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Anyone use Nubatama or Suehiro water stones?

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  • #55087
    microsharp
    Participant
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    Has anyone tried the Nubatama or Suehiro splash and go water stones on the Wicked Edge?  I have only used the diamond and ceramic stones plus the lapping films.

    #55089
    MarcH
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2733

    Welcome to the Wicked Edge forum microsharp.

    I have used Shapton’s “splash and go” whetstones for years.  Not these brands you mentioned.  I was in fact, just discussing purchasing a set of the Suehiro Brand Whetstones cut and mounted on W.E. paddles yesterday, from my Wicked Edge whetstone vendor.  I have no experience with the Suehiro brand.  I regularly use the Shapton Kuromaku Pro Stones and the coveted, (no longer available for W.E.), Shapton Glass Stones.  I love the results I achieve using them but it is more work and takes more time.

    You need to be aware there are fake whetstones being sold.

    I don’t use the whetstones as an add-in grit in my sharpening progressions mixed with other W.E. sharpening stone mediums.  I use the “splash and go” stones as a full progression alone, from coarse to fine all by them selves.  They allow me to sharpen the hardest steels well without chipping out or loosing the edge.  Whereas, other stones like diamond stones and ceramics won’t touch these hard steels or just busts off the apex.

    The whetstones are consumable.  That is they wear with use.  They dish towards the stone centers and need maintenance with lapping stones or lapping plates to level and smooth them.

    Because these stones are non magnetic I use a non-magnetic stone adapter made by forum member “airscapes” to allow me to use my magnetic angle cube with these to set my guide rod angles.

    I work with a dish towel spread across my W.E. under my guide rods and vise so when I spritz the whetstones it absorbs the excess mist.

    The whetstones I use are a man-made composites. Their grits are very consistent through-out the stone so as they wear the scratch pattern stays the same.  The depth and the spacing between the scratch patterns are also very consistent in these synthetic stones.  There are no odd or stray depth scratches with these stones.  They provide nicely sharpened and polished knife edges when used properly with good W.E. technique and proper attention to detail.

     

    Marc
    (MarcH's Rack-Its)

    #55091
    microsharp
    Participant
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 1

    MarcH:

    Thanks for the info.  I have been searching for whetstones, but wasn’t sure what to get?  I saw those Shapton Kuromaku Pro Stones on ebay, but wasn’t sure if they were the real stones or fake?  I emailed the vendor, but haven’t gotten a reply.  I thought about trying the Kuromaku Pro stones as they are cheaper than the Suehiro or Nubatama stones I priced.  I was also told by another vendor that they could still get the Shapton glass stones, but it would take awhile.

    Based off your experience with the Kuromaku Pro stones would you recommend them or are they a softer stone that doesn’t last very long?  I am looking for a longer life or harder stone.

    #55092
    MarcH
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2733

    The Shapton Kuromaku Pro Stones in my experience work quite well.  I would not consider them soft stones.  They don’t seem to wear down fast.  I’m able to sharpen several knives with the most often used grits, before I need to lap them to level them out.  I’ve never worn out any stone grits, yet.  I do lap the stones every few knives to limit the amount of stone waste by keeping maintenance regular, quick and simply.

    If a whetstone is too hard it won’t cut the steel well.  It’ll just slide over the top of the steel without the abrasives biting or digging into the steel.  When I sharpen no matter which medium I’m using, I apply light or minimal pressure.  I need the stone to do the work for me, with the minimum amount of effort exerted on my part.  You have to find the balance you like.  The hardness also effects the feedback, that is what you feel through your handles as you use the stones across the knife steel.

    I also have just ordered a set of Naniwa Super S stones.  These are also “splash and go” stones.  I have no experience with this brand either. I’m told they are considered to be on the softer side of stone hardness.

    Here’s an old thread worth reading:

    Maintaining Waterstones for use on the Wicked Edge

    Marc
    (MarcH's Rack-Its)

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