Thread: Naniwa 12000k Vs. Shapton 16000k

Regardless of price, which one would you recommend to buy as a finisher stone, Naniwa 12000k or Shapton 16000k? And why?

I've been pondering on that same issue. I'm ready to step up from the Norton 4K/8K. I read many posts on SRP. This one was helpful:
Naniwa SS 12k vs Shapton GS 16k: Which one to buy?

I finally decided to get the Naniwa 12K. It works great and has received many great reviews from users.

I used to buy expensive tools, gadgets, etc. models only to later find that I would have been just as satisfied with the results of the less expensive models. I'm choosing Naniwa over Shapton.

After more than a year of using the Shapton 16k as a finisher I still wonder how would the Naniwa 12K would work. All I can tell you is that I'm happy with the sharpness, speed and consistency that I can get from the Shapton 16k.

Some edges finish with only 6 passes some with 15. the feed back is very telling. I can tell when I have put a razor that was not ready for the 16k (kind of grind) and the stone let you know when the razor is ready (gets really smooth pushing the edge and kind of sticks on the surface(not 100% of edges behave like this, but the majority)). It serve me as the mark to finish them on the different naturals that I have, that IMO give a smoother shave than just the Shapton it self. I have shaved after finishing on the Shapton 16k by it self, and find that I prefer the edge after I used paste (diamond .5 or Crox .5) than not, and prefer all the natural finishers I tried (Zulu, turi, coticule), over paste. In some occasions I would take an edge after the 16k Shapton, then natural and if it still don't get smooth, go to paste. However, I have not achieved sharper edges than the Shapton 16k, using any of the natural finishers or paste alone. Hope this helps. Double O

I suppose that if we have one of them and not the other we will always wonder if the one we don't have is better. That's one sign that you have Hone Acquisition Disorder. The conclusive lab test results are complete, in this case, when you have both stones in your honing den and begin to then wonder how the next stone you don't have would do.

Got a coin ????

Essentially these both will do the job, and the price difference is minimal..

The only real difference that I could say would be in the feel of the steel on the hone, and even that is not bad vs good, it is just different..

The Naniwa is a better polisher, the Shapton is a better cutter
The Naniwa feels softer while honing and is easy to control, but the Shapton as Double O mentioned pretty much throws up a bright red flag that says "Yo Dude yer done here"

What hones are coming before this one in your progression ???

Thanks everybody for your comments. For my progression I use Naniwa 1000k, Norton 4000k, and Naniwa 8000k