Thread: Which one is better ? Kita Nashiji Suita or Nakayama Maruichi or HGAL Japanese

Good morning
I am looking to buy one of the following stones:

1. Kita Nashiji Suita stone
2. Nakayama Maruichi stone
3. HGAL Japanese stones classification

Which brand is the best ?

Thank you

I dont know what the third item is you mention, but the other two are Japanese natural stones, which means they will be pretty variable from stone to stone to start with. Some are faster cutters than others, some work better with slurry, others work better without, and it takes a little time to work out how to get the best from your stone.

A lot of guys get two or three of the same stone from the store, and then try them all out and send back the two they liked least.

The other consideration is what do you want the stone for? Sharpening? Polishing? An all in one coticule type stone? There may be another stone out there that meets your needs better.

Also, how much honing experience do you have? Not that you shouldnt get one of those hones, but thats a lot of money to spend if you're new to honing and you may find that synthetic hones work better for you at the start as they are more consistent and predictable.

Originally Posted by Unitouch

Good morning
I am looking to buy one of the following stones:

1. Kita Nashiji Suita stone
2. Nakayama Maruichi stone
3. HGAL Japanese stones classification

Which brand is the best ?

Thank you

1 and 2 you have to test and see , all stones have their own character.
#3. this is not a stone, its a system that someone designed to rate stones ,that is not used by any other reputable seller, and imo is not reliable at all.
If it's the guy that I think it is (330mate?) I'd advise to stay away from his stones, I have heard very few people being happy with what they got from him.
I think may be a few clarifications are in order to avoid confusion.
Nashiji is a term used to indicate that the stone has spotted appearance like pear skin, which is what Nashiji means.
Maruichi is a brand name, or one of the brand names, of the Japanese family that used to have mining rights for the Nakayama mine. I would not buy much into stamps, a hands on test is always best if possible.

Aslo in light of what Stu said above, Japanese nat stones can take time to learn how to use properly.

In one way or another each of your prospects are suspect. The first one only provided 3 buzz words? must be a humble soul.

The second / stamps who needs em. Make your own maruichi stamp if it's that important to you

The third; you cannot expect thousand dollar perfection for 100usd.

While only indirectly related to what you ask; what else do you have for sharpening?

(while suita isnt such a buzz word the other two do seem to be open to liberal interpretation)

If you contact a reputable seller and ask a comparable question, the response you will get will be...

"For what purpose do you want the stone?"
"What is your honing experience?"
"What other hones do you have?"
and
"How much money do you have?"



If you really want the best advice on picking a hone, you'll need to provide us with more information.

Originally Posted by Unitouch

Good morning
I am looking to buy one of the following stones:

1. Kita Nashiji Suita stone
2. Nakayama Maruichi stone
3. HGAL Japanese stones classification

Which brand is the best ?

Thank you

Your question is which brand is best ? but you only give one "brand" ie #2
Hatanaka san's stones are highly respected as a brand because of their general quality the others are not a brand. Even so they will very in their characteristics.
A kiita suita may or may not be a finishing stone. What is your goal ? Will the seller let you try it for your purpose & refund or replace ?
As a famous person said "You must research this well"

Since you posted this question in the Beginners forum, I will assume you have limited experience in honing razors. If this is correct, a natural Japanese hone may not be the best hone to start with. I would recommend starting out with a synthetic hone such as the Naniwa line of hones. Even with synthetics hones, they will have different characteristics and you will need to discover which ones you prefer.

If you have your mind set on purchasing a natural stone, it is best if you can try it first before buying. If that is not an option, then I would highly recommend purchasing from a reputable seller who will work with you on selecting a hone that will suit your needs.

If you do a search, there is a lot of good information available on this site regarding natural Japanese hones. Also, there is good information on So's site Japan Tool. Before you start spending money, make sure you know what you are getting.

Good luck

Originally Posted by Utopian

If you contact a reputable seller and ask a comparable question, the response you will get will be...

"For what purpose do you want the stone?"
"What is your honing experience?"
"What other hones do you have?"
and
"How much money do you have?"



If you really want the best advice on picking a hone, you'll need to provide us with more information.

This is true, especially with So at Japan Tool. You need to know what you want, and be prepared to spend a small fortune....

So has stones for almost any pocket.

Originally Posted by mainaman

So has stones for almost any pocket.

Speaking of pockets- look there first- for pocket size stones. The Trad full size bench stone has its place to be sure, But! for our good friends looking to place that first hesitant step on jpn hones I have oft said; yes, get a small thin one. well/ not too small but as thin as one may find. I have yet to notice any thinning from my 1/4 inch thick asagi. *shrug.

I hardly have a need to talk to SoYo and he is always closed; however. if I wanted to buy a stone I would be writing to him a_t_ moment and not you