Thank you very much for your OUTSTANDING Video! Here are hundreds/thousands of 'sharpening Vids'. A lot of them are good... but nothing 'special'. You've made a really special vid- not comparable to the usual because you walk a new path...thanks once more and ALL THE BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Greets from Germany.
Good tip about drying on the side, although I have had no issue with cracking thus far. A dish rack sounds good also. Some Chosera stones are definitely more thirsty than others. My 800 grit needs presoaking, while my 3000 grit does not. Plus, I have a 1000/6000 (not chosera) whetstone. The 1000 grit likes presoak, but the 6000 grit dissolves and causes great unevenness. I quit using the 6000, but the 1000 still works fine, although it is a cheap whetstone. I have had the same experience of the nagura dissolving rather than a build up with the nagura stone that accompanies many choseras. I just recently purchased different nagura stones with much better results.
To make your Naniwa 10000 "Nagura" piece work on the 10000 stone, cut some lines across the bottom of it a few mm deep in a vertical and horizontal pattern as it will aid in application and prevent the stickiness as it allows water and air flow preventing suction. I use Chosera, they're the best in my opinion. Shapton is excellent too,, I use them as well.
I may try that. I thought I might keep the broken Chosera for sharpening carving tools. I also use Shapton glass but would like to try the Shapton pro stones. I had to stop myself as I have spent quite a bit already. For me it is fun to try different stones. I think next will be natural stones. They get quite costly.
+mmschweizer Yes, it's a very expensive stone so if it can be used that would be even better. The Shapton stones are quite affordable and very hard. Natural stones appeal to me too, however, they're far too expensive for high quality ones and the Japanese prefer to keep them for themselves, and so they should.
Hello. You mention in your video that you do not use the rectifications stones by Naniwa but use the Nagura rectification stones for the finer grid stones. What then do you use as rectification stones for the coarser grid stones? Thanks.
!Thanks for the great video - Good information and in depth review! I recently found a great way to clean stones instead of a nagura: rust erasers i found on amazon. The fine ones works like a charm and are very affordable. Cheers brother all the best to your family :-)
Whoops, I just tried to reply to a comment and accidentally removed it. Well, to the person who said he was from the knife crowd, I am a knife guy too. I did the video with the woodworking irons because it lets you better see the scratch pattern. Sorry for deleting your post. I clicked "remove" instead of reply. Apparently there is no second chance when you do that.
Nice Video. I want to use it mainly for kitchen knives. I like that they don't need a long soak time. Thought about getting 800 and 3000, unfortunately the 3000 is in high demand and more than double the price. I don't know if I missed it but the non pro line comes with a plastic base glued on. Did you remove it? How does even drying occur with plastic base? If there is an need for turning it sideways? I can't imagine the manufacture would sell it that way if it would cause a cracking problem. Maybe the really cause is using it on a slightly uneven surface causes stress fractures over time.. Main thing would be to avoid cracking. I'm guessing the plastic base must be removed if you want to mount it to the sink bridge...
What is your sharpening routine for your woodworking tools? Chisels, plane irons, the like. Are you freehand? What do you use to flatten your stones, and are you happy with your Chosera stones for your wood tools? I currently have a 5k and 10k Shapton pro, and DMT plates, and am looking for a nicer setup for freehand honing
Choseras are nice and hard for woodworking tools, no digging into the stones. Hard wearing and no need for flattening often. But dont go Naniwa Superstones, too soft for woodworking tools. Go Naniwa Chosera or Naniwa Pro.
Hi, thanks for the video, very informative! Since you've got both of the coarser stones, what are your thoughts on 400 vs 600? I've heard some comments saying 600 might be actually faster than the 400 and a lot of people prefer it over the 400. Thanks!
Sorry for my slow reply. I apparently wasn’t getting notifications for replies. I rarely go below 600 grit, and I love how fast the 600 cuts. I just keep things so well cared for I don’t often need a 400, and when I do, I have the round 320 which goes really fast.
nice sr great video yes you have a good pint to dont chose only the grit 400 1000 and then 5000 yes i look the video ant let me understand you you say the best way to sharp o the misroscopic point of vew they i need hae the 400 800 1000 2000 3000 and 5000 i i like mirror vew 10000 is this correct
not true . there is a difference in materials, it is good but i still like the orig chosera. and i also dry my stones on side, it just feels better that way, and never had a crack
Hi, I do only the sharpening of my knifes! Where is the best place to buy the stones you describe in you las video? Thanks and congrats on you daughter!!!!
