ, but I think I'd go lower for more versatility - Shapton 1000 or Chosera 800. I think you'd want something that gives a good workable edge, but you need to be able to some repair work as well.


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## inferno (Mar 5, 2020)

MowgFace said:


> Do combo stones count as 1?



do you want the stone fairy coming back?? you can't fool the stone fairy.


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## Kristoffer (Mar 5, 2020)

Shapton Pro 2k for sure. In my limited home cook use, I seem not to chip my knives, so the Shapton would be fast enough. ...and it gives a great, practical edge.


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## MartinJ (Mar 5, 2020)

Hesitating between the Shapton glass 500 and the naniwa pro 1000


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## inferno (Mar 5, 2020)

esoo said:


> I was originally going to say something like a Shapton 1500 or GBOJ, but I think I'd go lower for more versatility - Shapton 1000 or Chosera 800.  I think you'd want something that gives a good workable edge, but you need to be able to some repair work as well.



shappro 1k/nanipro800, yeah i was thinking those exact 2 same stones. but the problem with them is that they dont actually get knives all that sharp imo. aggressive yes, but not really sharp imo. 
i had the same feeling with the naniwa 1k. it finishes at about 1500 but its simply not enough. its just a tiny bit too unrefined imo. 
************

for me i think i would have to go for the shapton pro 2k. or maybe the glass 3k (would suck for chips/thinning though). why? I feel the shapton 2k is almost as fast as the naniwa pro 1k, no big difference there. 
and it gives a quite sharp result. much sharper than naniwa pro1k. 

the 3k glass would get me more sharp at the cost of even slower speed. but maybe i can up my dedication. and spend some time on a nice stone  it probably would be worth it for the results but probably not worth it for the time.

below 1k for me, no way. its like a fine saw. and i have a few saws already.


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## slickmamba (Mar 5, 2020)

Probably something 2k, maybe gesshin


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## panda (Mar 5, 2020)

Chosera 400, usable edge and can thin knives


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## kayman67 (Mar 5, 2020)

Natural? I have something like a sandstone, hard but very fast with a somewhat satin finer finish eventually. This because some kind of geometry adjustments will be needed. 

Synthetic? Maybe Nanohone 400, same reason. But this will need some flattening sooner, while the natural is more resilient. So, maybe the first one.

Unless... I would get an unlimited supply of that one stone.


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## MowgFace (Mar 5, 2020)

inferno said:


> do you want the stone fairy coming back?? you can't fool the stone fairy.



Hahaha. In that case...

Gesshin 2K. I figure I'll suffer through thinning/repairs whenever they come but will be able to have functional edges on everything i have. Plus i just love this stone.


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## M1k3 (Mar 5, 2020)

Shapton Pro 2k. Or Glass 500 and some strop.


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## GorillaGrunt (Mar 5, 2020)

Maido 2000 or Suehiro Rika 5000. Either will raise a burr on whatever knife as well as giving a nice edge. Aoto was a consideration but doesn’t do as well on R2 and such.


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## MartinJ (Mar 5, 2020)

You can raise a burr on a really dull knife with Rika 5000?


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## Barmoley (Mar 5, 2020)

MartinJ said:


> You can raise a burr on a really dull knife with Rika 5000?


Anything is possible given enough time


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## inferno (Mar 5, 2020)

exactly.


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## GorillaGrunt (Mar 5, 2020)

I don’t let them get that dull! Assiduous maintenance is the key. But if I chipped one or tipped it or otherwise effed it up I’d be screwed


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## Newbflat (Mar 5, 2020)

Bester 1200... a knife is sharp enough for the kitchen and it’s corse enough to thin a bit if you keep up on a good grind. 
Then strop if needed.... didn’t say anything about stropping


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## Chuckles (Mar 5, 2020)

Gesshin 2K for me.


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## MowgFace (Mar 5, 2020)

Newbflat said:


> Bester 1200... a knife is sharp enough for the kitchen and it’s corse enough to thin a bit if you keep up on a good grind.
> Then strop if needed.... didn’t say anything about stropping



Lol he definitely said no strops


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## Newbflat (Mar 5, 2020)

MowgFace said:


> Lol he definitely said no strops


Apparently my reading comprehension lacks, a lot... Still sticking with the Bester 1200. Has to work on my machete as well I guess.


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## XooMG (Mar 5, 2020)

From what I have...Naniwa 220 probably.


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## Xenif (Mar 5, 2020)

Either a Shinden or Ohira suita, on the medium hard med fine side. Then I will order 1)a lot of sandpaper 2) a kasfly sandpaper holder 3) book on black magic and how to Vanquish fairies for dummies


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## M1k3 (Mar 5, 2020)

XooMG said:


> From what I have...Naniwa 220 probably.



