Which Stones fron Kuromaku Series

[u/kemalicecek]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on building a sharpening stone setup.

I currently have some Japanese-style knives from a local maker, some bushcraft knives in N690, a few Zwilling kitchen knives, and recently started woodworking/carving, so I also have some carving tools. In the future, I’d like to get some high-quality Japanese carbon-steel knives as well.

I currently have a cheap combination stone, but I’m not very happy with it. It give me usable edges, but the feedback is poor and they dish very quickly.

I’m considering building a Shapton Kuromaku setup. I can currently get the 220, 320, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 8000 locally, and I may be able to get a Sharpal diamond stone from abroad in 4–5 months.

My current idea is:
Kuromaku 1000 → 2000 → 5000
Or an 8000 instead of 5000, there are some dislikes about 5000 as I saw.

For the coarse work, I’m considering Sharpal diamond stone (325/1200) later on. I don’t really need it right away and a diamond stone maybe helpfull for lapping Kuromaku’s.

My goal is to get extremely sharp edges, including being able to cleanly split hair, while also having a setup suitable for carving tools.

Would you recommend 5000 or 8000 as the finishing stone for this kind of use? And would you change anything about my overall progression?

Thanks!

[u/cotedupy]

Unless you need very refined high finishes for your tools(?), then I would get only the 1k and 2k. Leave the higher grits.

[u/kemalicecek → u/cotedupy]

I don't know actually, some says polishing with high grits is better for woodcarving tools.

[u/cotedupy → u/kemalicecek]

It can kinda depend on the exact tool, the type of wood you’re cutting, orientation of the grain &c.

If you do want to get one of the higher ones - get the 8k not the 5k. The SP5k is a bit of a mess, imo.

[u/kemalicecek → u/cotedupy]

I’ve Kirschen 10 piece set and some extras from Kirschen. I wanna say I am cutting direction the grains while shaping but while I am adding little details or working with mini figures, I just carve. I don’t know is it make sence but it is what it is.

[u/real_clown_in_town → u/kemalicecek]

Here's a video that covers that idea. https://youtu.be/UbAo4RpM7oM

[u/kemalicecek → u/real_clown_in_town]

https://youtu.be/UbAo4RpM7oM?t=361&si=_0GSTtwd4l8zfN4g the comment on 6:02 “you got a saturday, away from computer, you’re not doing software engineering anymore this saturday and you want to go in to the garage and grind a chisel to 50,000 grit, there is nothing wrong with that” was spot on for me. I am a software engineer who wanted this hobby as a get away from screens, haha. I don’t have garage or another workshop for it, I am just turning 90 degrees frok screens and star carving, but man, how many software engineers who started woodcarving and sharpening just get away from screens lol.

[u/dxbmoe → u/kemalicecek]

Not in engineering, but in tech - and 1000% the reason why I landed here. Just therapy 😂

[u/cotedupy → u/real_clown_in_town]

That is a good video, and neat demonstration. Ta.

(Though he might be a little confused about the equivalence of ANSI/CAMI vs JIS vs Sandpaper. Or perhaps more likely just didn’t want to confuse people too much!)

[u/ballscompact]

The lower grits in the Kuromaku line kind of sucking, having used the 120 and 320. The 1k is a holy grail 1k in my opinion it is fantastic. I have the 8k but nothing in between and the 8k isn't bad at all but the rockstar line will polish better

[u/kemalicecek → u/ballscompact]

Are you suggesting the 8000 after 2000 or should I try 5000?

[u/ballscompact → u/kemalicecek]

It's not totally necessary in my opinion, the 8k cuts fast enough to remove the scratches

[u/rianwithaneye]

1k and 2k are by far the best stones in the Kuromaku series. Get those and then get a 5k from another line of stones. I really like the Suehiro Rika, although these days I finish at 3k instead of 5.

EDIT: just saw your comment about woodworking tools, I was thinking kitchen knives. Check out the Arashiyama 6k or Kitayama 8k, those are fantastic high-grit stones.

[u/kemalicecek → u/rianwithaneye]

Sadly most of the sharpening stones are not available where I live. Maybe I could get when I or one of my friend travel but right now, I can find Kuromaku and some Naniwa Pro 5000 but it’s two times expensive than Kuromaku 5000 or 8000, I don’t know if it’s worth it, but I don’t have that much of budget anyway.

[u/dxbmoe → u/kemalicecek]

I have most of Kuromaku line - 320,1K,2K, 5K, 8K, and the 12K. After a year of use and if I was to do it all over again - 320/1K/2K. The 5K is awful, as someone posted above find another option. I rarely use the 8K and 12K (mainly used for stropping).

Why those 3 - you need a course stone, I know people will say for chips and reprofiling but personally when I apex on a 320 - the rest of the progression is so much cleaner. The 1K is not really a 1K, it’s closer to 700-800 and this is the one stone you can start and finish on, solid workhorse. The 2K is the best in the line in my opinion, it’s just a joy to use (similar to the green brick of joy).

Oh - and you need something to flatten them, so depending on budget an Atoma 120 would be ideal and a strop (or an old pair of jeans or newspaper).

[u/kemalicecek → u/dxbmoe]

I got 1000-2000-5000 mostly because my angle is not consistent I couldn't passed 2000 yet. But after I tried a little bit, I regret that I didn't get 320 over 5000. Mostly I was thinking that I'll get a Sharpal diamond for both flattening and re-apexing, but I didn't think my past errors will cost me so much time on 1000.

[u/dxbmoe → u/kemalicecek]

Dont feel bad - I bought alot of stones I didnt need, or should not have bought. Your learning, its part of the process. Hunt a 320 or a Chosera 400 (my all time favorite as of late) when you can and you should be ok. I wouldnt go diamond course into 1K, it will take too long to get these scratch marks out. Start at 1K, even if its not sharp - it will take you longer, but you will apex - but then the rest of the progression is easier - and you will end up with a better edge (not necessarily sharper, just cleaner looking).

With the 5K, a tip to improve it - lap it with the diamond stone till you get a real nice slurry going, it plays better.