Thanks for the kind words. I get mine on eBay and from toolsfromjapan.com as well as chefknivestogo.com Some came with bases attached, and I removed them with a heat gun, being careful not to heat the stone. You can buy them without the base, but sometimes the best price is with the base so I get whichever is cheap and remove the plastic base.
Hi, can you tell me why whose closera stones, some of them are thirsty but some not. I saw some videos show the closera stone is not thirsty at all than other brand like kind stones. Thank you
Good day Mike, I would only be able to assume that for some reason certain stones are more porous than others. The 2000 Chosera has to soak longer than the 1000 or the 3000, and it dries out really quick compared to all the other grits. The 600 also seems to me to dry out faster. Certain brands use different formulas for their binders which will affect the amount of water the stone absorbs, and the rate at which it absorbs water. One would think all Choseras have the same binder and the difference would just be the grit size, so I can't definitively say why one or two grits seem to be thirstier than all the others.
Hello Jerry. Only two? Three would be easy- the 1k, 3k, and 5k, which is what I started with and is a great set for kitchen knives and such. If only two then I usually say buy the best finishing stone you can afford, and work your way backwards from there, i.e. Spend the next largest sum on your next coarser grit. Use sandpaper to bring you up to your coarsest Waterstone. That way you get the best finish. When you get a little more money, buy the next coarse stone in your lineup, working your way backwards instead of buying coarse waterstones and not having a fine finish stone. (Hope that made sense.)
mmschweizer, Thank you so kindly. Since I dont think I have a need for a 5k stone for now, I will be be calling a 3k all the finishing I need . So it looks like I'll buy a 3k and and a 1k as I progress backwards from fine to coarse as you suggested . I hope this is what you meant. Appreciate the help !
That is probably better. I love the 5k but the 3k will put a fine edge. 1k to 3k is a good progression. I always say get the best fine stone you can afford, which is why I said start with the 5k, but you can get a very good edge, especially on knives, with a 3k.
For straight razors, yes- you want the finest possible (ideally). With woodworking tools and knives, there isn't a whole lot of advantage beyond 8 or 10k. Any gain realized would be lost on the first few cuts. With razors, however, there is a much finer blade angle, and you are doing much finer work- cutting hairs- and therefore you would benefit from a finer stone. The Suehiro Gokumyo 20k is supposed to be a very nice stone. I have not tried it. Certainly a 20k followed by a strop would be great for a straight razor.
The so called naguras that come with chosera stones are cleaning stones, not for slurry. I have cut a small piece off my 1000/6000 stone and the 6000 works as a slurry stone, and the 1000 side works for cleaning. When I get a chance I will be cutting a small piece off of every stone I have and they will be matched accordingly.
My chosera stones are my least favorite, I feel like I am the only one in the world who spent a few hundred bucks on them and barely ever use em. I pull mine out after I happen to see a video of someone else using theirs haha. Other than that, I prefer traditional style stones, fast wearing soaker stones... I'm the same way with my glass stones, spent a pretty penny on those and also bought the DGLP, I just never use them. I find my self using my King stones, or Naniwa equivalents. Splash n go stones just load up, I will admit Chosera stones are the only splash n go stones I have that DO NOT load up. I just don't get good edge swith em, not sure why.
+Max Savino In the end it's whatever gives you the best edge. I also have the Shapton Glass stones, and they do load up. I remedy that by using a small diamond stone as a nagura stone. I like them because I can take them to my woodworking classes and not have to soak them. I also have a set of Nortons that do well enough. I now let my students use those to practice on, but actually when people ask about what stones are good for a beginner that doesn't want to spend a lot of money, I tell them to try the Nortons. The Kings are also good. They have a much muddier slurry. Maybe that is what you prefer. The Choseras don't make a lot of slurry, except the 2000, which is just a much different stone from the other Choseras. I just like that they cut fast, and I find the grain is very consistent. I'm not one of these fan boys that thinks they are the only good stone. Really any of the better name brands are good stones, and you just have to settle in with what you like best. I did the Chosera video because when I was looking at getting some Choseras I found very few videos that really showed the difference in each grit.