Super Stone?


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## madelinez (Mar 5, 2020)

King Hyper 1000, can remove chips but it'll take a while. Good enough edge.


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## XooMG (Mar 5, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> Super Stone?


Was called 荒武者 aramusha I think.


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## Cloudsmoker (Mar 5, 2020)

Suehiro Debado 1500. If I can remember to lighten up on the stroke, it gets me close to a polish.


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## GoodMagic (Mar 5, 2020)

Choseras 1k


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## M1k3 (Mar 5, 2020)

XooMG said:


> Was called 荒武者 aramusha I think.



Oh ok. I was going to say, the 220 Super Stone sucks at actual sharpening.


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## KingShapton (Mar 6, 2020)

Synthetic stones - Shapton Pro 2000 or Shapton Glass 2000.

I like the Pro a little more, but I have the feeling that the glass makes it a little more sharp.


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## XooMG (Mar 6, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> Oh ok. I was going to say, the 220 Super Stone sucks at actual sharpening.


I wouldn't know; it might be that you would feel the same about the aramusha. I just think I can do more with it than I can do with my finer stones.


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## Benuser (Mar 6, 2020)

Chosera 800. Because of its versatility. Varying pressure, mud, water allows different uses.


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## M1k3 (Mar 6, 2020)

XooMG said:


> I wouldn't know; it might be that you would feel the same about the aramusha. I just think I can do more with it than I can do with my finer stones.



If you can actually sharpen on it without using very little pressure, it's not the same stone.


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## Iggy (Mar 6, 2020)

My approx. 100-120 year old yellow Cotitcule ("Belgischer Brocken").

With "Nagura" sharpens like a 2-4k, without Nagura more like 6-7k. Ultra fast, nice feedback. Perfect touchup stone.

(makes a decent Kasumi, too)

Iggy


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## BarryMM (Mar 6, 2020)

Naniwa professional 800


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## RDalman (Mar 6, 2020)

Shapton pro 1000, and a file for any coarser needs.


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## Michi (Mar 6, 2020)

Chosera/Professional 800, or Shapton Pro 1000. Coarse enough to make something happen, fine enough to get things very sharp.


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## vicv (Mar 6, 2020)

Norton crystolon fine. It's fast enough for chip repair but is fine enough for anything but my razor if I work on it enough and will cut any steel. Also unlike rougher water stones won't melt away when I use it


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## Rotem Shoshani (Mar 6, 2020)

I second Benuser on the Chosera 800, even though my stone experience is limited, I love that stone


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## Marcelo Amaral (Mar 6, 2020)

If i'm allowed to have a file (great idea, Dalman!), my ohira suita; if not, a JNS300.


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## Robert Lavacca (Mar 7, 2020)

the cho 800 would be a solid choice but i’m really liking the no soak gesshin splash and go 600 lately. It’s a little narrow but I think I would go with that.


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## JOSHUA PETERSON (Mar 8, 2020)

King NEO 800. Not my favorite stone that I own but I think it could cover most needs. Plus it’s huge and dishes very slowly. And splash and go!


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## Jville (Mar 8, 2020)

As of now I'd say shapton pro 1k, but if I had the pro 2k I might pick that one.


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## Talim (Mar 8, 2020)

Gesshin 4k. I can use the sidewalk or concrete pavers if I need thinning or major work.


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## galvaude (Mar 9, 2020)

King Deluxe 300


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## parbaked (Mar 9, 2020)

I'm pretty much only using my Shapton Pro 2K these days...


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## stringer (Mar 9, 2020)

Naniwa Super Stone 2k.

I used this stone exclusively to maintain my knives in a professional kitchen for many years before I discovered knife forums and better methods. I can do anything with that stone from chip repair to microbevels.


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Mar 9, 2020)

Jeez glad I ordered a chosera 800 last night.


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## bahamaroot (Mar 10, 2020)

A Chosera 800 then I'd get a second stone and a bunch of stone fairy traps.


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## Marek07 (Mar 10, 2020)

Jville said:


> As of now I'd say shapton pro 1k, but if I had the pro 2k I might pick that one.


Got both. I'd choose the Shapton Pro 1k (aka Watanabe #2 Medium AI). Yet to fully understand the 2k and the 1k takes on anything you throw at it.

But what gives @inferno? Let's just set a trap for this evil fairy and stop this nonsense. Or we could just wait till he's either totally stuffed from grinding our stones with an Atoma... or exhausts the entire world production of new Atomas.


