HoB said:
Yuzuha: Were did you buy the Suehiro, and how do you like it?
Hi... well, I picked that one up at Midwest Woodworker about 16 years ago, but it appears to be the same as this one
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=01.098.01&dept_id=13118 (even down to the little black name plates and brass tacks on the ends of the wood base)
I like it. It is a typical magnesia stone... not very water absorbent and soft but not as soft as the Naniwa 10k (can easily gouge it with an errant stroke, but push-pull sharpening isn't a problem unless you're having one of those "shakey" days where nothing seems to go right, but not so soft that you can dig a fingernail into it like you can the Naniwa).
It is also a bit softer and faster than their 8k stone that comes in the gold box with a red nagura (picked that up off Amazon. It is similar to the 6k but I like the 6k better). Cuts slower than the Shapton 5k (maybe about as fast as the Shapton 8k), but leaves a similarly smooth finish (without nagura).
Can also use it with a nagura to build up a paste, but mine didn't originally come with one (the nagura paste can get sticky though... most of the little gashes I've put into the stone have been due to the paste vacuum welding a wide chisel bevel to the stone causing the blade to twist in my grip).
Basically a decent middle of the road stone that seems like a good value for the price. I mostly use it on my blue-steel whittling knives and pocket knives (sometimes as a final, or as a pre-polish before going to the awase, Naniwa 10k or Shapton 15k)