Dude those Huge ground stones are so cool! The stones I have that load up the worst I must say are Naniwa Super stones, amazing feel and great polish but my god do they load up. I agree there are a lot of fanboys out there that go for Chosera cuz of the reputation!
Crixus The Gaul I had that same problem when I first started using water stones until someone told me they need to initially be flattened with a diamond stone so they will work properly. Have not had a problem since I started doing that with any of my water stones. My knives are scary sharp after I finish on the 1000 grit stone, much less the higher grits!
Sir, do you have any experience with the Naniwa Professional whetstones? I can't find any videoes or reviews about them on CZcams. And the chozera stones are not produced any longer? Nice video and keep up sending more!
I have not used one, but according to Naniwa they are the same stone, except they are slightly thinner (not much- a few mm) than the Choseras, and they no longer come with the free Nagura stone. No loss there. It is too soft anyway in my opinion. It looks to me like (a) marketing- "professional" sounds better to the English-speaking market, and (b) cost cutting- slightly thinner, and no Nagura.
disagree, not exact. i do hand knife sharpening, must dry on edge, they still sell original chosera with base is still sold i japan but for us lowly westerners they are seling this professional line. the 400 grit for sure does not perform the same. and with hand sherpening with knives, 400, , 800, 2000, 3000 and strop is all i need. i dont use the 100o or 5000 . when my strop does what a 5000 does. i am not going to spend a rediculous price on all these stones, the 2000 is for removing scratches before going to 300o b/c the 300 will not remove scratches from th 400, and that is not a nagura it just cleans the stone , atoma is alot better than dmt and you can magnetically remove used diamond sheet and replace new one to base
Most of them I soak 5 minutes but the 600 and the 2000 like a longer soak; 2 or 3 more minutes. The 2000 has to constantly be reset, but it makes a nice muddy slurry which is great for removing the scratches from previous grit and readying for the 3k, 5k, 10k. I would not soak any of them more than 10 minutes.
Sweet! Thanks for the quick response. Just invested some money on some Naniwa Professionals (1k + 3k) and wanted some opinions on how to approach the soak/splash on these to make sure I can maintain these expensive stones!
mmschweizer Hi i just bought a 600, 2000 and a 5000 professional stone. Cause many having problem with cracks, a'm a bit careful with soaking. The 600 is just splash and go, but the 2000 needs more water. The 5000 getting very mutch build up, do i need to soak it longer? (in that case longer than the 2000)
The 2000 in my opinion needs the longest soak. As soon as the surface starts to dry you need to spritz with water (for all grits) but if it is drying right after spritzing, then you need to soak it more. The cracks people are reporting are (in my opinion) from drying them too fast and/or unevenly. Still no cracks here. I did chip the 2000 by dropping it!
thanks for reply. nice. I left my stones in another country, so I think about getting a 800 and a 3k. but not sure. I have here just the 400 that I brought with me. only the 400 is already enought to get hair cutting sharp. Actually I just cut myself today. LOL
Good selection of quality stones.
Thank you for the provided information.
Have a nice day.
Oh, the Naniwa Deluxe 800 is an excellent stone too, much cheaper than the Chosera stones, almost Chosera size and very nice.
Thank you very much for your OUTSTANDING Video! Here are hundreds/thousands of 'sharpening Vids'. A lot of them are good... but nothing 'special'. You've made a really special vid- not comparable to the usual because you walk a new path...thanks once more and ALL THE BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Greets from Germany.
Good tip about drying on the side, although I have had no issue with cracking thus far. A dish rack sounds good also. Some Chosera stones are definitely more thirsty than others. My 800 grit needs presoaking, while my 3000 grit does not. Plus, I have a 1000/6000 (not chosera) whetstone. The 1000 grit likes presoak, but the 6000 grit dissolves and causes great unevenness. I quit using the 6000, but the 1000 still works fine, although it is a cheap whetstone. I have had the same experience of the nagura dissolving rather than a build up with the nagura stone that accompanies many choseras. I just recently purchased different nagura stones with much better results.
God don’t tell Jarrod from the superior shave that “round” honestly are available 😂
Thanks! Appreciate your help!!!