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## KingShapton (Mar 10, 2020)

stringer said:


> Naniwa Super Stone 2k.
> 
> I used this stone exclusively to maintain my knives in a professional kitchen for many years before I discovered knife forums and better methods. I can do anything with that stone from chip repair to microbevels.


That sounds like the Naniwa Super Stone 2k is much more versatile than I thought. Is it really that fast that you can repair chips with it?

I only know the Super Stone 5k, I always thought that all Super Stones were strong polishers.


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## inferno (Mar 10, 2020)

i have a feeling the naniwa pro2k will be faster. its actually a very good stone, makes good kasumi, but its a cracker, like all of them.

the 2k stones are often forgotten. everyone want a coarse (usually 1k) and a "finishing stone" like a 5-6k. but for steels and uses this is just wasted imo. long live the 2k!


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## Rotem Shoshani (Mar 10, 2020)

How is the pro 2k as opposed to the Chosera 3k?

I hear the pro are softer and their grit ratings are lower than the actual scratch pattern they give (which also seems to be the case with the Choseras)


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## inferno (Mar 10, 2020)

which pro2k, naniwa or shapton?
the naniwa pro is the same as chosera but without holder.

the shapton pro2k is s&g, hard, fast, dish slow, no slurry, feels nice for what it is. i'd say its a true 2k.
the naniwa pro 2k is not true s&g, its quite fast, hard, dishes faster than shapton, slurries but not overly muddy or anything, but it does release abrasive, slurry breaks down and creates about 3k scratch pattern if you compare to shapton glass for instance.


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## stringer (Mar 10, 2020)

KingShapton said:


> That sounds like the Naniwa Super Stone 2k is much more versatile than I thought. Is it really that fast that you can repair chips with it?
> 
> I only know the Super Stone 5k, I always thought that all Super Stones were strong polishers.



It's fast enough if your knife is already set up to be very thin behind the edge. It's also much faster if you keep it clean and delgazed constantly. I do all of my touch-ups on it. For a knife without board contact like a sujihiki or a petty this might be the only stone I use for the knives entire life already. 

Over the past 3 years I added a Shapton Pro 1k and in my ideal world I'd have two stones. That's my real life kit. If I had to pick one or the other I'd choose the SS. I'm in the sharpen a little every day camp so speed isn't the biggest concern. I don't really worry about fully removing chips when I get them. I just want the bevel mostly clean. If there's a chip that takes a few weeks or months to work through that's no big deal. I generally don't buy knives for work that need thinning and then I thin a little each time do speed is still pretty irrelevant. The 2k is more than enough polish to erase the contrast between iron cladding and a white/blue core. But it still feels toothy without feeling like a saw as @inferno said.


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## 2bApical? (Mar 11, 2020)

inferno said:


> imagine this: you wake up one day and see the sink is full of mud. during the night the evil stone fairy was there and ground up all your stones on an atoma. and from now on you are only allowed to have 1 singe stone. otherwise the stone fairy comes back (and grinds away all your knives this time).
> 
> so armed with what you know now, what would you chose? also you can't cheat with sand paper, or a belt grinder or similar. no sharpening gizmos, or rods/steels either. and definitely no strops!!
> 
> ...


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## KingShapton (Mar 11, 2020)

@stringer: Sounds like the Naniwa Super Stone is underrated! Thank you very much for this information.


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## KingShapton (Mar 11, 2020)

inferno said:


> the 2k stones are often forgotten. everyone want a coarse (usually 1k) and a "finishing stone" like a 5-6k. but for steels and uses this is just wasted imo. long live the 2k


2k stones are my favorites. For some tasks and for some steels they are completely sufficient, more would be wrong. Long live the 2k!


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## Customfan (Mar 11, 2020)

Im more of a 1k advocate, just works better for me.... Nothing fancy, choseras, kitayamas, etc.


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## Desert Rat (Mar 11, 2020)

I would have to go with a Washita. I have mostly simple carbon steel and I can cover a pretty wide range with the stone depending on how it's dressed and the pressure used.


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## vicv (Mar 11, 2020)

I prefer 3k myself. Must be the right one though


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## Benuser (Mar 12, 2020)

inferno said:


> which pro2k, naniwa or shapton?
> the naniwa pro is the same as chosera but without holder.
> 
> the shapton pro2k is s&g, hard, fast, dish slow, no slurry, feels nice for what it is. i'd say its a true 2k.
> the naniwa pro 2k is not true s&g, its quite fast, hard, dishes faster than shapton, slurries but not overly muddy or anything, but it does release abrasive, slurry breaks down and creates about 3k scratch pattern if you compare to shapton glass for instance.


