recommendations for kitchen knife hones

Like the title says, I'm looking for recommendations for a new hone for my kitchen knives - specifically a lower grit one, but I'm seriously considering a combo stone, as well. I looked through a few threads on the subject, but I thought I'd start a new one to see if opinions have changed.

I currently have a King 1k that I use. I can't stand the feel of that stone! It's like sharpening on sandpaper. It works fine, but I really don't like using it. Plus I find it a bit annoying to have to soak it, I much prefer splash & go stones.

I find I could really use a lower grit stone, as well. We only have a few knives and we cook a lot, so they get a lot of use. Plus, my older kid is starting to learn to use paring knives, so they get some abuse. So far I've been using my DMT 325 for this, but I also can't stand the feel of the diamond plate on blades, it's like fingernails on a chalkboard for me.

I don't feel the need for anything higher than 1k for my kitchen knives at this point.

The current front runner is the Suehiro SKG-25, which is a 7x2.5" 280/1000 grit combo stone. It's inexpensive, and people here seem to like their products. The only drawback is that it's a bit tough to get in Canada.

Another option would be to buy something like the Shapton pro 320 or the Naniwa SS 400, and use my Chosera 1k. For some reason, I'm reluctant to use the Chosera for kitchen knives, but I suppose I could get over that. The interesting thing about this choice is that the Shapton 320 is the same price as the Suehiro combo stone, and the Naniwa 400 costs about $20 more than either.

I'm interested to know what you guys think, and to see if there are other options that I haven't considered. This isn't urgent at all, since I have a setup that gets the job done - I just don't enjoy using the setup I have.

Thanks in advance!

I use my naniwa specialty 1k & 2k for kitchen knives. I just give them a quick lap before using them for razors again, usually doesn't take but a few strokes with the dmt. A bit of pressure on the 1k can cut pretty dang fast.

For kitchen I use a 325 DMT for everything except one chefs knife we use for chopping. That I finish on a 1200 DMT. Push cutting higher refined edge works better. Shaving is essentially push cutting. For slicing though a toothy edge works great. 325 DMT with a couple laps on a pasted strop will cut arm hair easy. Although I don't strop my kitchen knives anymore.

What Bill said. 325 for most and a couple the 1200, slice a tomato so thin it melts

I use an 8" x 2" Sharpening Supplies soft/hard Arkansas combo stone with Norton "food safe" honing oil to sharpen my carbon steel kitchen knives. Does the trick for me, especially with a little pressure in starting out with half-laps. Then a fine steel for upkeep for weeks on end before a return to the stone.

Ive got naniwa 220, 400 and 1k for knives. Works just fine in my house.

Another vote for Diamonds, a dual grit 400/1k plate from CNTG at $30 is a great large knife hone.

Also, large vintage dual grit India stone are inexpensive, easy to find and quick cutters.

Lastly, vintage Washita, 6 & 8x2 are easy to find and not expensive, they cut quickly and work exceptionally well on carbon and Super Steels, edges are smoking and a bit toothy though less than a 1k diamond plate edge.

For large knives, a hard stone will not become tip damaged like a soft water stone, unless you are very proficient with large knife honing.

If you want to go synthetic, Nubatama made a hard nice marbled 1k a few years ago, that cuts quickly and polishes a bit higher than most 1k and is a great knife/tool stone, if you can find them. The 4k is very soft, but nice 4k finisher. Or go Shapton Glass.

Also look into a good vintage steel, there is a current thread on vintage steel restoration, I think it is in the, What are you working on thread. A good steel and learning how to use it, (not hard) will keep your kitchen knives cutting a long time.

That is what I’ve heard, need to get my good buddy Roy on that. Heard the Dicks were the best

Thanks for the suggestions, everybody! I ended up just buying a Naniwa SS 400 grit stone. I will use the Chosera 1k that I already have and get rid of my King 1k. After giving it more thought, I decided there's no reason I can't use the same stones for knives and razors.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joelkerr

Thanks for the suggestions, everybody! I ended up just buying a Naniwa SS 400 grit stone. I will use the Chosera 1k that I already have and get rid of my King 1k. After giving it more thought, I decided there's no reason I can't use the same stones for knives and razors.

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I use the same stones for both, though I've heard that it's a bit taboo to do. I really only drop as low as the DMT 600 when I need to reprofile a blade that is in extra bad condition (e.g., my parents and their pull through sharpener!). Mostly I start with my 1000 Naniwa SS and from there up to the 3000 SS.

I've fiddled a bit with going higher than that, but for the amount of work involved I've come to the conclusion that the returns have diminished too much (at least for me) after 3000. One thin I do, however, maybe because of that prohibition against using the same stones for knives and razors, is dedicate one side of the Naniwas to razors and the other to knives. I'm really not convinced that even this is necessary though.

“After giving it more thought, I decided there's no reason I can't use the same stones for knives and razors.”

You can, but I too would use one side for knives and the other for razors. A knife tip can and will tear up a soft stone like a Chosera and have to be lapped quite a bit to get flat enough to hone a razor or you can easily snag a razor edge and cause a nasty chip.

Remember to remove a 1/8 in gouge, you have to remove a bit more than an 1/8 inch of the rest of the stone. Do that a few times and it gets old fast.

If you can hone a knife on a gouged stone, just hone around the gouge and a knife edge will float over the gouge.

Or keep the King until you get the hang of freehand honing and the tip from gouging.

Edge trailing strokes also work well, especially when working off the burr. Strop on a paddle strop or piece of cardboard glued to a board & pasted with metal polish. Finish on plain leather, wood or cardboard.

I would recommend a Norton India Combination IB8 with some mineral oil or baby oil (same thing but cheaper.) That combined with a strop and some green paste, or flex cut or metal polish and you’re set. You can always wash the oil off in the sink too after you’re done with soap. Won’t hurt the stone.