To make your Naniwa 10000 "Nagura" piece work on the 10000 stone, cut some lines across the bottom of it a few mm deep in a vertical and horizontal pattern as it will aid in application and prevent the stickiness as it allows water and air flow preventing suction.
I use Chosera, they're the best in my opinion. Shapton is excellent too,, I use them as well.
I may try that. I thought I might keep the broken Chosera for sharpening carving tools. I also use Shapton glass but would like to try the Shapton pro stones. I had to stop myself as I have spent quite a bit already. For me it is fun to try different stones. I think next will be natural stones. They get quite costly.
+mmschweizer Yes, it's a very expensive stone so if it can be used that would be even better. The Shapton stones are quite affordable and very hard.
Natural stones appeal to me too, however, they're far too expensive for high quality ones and the Japanese prefer to keep them for themselves, and so they should.
Hello. You mention in your video that you do not use the rectifications stones by Naniwa but use the Nagura rectification stones for the finer grid stones. What then do you use as rectification stones for the coarser grid stones? Thanks.
Thank you very much!
!Thanks for the great video - Good information and in depth review! I recently found a great way to clean stones instead of a nagura: rust erasers i found on amazon. The fine ones works like a charm and are very affordable. Cheers brother all the best to your family :-)
Nice stones!
Whoops, I just tried to reply to a comment and accidentally removed it. Well, to the person who said he was from the knife crowd, I am a knife guy too. I did the video with the woodworking irons because it lets you better see the scratch pattern. Sorry for deleting your post. I clicked "remove" instead of reply. Apparently there is no second chance when you do that.
mmschweizer I like your approach. This demonstrates the grits much more clearly.
mmschweizer if you could link hi res pictures noting each grit I that would be very educational.
Nice Video. I want to use it mainly for kitchen knives. I like that they don't need a long soak time. Thought about getting 800 and 3000, unfortunately the 3000 is in high demand and more than double the price. I don't know if I missed it but the non pro line comes with a plastic base glued on. Did you remove it? How does even drying occur with plastic base? If there is an need for turning it sideways? I can't imagine the manufacture would sell it that way if it would cause a cracking problem. Maybe the really cause is using it on a slightly uneven surface causes stress fractures over time.. Main thing would be to avoid cracking. I'm guessing the plastic base must be removed if you want to mount it to the sink bridge...
Hi sir. Would you consider reshooting the video with a usb or Bluetooth microscope. They’re only $30. Your very good on camera, boom!
What is your sharpening routine for your woodworking tools? Chisels, plane irons, the like. Are you freehand? What do you use to flatten your stones, and are you happy with your Chosera stones for your wood tools? I currently have a 5k and 10k Shapton pro, and DMT plates, and am looking for a nicer setup for freehand honing
Choseras are nice and hard for woodworking tools, no digging into the stones. Hard wearing and no need for flattening often. But dont go Naniwa Superstones, too soft for woodworking tools. Go Naniwa Chosera or Naniwa Pro.
Hi, thanks for the video, very informative! Since you've got both of the coarser stones, what are your thoughts on 400 vs 600? I've heard some comments saying 600 might be actually faster than the 400 and a lot of people prefer it over the 400. Thanks!
Sorry for my slow reply. I apparently wasn’t getting notifications for replies. I rarely go below 600 grit, and I love how fast the 600 cuts. I just keep things so well cared for I don’t often need a 400, and when I do, I have the round 320 which goes really fast.
nice sr great video yes you have a good pint to dont chose only the grit 400 1000 and then 5000 yes i look the video ant let me understand you you say the best way to sharp o the misroscopic point of vew they i need hae the 400 800 1000 2000 3000 and 5000 i i like mirror vew 10000 is this correct
Looking for chosera for my edge pro apex. Is there a more aggressive stone for Reprofiling ? Under 400 grit ? Only see 400 up to 10,000 grit.
Thanks
Those large round stones will be hard to flatten
I want those big o'l round stones * ^ *
If your stone is mounted in a plastic bracket, how do you dry then? I just leave them sitting out... no cracking yet...
They just sit in the holders, but they do come out. The holder is hollow on bottom. I put all my stones in a dish rack to dry them.
@@mmschweizer Thanks... I got the 220, 400, 800, 2000, and 3000... and a set of practice knives so I can master this...
not true . there is a difference in materials, it is good but i still like the orig chosera. and i also dry my stones on side, it just feels better that way, and never had a crack
saludos from mexico
Hi, I do only the sharpening of my knifes! Where is the best place to buy the stones you describe in you las video?