In addition only: at the first contact Chosera 2k feels more aggressive to me than the SP2k, especially with some mud being created before use. With a well maintained knife, expect a substantial burr to appear almost immediately.
Later on, the particles get smoother as you described and the end result is indeed in the 3k area.


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## Razor (Mar 12, 2020)

10 x 3 x 3 self slurry fast cutting Nakayama 3-4 hardness and particle. I know $1500+ but a fairy was mentioned.


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## MartinJ (Mar 12, 2020)

Starting to get the **** of my new aizu and really liking the edges. Gonna try a dull edge on that but if it's not taking me forever to build an apex back, might choose this one


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## BlueSteel (Mar 16, 2020)

First JNat I ever bought (off a KKF member) was a full-sized Hakka Tomae...now have 10 other JNats and a few synthetics, but nothing beats that Hakka. It is my absolute keeper.


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## merlin1 (Mar 17, 2020)

Chosera 800...very versatile stone.


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## aaamax (Mar 19, 2020)

I can't help but interpret this question as "which stone would I grab when the house is on fire?"
Lol...
Not real practical, but I would grab my favorite Ohira Suita, hands down... then just never let any blade get too dull. Constant touch ups.


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## Grunt173 (Mar 24, 2020)

I have a lot of stones, as do we all but my habit has been to just grab my Shapton Pro 2k and go to sharpening or maintaining. All my other stones are stored away but the Shapton Pro 2k is always at the ready and the only stone I grab. I could sell all my other stones and wouldn't loose any sleep over it. Well maybe for the Chosera 800, I might.


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## Barashka (Mar 25, 2020)

I'd vote for Shapton Glass 2k .. it's been best all around I tried so far, granted I had quite a limited set of stones compare to many here.


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## Brian Weekley (Mar 25, 2020)

Soft Arkansas stone ... it’s all I had for the first 40 years of knife sharpening. It doesn’t have to be foreign to be good!


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## Brian Weekley (Mar 26, 2020)

Here’s a link ...

https://www.danswhetstone.com/product/wide-bench-stones/


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## jacko9 (Mar 26, 2020)

1K stone, I have several so I would have a difficult time choosing between my; Shapton Glass, JNS 1K, Nubatama 1K, and a Suehiro 1K - I would lean to the JNS 1K lately I use it a lot.


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## Grunt173 (Mar 27, 2020)

Brian Weekley said:


> Soft Arkansas stone ... it’s all I had for the first 40 years of knife sharpening. It doesn’t have to be foreign to be good!


A great stone that is quite often overlooked.


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## tundraotto (Apr 2, 2020)

Chosera/Naniwa Pro 3000


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## Forty Ounce (Apr 5, 2020)

Gesshin 400 for me.. if I couldn't thin, I'd die


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## M1k3 (Apr 5, 2020)

Thin as you go!


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## Forty Ounce (Apr 5, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> Thin as you go!


What about repairs??


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## M1k3 (Apr 5, 2020)

Forty Ounce said:


> What about repairs??



Don't do repairs for your coworker and don't cut drunk?


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## M1k3 (Apr 5, 2020)

Or swat at Wasp's.


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## Forty Ounce (Apr 5, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> Don't do repairs for your coworker and don't cut drunk?


I'm a professional sharpener... Lol


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## M1k3 (Apr 6, 2020)

Forty Ounce said:


> I'm a professional sharpener... Lol



Coarsest you can cleanly de-burr on


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## roughrider (Apr 14, 2020)

Michi said:


> Chosera/Professional 800, or Shapton Pro 1000. Coarse enough to make something happen, fine enough to get things very sharp.




Yes sir, I fully agree.


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## Ruso (Apr 22, 2020)

Very interesting question. I will have to choose not my favourite stone or the most used stone. Its actually have to be a stone that I rarely use because it falls into that weird niche that can be fulfilled by many others better stones combined. 
Chosera 800


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## riba (Apr 23, 2020)

I got a small odd ball coticule with red stripes. Guess it acts a bit coarser than the razor coticules. Damn, it is fast and leaves a nice toothy edge.

update, found an old pic of it:


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## Luis Jiménez (Jun 2, 2020)

I'll fight the stone fairy to protect my Gesshin 600. 
After many years of liking very polished edges, now I enjoy the gritty feeling of a toothy edge so my #600 will be the saved one.


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## Doffen (Jun 2, 2020)

Not easy to chose only one...
Chosera 800 will be high on the list. 
Or one of the naturals.. But they are more narrow in use. But so much more fun to use.


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