Naniwa, Bester, or Shapton

[millertime150]

I actually need to sharpen dull kitchen knives and touch up my pocket knives.

I just purchased a King Ice Bear 4000 grit for $21 which I thought was very reasonable.

I would like to add a coarser stone. In the future I could add a third stone but I am on a tight budget right now.

 

[mainaman]

if you are on a tight budget grab a bester
if you have the money grab a Chosera
this is the cheapest I have seen and has huge variety:
http://stores.ebay.com/Japanese-too...11QQ_sidZ818541031QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322
check his selection out

I personally did not like the 1k Superstone it was loading so fast I had to clean it several times per knife bevel setting session.
700 bester is a good option, 1k king is a good option, my personal favorite is 1k Chosera. Chosera has the same abrasive as superstone but its bound differently.
They are very fast and do not load, the finish is similar to superstone, and they are perfect for razors too.

 

[jendeindustries]

I'm a Shapton man!

The Shapton Glass works fast, but if you're looking for the least expensive, I would say the King 800 or 1K would compliment the 4K best.

Chosera 1K is also a very nice stone, but a bit more expensive.

 

[millertime150]

if you are on a tight budget grab a bester
if you have the money grab a Chosera
this is the cheapest I have seen and has huge variety:
http://stores.ebay.com/Japanese-too...11QQ_sidZ818541031QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322
check his selection out

I personally did not like the 1k Superstone it was loading so fast I had to clean it several times per knife bevel setting session.
700 bester is a good option, 1k king is a good option, my personal favorite is 1k Chosera. Chosera has the same abrasive as superstone but its bound differently.
They are very fast and do not load, the finish is similar to superstone, and they are perfect for razors too.

Would a 700 Bester to a 4000 King be too big of a jump?

I'm a Shapton man!

The Shapton Glass works fast, but if you're looking for the least expensive, I would say the King 800 or 1K would compliment the 4K best.

Chosera 1K is also a very nice stone, but a bit more expensive.

Would flattening the Shapton on a cinder block or or a piece of granite sprinkled with masons sand work?

What would be the cheapest way to flatten the Shapton?

 

[ouch]

If the only stone you have is a 4K, you need a medium stone stone before you get anything else. In terms of price, cutting speed, and ease of use (no need for soaking and little need for flattening) the Shapton 1K GS is a good choice. You'll still eventually need something coarser to complete your set, but you should wait unti you master the medium stone. Unless you're dealing with a knife that's pretty dull, those two stones should keep you going just fine.

 

[LessLemming]

for dull kitchen knives I use a coarse (about 300-400) grit diamond hone,
followed by a 1.000.
A 1.000 grit stone has never been able to rebuilt edges on kitchen knives in the condition they are
after years or decades of use without maintenance, for me.

A coarse diamond hone combined with a good 1.000 would be a good choice.
With the coarse diamond hone comes a perfect lapping system for your other stones...

For a 1k hone for non razor purpose I would not go for the Naniwa Super.
I personally think they get clogged too much on big knives.
I would co for a chosera 1k or a glasstone 1k

BUUUUT
you can actually bypass the need of a coarse stone.
If you have to get the knives into good shape only once in a while
you can simulate coarser stones with wet sandpaper.
Get some sheets in 300 to 800 (roughly) and apply them with water to a flat surface
(like a waterstone, or granite plate)
Hone on these sheets until you have a nice bevel.

Than proceed with a 1k of your choice

 

[Pete_T]

I personally wouldn't go for a naniwa superstone if I was going to be using it on knives alot. I use more pressure when honing knives, and they're really soft. Shapton should be fine.

Cheapest way to lap a shapton is with sandpaper on a flat surface. I think its worthwhile to invest in a 8 inch DMT 220 plate, though. Its 40$ and lets you lap pretty much anything really easily, and it has lots of other uses. I went down the sandpaper route, and when I got the 220 plate I had one of those "Damn, I should have done this a long time ago" moments.

 

[coolbluewater]

Grab the DMT. As others have said you'll also find it useful for lapping the other stones that you're liable to collect, especially those used/chipped/clogged ones you'll come across.

 

[jendeindustries]

Would flattening the Shapton on a cinder block or or a piece of granite sprinkled with masons sand work?

What would be the cheapest way to flatten the Shapton?

You could use a cinder block, but I wouldn't recommend it. The inconsistency and grit breakdown of the block could be an issue over time.

Granite with mason sand or carbide powder would do good, or simply sandpaper on the granite or glass. If you are doing your pocket and kitchen knives, you'll need to keep the stone flat. Something like the DMTX or Shapton lapping plates would serve you well in the long run, especially if you planned on honing your razors on the same stones.