Thanks and congrats on you daughter!!!!
Thanks for the kind words. I get mine on eBay and from toolsfromjapan.com as well as chefknivestogo.com
Some came with bases attached, and I removed them with a heat gun, being careful not to heat the stone. You can buy them without the base, but sometimes the best price is with the base so I get whichever is cheap and remove the plastic base.
I let my stones dry inclined :)
Hi, can you tell me why whose closera stones, some of them are thirsty but some not. I saw some videos show the closera stone is not thirsty at all than other brand like kind stones. Thank you
Good day Mike, I would only be able to assume that for some reason certain stones are more porous than others. The 2000 Chosera has to soak longer than the 1000 or the 3000, and it dries out really quick compared to all the other grits. The 600 also seems to me to dry out faster. Certain brands use different formulas for their binders which will affect the amount of water the stone absorbs, and the rate at which it absorbs water. One would think all Choseras have the same binder and the difference would just be the grit size, so I can't definitively say why one or two grits seem to be thirstier than all the others.
For regular home use.....Can you recommend 2 of these Choseras? Maybe a 800 and 2K or 800 and 3K OR 1k and 3K ?
Thanks, Gerry from San Diego, CA
Hello Jerry. Only two? Three would be easy- the 1k, 3k, and 5k, which is what I started with and is a great set for kitchen knives and such. If only two then I usually say buy the best finishing stone you can afford, and work your way backwards from there, i.e. Spend the next largest sum on your next coarser grit. Use sandpaper to bring you up to your coarsest Waterstone. That way you get the best finish. When you get a little more money, buy the next coarse stone in your lineup, working your way backwards instead of buying coarse waterstones and not having a fine finish stone. (Hope that made sense.)
Sorry- Gerry, not Jerry.
mmschweizer, Thank you so kindly. Since I dont think I have a need for a 5k stone for now, I will be be calling a 3k all the finishing I need . So it looks like I'll buy a 3k and and a 1k as I progress backwards from fine to coarse as you suggested . I hope this is what you meant. Appreciate the help !
That is probably better. I love the 5k but the 3k will put a fine edge. 1k to 3k is a good progression. I always say get the best fine stone you can afford, which is why I said start with the 5k, but you can get a very good edge, especially on knives, with a 3k.
ever sharpen it on straight razors?
Yes- I use them on my Dovo straight razor. They work very well. I also have a Shapton 16k that I use when sharpening razors.
is finer the better? I heard the suehiro gokumyo 20k is the best for straight razor
For straight razors, yes- you want the finest possible (ideally). With woodworking tools and knives, there isn't a whole lot of advantage beyond 8 or 10k. Any gain realized would be lost on the first few cuts. With razors, however, there is a much finer blade angle, and you are doing much finer work- cutting hairs- and therefore you would benefit from a finer stone. The Suehiro Gokumyo 20k is supposed to be a very nice stone. I have not tried it. Certainly a 20k followed by a strop would be great for a straight razor.
The so called naguras that come with chosera stones are cleaning stones, not for slurry. I have cut a small piece off my 1000/6000 stone and the 6000 works as a slurry stone, and the 1000 side works for cleaning. When I get a chance I will be cutting a small piece off of every stone I have and they will be matched accordingly.
My chosera stones are my least favorite, I feel like I am the only one in the world who spent a few hundred bucks on them and barely ever use em.
I pull mine out after I happen to see a video of someone else using theirs haha. Other than that, I prefer traditional style stones, fast wearing soaker stones...
I'm the same way with my glass stones, spent a pretty penny on those and also bought the DGLP, I just never use them. I find my self using my King stones, or Naniwa equivalents. Splash n go stones just load up, I will admit Chosera stones are the only splash n go stones I have that DO NOT load up. I just don't get good edge swith em, not sure why.
