Recommendation? My 2nd Stone?

[dryflytrout]

A while back I asked which stone I should get first. Enough people suggested a Norton JB8 that I bought one. After a lot of practice I'm beginning understand the basics of freehand sharpening. I'd like to continue adding more stones. The choices honestly makes my head spin. Ideally, I'd like a combination stone so I get more value out of it. Other than that I'd just like something finer than the JB8.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Wowbagger]

What steel alloys are you sharpening ?

 

[dryflytrout]

What steel alloys are you sharpening ?

Nothing special really. Buck's 420HC, 1095, Whatever Mora's carbon steel is, and maybe some D2 in the future.

 

[David Martin]

I would have purchased the Norton IB-8 a combination stone coarse/ fine stone at (150 grit and 320)This will take you a long way, with a strop.
The next step up in oil stones is a x-fine India but are hard to find now days. Perhaps a Spyderco 302M their medium stone at 600 grit. Like the
India it will last a Very long time. No fuss, you can use it with water or dry. DM

 

[willc]

After the JB8 a good and inexpensive progression would be the King 800/4000.

 

[cbwx34]

I would look at HeavyHanded's Washboard System, in particular the strop.. stropping after your current stone would give you an excellent edge. I've been using one for several months now, with excellent results.

 

[Kyle363]

I don't know the grit of your Norton stone but the King 1000/6000 or Cerax makes a few different combo stones that should be good as well.

 

[Jason B.]

After the JB8 a good and inexpensive progression would be the King 800/4000.

I would have to agree, the King 800/4000 works very well on low to medium alloy steels.

But for waterstones I would recommend single stones over combo stones. You get more life from the stone and open your stone options a bit more. That said, the King 1k and Naniwa 2k Aotoshi would be my recommendation. The 2k Naniwa stone is the ideal stone IMO to sharpen the steels you have listed.