When deciding if you need a Naniwa 12k or a barber hone to refresh your edges, bear in mind that all Naniwa 12ks are just about exactly alike in composition and performance provided that the edge has been properly honed from scratch.

On the other hand, the composition of barber hones can be a bit different from one barber hone to another and you may get varying results from one barber hone to another. IMO you will have a better shot at successfully refreshing your edge with the Naniwa 12k than with a barber hone, at least until you get some honing experience under your belt.

However some of us find that refreshing with a barber hone is simple and fast. As stated above by Rez, barber hones are the least expensive of the two so just try both ways and pick your poison. Enjoy.