Finishing stone: Pure white vs Gesshin 8000 ?

Hi guys...

Looking for a finishing stone.

My current set:

Beston 500

Bester 1200

Suehiro rika 5000

Takenoko 6000

I'm very happy with the edge that this kit is giving me, I think that I can jump directly from the bester to the Takenoko 6000, but I  got the 5 piece kit from CKTG for my cooks in the restaurant kitchen and I tried the suehiro and I liked it a lot, the feeling is great. 

Don't get me wrong, I like the finishing of the Takenoko and I think that that it provides enough sharpness for a kitchen knife, but I want to give a try to something a bit finer.

What's the problem with the Takenoko?... I don't like the feeling of it, I think that the feedback is very poor (correct me if I'm wrong) and it doesn't feel like it is "cutting", (for sure it does, you can see the swarf that it produces right away),  there is "something" that I just don't like, so, I'm getting rid of it and I want something on the 8000 grit.

My choices: The pure white or the Gesshin 8000 I think that any of those are going to give me the finish that I'm looking for and I guess that after the Suehiro rika 5000 it's going to be a good progression as a finishing stone.

Please people with experience with any or both stones feel free to give your opinions and toughts. BDL please chime in, I know that you have experience with both, so ,I'm sure that you can give me a very fair comparison and pointers

Thanks in advance to everyone!

Best regards.

P.S. I don't want to misslead anybody on the Takenoko, it's a great stone and my knives get a great edge and a beautiful polish from it, is just that "I" don't like the feeling of it. So far I've sharpened kitchen knives and all my friends pocket and hunting knives with it and everybody is amazed with the results.

Hi BDL...

Thanks for your fast and accurate response, I'm IN with the Gesshin, I'll go to the U.S. In a couple of weeks and I'll get it. 

You're right, with the Takenoko, you were a big (Ok...The main) influence for me to get it, and I don't regret, just like I wrote, love the finish, hate de feeling, but at the end of the road what really matters are the results and that stone always gave me ( still gives me) a great edge, I just don't like the feeling of it, is like sharpening on a piece of glass (My humble and inexperienced opinion) , maybe that's normal in a stone with high numbers and once that I get the Gesshin I'll find out that the "non-gritty feeling" is the norm with finishing stones.

But based on what I saw on the video of JKI, looks like it cuts faster and has better feedback than my Takenoko... Quien sabe? I'll find out and I'll let you and everybody know.

Cool to know that the stone has caused that great impression in somebody as experienced as you, that means that it packs some serious advantages!

Best regards!

Luis

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBroida 

you're coming to LA?

Hi John...

Unfortunately I'm not going to LA this time, I'm going to Austin TX to the F1 racing, I'll check with my travel agency to ask for the hotel adress and as soon as I get it I'll place the order from your store.

Hopefully in 3- 4 months I'll go to LA and for sure I'll pay a visit to your store (I want a deba and I'll like to pick it personally ) .

Best regards!

Luis

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBroida 

have fun in austin... great city

Thanks man... Talk to you soon! 

Goodell... Thanks a lot for the tip on the burgers... I'm a big fan of Burgers and BBQ...And a Fan of Austin too, I used to live there on 1999 and I was the chef the cuisine of one of the upscale restaurants of those days, I was familiar with the place, now I'm not so sure if I'll remember everything, but for sure I'll hit downtown for a good bite, a beer and some live music...And you're spot on...So many memories from 6th street :)

Can't wait to try the burgers that you're suggesting. Too bad that you'll be out of town but I'm sure that you'll have great time in Europe too.

Cheers mate!

Luis

Quote:

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze 

Not to bring the conversation back to stones, but... 

 

IIRC. the Takenoko was about maximum practical polish for your MAC Pro, and the choices were between it and the Suehiro Rika.  You're right about the glass/grit feel of the Takenoko.  You'll like the Gesshin a lot better.  

 

For a fairly long time I've thought the ultimate polish for a kitchen knife was combining a Naniwa Pure White or Naniwa SS 8K with a Kitayama, but that it was a lot of trouble -- far more trouble than any gyuto was worth.  The Gesshin is faster and easier than any of those three stones, and better than the combination.  The only quibble I have with it is its cost; but the sting fades pretty quickly.

 

Reality says, "you don't really need that much polish for a gyuto," but who cares?  You want it, you're going to get it, and when you have it you'll like it. 

 

BDL

You're spot on BDL and I like the last line because it so true... I don't need anything sharper than what I'm getting with the Takenoko, I think that for a kitchen knife that is good enough, but we always want to get "a bit more".

The Gesshin stone is expensive but I'm sure that I'm going to enjoy it enough to justify the expense... And I think that it's going to be my last stone (Damned... I said the same thing when I got the Takenoko) maybe in a near future I'll go for an strop but if the 6000 grit of the Takenoko was enough to make me happy, I think that what I'll be getting from the Gesshin now really is going to make me settle down.

Just one more question on that stone... Do you use the Nagura to get some slurry, or any another stone for that purpose? Or you work with it w/out getting slurry at first?

Best regards.

Luis

Thanks BDL. Got it .

Luis

Ok guys, here it is my new stone... I'm in a rush, still out of my town but I had to kep you all posted.

On a quick note, Jon service was outstanding, it arrived on time, he packed it extremely well, I'm telling you, if a Faberge egg was packed that way and somehow caught in an elephant stampede... It would survive! Packing has an A+ note.

It came also wrapped in an elegant black paper as if it were a classy gift with a nice sticker... One more time, that caused quite a good impression.

It had a personal HANDWRITTEN note from Jon!!! I had long time without seeing something like that. Very cool, good service and a very warm touch, that builds some kind of trust.

Thanks Jon!

I haven't even opened from the black paper, but as soon as I go back home, I'll start playing with it and I'll let you know, I'm sure that it's going to become my favourite stone.

Thanks for the guidance BDL and thanks for the good service Jon.

Best regards.

Luis