What's your favorite stone?

Okay Chuckles, your right, you win

 

In the words of Jimmy Kimmel, if they exist they're real.

 

I believe that's all natural. I think I prefer synthetics for my stones though...Gesshin 5k splash and go.

 

Hard to choose from...
Im not sure JNS 1k is my favourite around medium grit stone, but I have it and it works well, wears extremely slow, I think Ive used 6 mils of it to sharpen 7-800 times.
Its shite on stainless. Clogs up and is not as fast. Does the job but not my favourite.
Finish left is very industrial, scratches deep with visible pattern.

I got 800 stone then to remove the scratches from that one.

And then theres my last stone, white binsui.
Cant really stand on its own and for that its crap, isnt it. But as a finisher, it can provide all one ever needs. Fits every knife.
You want smooth edge? Play with thr slurry and water, hard blade? Dont use slurry...microbevel? Well who the #@#@ uses that shite anyway?

Most sentiment though? Suehiro 5k

 

My favorite 3-stone setup - being my favorites in their range:
white binsui
red aoto
atagoyama
The binsui creates a great edge (to build on) relatively quickly.
The aoto makes a great toothy edge which is perfect for honesukis and knives with similar tasks.
The atagoyama refines the edge a lot, but the edges still have bite and doesn´t feel overly polished IMO.
So if I could only choose one it would be the atagoyama finisher. I touch up most of my knives on this stone. It works well with any steel I have tried on it - even all the Globals that "common people" send for sharpening.
PS I also really like the JNS 800 for coarser work.
- Kim

 

Got a few Naniwa (SS) but my favourte is the 8k (snow) white.
Really good for a quick touch up on the blade.

 

That's one of the nicest fine grit stones I ever tried, and one of the only stones I regret parting with.

 

Did you ever get a chance to see her feature in Playboy? Claudia Lennear, that is.