+Max Savino In the end it's whatever gives you the best edge. I also have the Shapton Glass stones, and they do load up. I remedy that by using a small diamond stone as a nagura stone. I like them because I can take them to my woodworking classes and not have to soak them. I also have a set of Nortons that do well enough. I now let my students use those to practice on, but actually when people ask about what stones are good for a beginner that doesn't want to spend a lot of money, I tell them to try the Nortons. The Kings are also good. They have a much muddier slurry. Maybe that is what you prefer. The Choseras don't make a lot of slurry, except the 2000, which is just a much different stone from the other Choseras. I just like that they cut fast, and I find the grain is very consistent. I'm not one of these fan boys that thinks they are the only good stone. Really any of the better name brands are good stones, and you just have to settle in with what you like best. I did the Chosera video because when I was looking at getting some Choseras I found very few videos that really showed the difference in each grit.
Dude those Huge ground stones are so cool! The stones I have that load up the worst I must say are Naniwa Super stones, amazing feel and great polish but my god do they load up.
I agree there are a lot of fanboys out there that go for Chosera cuz of the reputation!
Crixus The Gaul I had that same problem when I first started using water stones until someone told me they need to initially be flattened with a diamond stone so they will work properly. Have not had a problem since I started doing that with any of my water stones. My knives are scary sharp after I finish on the 1000 grit stone, much less the higher grits!
you dont use a jig for sharpening planes or chisels
Sir, do you have any experience with the Naniwa Professional whetstones? I can't find any videoes or reviews about them on CZcams. And the chozera stones are not produced any longer? Nice video and keep up sending more!
I have not used one, but according to Naniwa they are the same stone, except they are slightly thinner (not much- a few mm) than the Choseras, and they no longer come with the free Nagura stone. No loss there. It is too soft anyway in my opinion. It looks to me like (a) marketing- "professional" sounds better to the English-speaking market, and (b) cost cutting- slightly thinner, and no Nagura.
+mmschweizer Thanks for your fast reply. I am planning to buy some for knife sharpening (survival and hunting knives).
man you did all that effort to make this video but didn’t wipe your samples?
How did you cut that broken stone down to size?
I didn't- It was cut down by someone else but I believe he used a tile cutting saw. That should do it.
Thanks!
disagree, not exact. i do hand knife sharpening, must dry on edge, they still sell original chosera with base is still sold i japan but for us lowly westerners they are seling this professional line. the 400 grit for sure does not perform the same. and with hand sherpening with knives, 400, , 800, 2000, 3000 and strop is all i need. i dont use the 100o or 5000 . when my strop does what a 5000 does. i am not going to spend a rediculous price on all these stones, the 2000 is for removing scratches before going to 300o b/c the 300 will not remove scratches from th 400, and that is not a nagura it just cleans the stone , atoma is alot better than dmt and you can magnetically remove used diamond sheet and replace new one to base
why is atoma better than dmt? I was thinking of getting a dmt extra rough for lapping
How long do you soak your chosera stones for prior to use?
Most of them I soak 5 minutes but the 600 and the 2000 like a longer soak; 2 or 3 more minutes. The 2000 has to constantly be reset, but it makes a nice muddy slurry which is great for removing the scratches from previous grit and readying for the 3k, 5k, 10k. I would not soak any of them more than 10 minutes.
Sweet! Thanks for the quick response. Just invested some money on some Naniwa Professionals (1k + 3k) and wanted some opinions on how to approach the soak/splash on these to make sure I can maintain these expensive stones!
mmschweizer Hi i just bought a 600, 2000 and a 5000 professional stone. Cause many having problem with cracks, a'm a bit careful with soaking. The 600 is just splash and go, but the 2000 needs more water. The 5000 getting very mutch build up, do i need to soak it longer? (in that case longer than the 2000)
The 2000 in my opinion needs the longest soak. As soon as the surface starts to dry you need to spritz with water (for all grits) but if it is drying right after spritzing, then you need to soak it more. The cracks people are reporting are (in my opinion) from drying them too fast and/or unevenly. Still no cracks here. I did chip the 2000 by dropping it!
So after all those years, how are yours stones?
My stones cracked, 5 and 2 k cracked. 1k, 400 and 10k are ok.
Still no cracks. I dropped the 2k and put a nick on the edge, but otherwise no issues. I let them dry in a drying rack to ensure they dry evenly.
thanks for reply. nice. I left my stones in another country, so I think about getting a 800 and a 3k. but not sure. I have here just the 400 that I brought with me. only the 400 is already enought to get hair cutting sharp. Actually I just cut myself today. LOL
Still no cracking- hairline or otherwise.