 

[millertime150]

I see 3 people voted for the DMT Coarse?? Wouldn't going from the Coarse to a 4000k waterstone be too big of a jump??

I know the DMT coarse is a great stone to have especially for lapping but would that be better to get now or get a 1000 grit stone and then get the DMT Coarse in the future.

 

[mainaman]

I see 3 people voted for the DMT Coarse?? Wouldn't going from the Coarse to a 4000k waterstone be too big of a jump??

I know the DMT coarse is a great stone to have especially for lapping but would that be better to get now or get a 1000 grit stone and then get the DMT Coarse in the future.

you need to have a stone in between , 325 to 4k is a bit too high of a jump.

For knives if you have to repair edges and reset bevels a reasonable progression would be
400/600 grit stone, 1/1.2k stone , 4k stone
Choices that fit those grits are plenty. I recommended the 700 bester because it works ok as edge repair /bevel setter and you can still go to 4k without spending way too much time on it.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Ice bear 4000 is JIS rated so it's similar grit to a Norton 8k

I went 1200 DMT to it for awhile, but really I'd be looking at 2-3k JIS or 4-5k Mesh rated stones as the next one to buy, as in my experience, the 1200DMT gives a much better edge than it's rating would suggest.

 

[millertime150]

Ice bear 4000 is JIS rated so it's similar grit to a Norton 8k

I went 1200 DMT to it for awhile, but really I'd be looking at 2-3k JIS or 4-5k Mesh rated stones as the next one to buy, as in my experience, the 1200DMT gives a much better edge than it's rating would suggest.

Hey I used`to live in State College. Is Mio Zios, the green bowl, Mad Mex, DP Dough, and Uncle Chens still there? I miss those places.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Green Bowl, Mad Mex, and I believe Uncle Chens are still there. I can't say I've seen the others.

 

[DaveMartell]

I didn't read the whole thread so I'm sure there's some great stones already listed but I'm still going to add my vote for the top of the 1k stones - the Bester 1200x.

 

[millertime150]

I didn't read the whole thread so I'm sure there's some great stones already listed but I'm still going to add my vote for the top of the 1k stones - the Bester 1200x.

I ran another poll on Foodieforums and the Bester 1200 blew the Naniwa SS, Shapton GS, and King stones away.

What makes the Bester 1200 so great compared to say a Naniwa Superstone 1000 and a Shapton GS 1000?

 

[Jim]

I didn't read the whole thread so I'm sure there's some great stones already listed but I'm still going to add my vote for the top of the 1k stones - the Bester 1200x.

I have used the Bester 1200 a few times and like it very much,more than my Korin 1000. In time you can add the Bester 500 to round out your quiver.

 

[DaveMartell]

I ran another poll on Foodieforums and the Bester 1200 blew the Naniwa SS, Shapton GS, and King stones away.

What makes the Bester 1200 so great compared to say a Naniwa Superstone 1000 and a Shapton GS 1000?

Superstones are soft and wear fast. That makes no difference on high grit stones but that's bad for low grits.

Shaptons are slow cutting and slick.

Besters are bigger, wear slower than Naniwas, wear even with (or better than) Shaptons, out cut both, have an huge advantage in feedback and bevel hookup, and are cheaper because they don't pass along their marketing machine to you and that's because they don't have one.

Bester 1200x owners never look for something else while you can't say that for the others.

 

[mainaman]

Superstones are soft and wear fast. That makes no difference on high grit stones but that's bad for low grits.

Shaptons are slow cutting and slick.

Besters are bigger, wear slower than Naniwas, wear even with (or better than) Shaptons, out cut both, have an huge advantage in feedback and bevel hookup, and are cheaper because they don't pass along their marketing machine to you and that's because they don't have one.

Bester 1200x owners never look for something else while you can't say that for the others.

but if the money is not an object will you chose Bester to Chosera?
I have not tried 1.2k Bester but I have tried 1k SS, 1k King, and ever since I got the 1k Chosera I am not thinking of other 1k stones at all. It also works great for razors.

 

[DaveMartell]

but if the money is not an object will you chose Bester to Chosera?
I have not tried 1.2k Bester but I have tried 1k SS, 1k King, and ever since I got the 1k Chosera I am not thinking of other 1k stones at all. It also works great for razors.

I love the Chosera 1k but I prefer the Bester 1200x because I can leave it soaking. That's coming from my need to have stones ready to go. I also use the Bester on straights too but I'm no expert and I'm just using what's wet.