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Gokumyo 20k on Amazon and sourcing JNATS

Recently got back into collecting razors and hones and always wanted to pick up the Gokumyo 20k which is one of the only stones (besides JNATS) that I haven't had the chance to try yet. I see amazon has it available with Prime shipping and I'm wondering if it's legit. I see a thread from December that got scammed off amazon so i'm hesitant to pull the trigger. Any thoughts?

I'm also considering picking up a JNAT but before I pull the trigger trying to find a good source. I used to trust chefknivestogo for stuff but looks like they're no longer up and running. Obviously the BST and the forum here are great places to keep an eye for info on them and the occasional listing but i'm just not knowledgeable enough on them to make a price determination on what is/isn't a good market price these days.
 
Buy it on Amazon and use paypal or a credit card and you don't risk anything. If you're not happy you can get your money back. I have a G20 and wouldn't trade it for any stone anywhere. Having several dozen stones of all types, its still my choice as a razor finisher.
 
I'm the one scammed on Amazon on a Suehiro Gokumyo 20k. I received a quick refund, but it was an unpleasant experience.

Whetstone Scam on Amazon - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/whetstone-scam-on-amazon.579334/#post-10497006

I ended up buying one from MTC Kitchen in New York. The price was good and they shipped quickly.
That Amazon problem sounds like a one off to me. It looks like someone bought the stone, swapped it for the fake weight, glued the box shut to discourage inspection, and returned it. Then Amazon unknowingly sold the fake. Just my guess.
 
In February, 2019, I ordered a Suehiro Gokumyo 20K stone through Amazon. It was fulfilled by Amazon and was an authentic product that works well.

I am sorry for anyone who got scammed. Someone may have purchased a real G20K, swapped it out for a cheap hone and then returned the fake to Amazon for a refund of the original purchase price. Since folks at Amazon would have no clue as to what a legitimate G20K might look like (stamps of authenticity and the like), I could understand them putting the fake into inventory for resale.

Thus, this is unlikely to happen again unless they took the stone returned by the one who was scammed and put it back in inventory.
 
Pulled the trigger on Amazon. Hoping I get the real thing but fairly low risk proposition so meh, why not.
 
Pulled the trigger on Amazon. Hoping I get the real thing but fairly low risk proposition so meh, why not.

I hope you get a good one. Unlike many natural hones (like JNATs) that often have a steep learning curve, learning to use a G20K is pretty straightforward. There is even a couple of videos on YouTube in which a guy known as Utopian uses the G20K as a one-stone-hone to go all the way from bevel set to final finishing. Because the G20K is ultrafine, he used slurry stones to generate a slurry to enhance the cutting ability. It does take quite a while to complete the process, so I do no recommend using the G20K in this manner. However, it does demonstrate how versatile the G20K can be. As an ultrafine finisher, it does a superb job. It does not seem to be subject to issues from overhoning as some hones may be.


Video 1

Video 2
 
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