Thread: Comparing the Naniwa Pro and the Naniwa Specialy lines

I have a 3k Chosera that I like very much. It performs much like the 3k SS but stays flatter and feels a bit harder IMO. If I dropped it or something, I would repurchase the Pro, rather than go to the 3k SP.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I bought the Choseras some time ago. before they changed the name to 'professional.' Perhaps they changed the composition of the stones as well ?

As far as I know, Naniwa has continued to state that the formulations have not changed. Only the names have been changed.

Originally Posted by bluesman7

I have a 3k Chosera that I like very much. It performs much like the 3k SS but stays flatter and feels a bit harder IMO. If I dropped it or something, I would repurchase the Pro, rather than go to the 3k SP.

I love my Chosera 3k as well, I also have the 'original' snow white 8k which is the same binder as the Chosera, both are great stones and I would never trade them off.

Several vendors claim the Professional line as well as the Chosera line uses "magnesia" or "magnesium" as the binder. They also claim the SS line uses "resin" bonding. The Chosera line is still available but only for the Japanese market and only in the thinner size on fixed bases.

Originally Posted by Wirm

Several vendors claim the Professional line as well as the Chosera line uses "magnesia" or "magnesium" as the binder. They also claim the SS line uses "resin" bonding. The Chosera line is still available but only for the Japanese market and only in the thinner size on fixed bases.

That is what I was given to understand when I bought mine. TBH the reason I sold my Shapton Pros, my Naniwa SuperStones was because the polymer binder, or whatever, caused them to always need lapping every time I took them out to hone.

Even if I put them away absolutely flat. Not so the Norton 4 & 8 single grit hones. They only need lapping when they are dishing. Unfortunately the Choseras (mine) are no better in that regard than the pros or the supers. Live and learn ...........

HERE is a thread about the lapping issue with SuperStones.

The upshot lesson from all of that thread was that the hones needed to be treated the same way each time. I have found that I prefer to soak them for a few minutes, hone on them, and then gently lap them before putting them away. The rationale for this was to lap/refresh the hones after they have been wet for a longer period of time. Another option would be to lap/refresh it after soaking but before honing. The advantage of this way would be that you have fresh slurry available on the hone. The reason that I don't do this method is that I have found a better uniformity in the hones' swelling when they have been wet a little longer, as they are after finishing the honing.

After a few year's on Shapton glass I switched to Chosera 1,10k and the 5k pro.
I really like these stones, they are thirsty, soft and excellent with a slurry.
I know you can use the 10k dry?
Never used the superstone .

Recently due to my stones cracking I went back to my nagura progression, holy cow, buttery smooth edges.
I can't believe I spent so long on synthetics.

Originally Posted by Utopian

As far as I know, Naniwa has continued to state that the formulations have not changed. Only the names have been changed.

Naniwa Professional Stone, P310, grit: 1000 | knivesandtools.co.uk

According to where I get my Naniwas from they have renewed the binder.
Ive got both the Superstone and Specialty in 10k and cant tell much difference, I find the Specialty a bit thirstier, but results practically the same, then again I only hone for myself so dont spend the amount of time on the hones as some of you fine gentlemen.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I will try to clarify again. That is not my experience with the Chosera 1k. The problems I described were for the 2k through 10k Professional hones. I have not experienced those issue with my older 400 through 1k Chosera hones.

After reading this I did notice a small amount of auto-slurrying with my Chosera 3k. I did not find auto-slurrying with my 'new to me' Chosera 5k. What I did notice with the 5k is that it seemed to squeegee dry when honing on it. In other words it did not seem thirsty in the normal sense, but the water would get wiped off of the center of the stone with each pass of the razor. On the 3k the auto-slurry does not bother me as it seems quite fine and at this low stage in my progression it is actually probably desirable. That is probably why I had not even noticed it in the past.

I have used both pro and ss. To be honest I like them both. I now use the pro and they feel harder cut faster and don't swarf up like the ss do.