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SHIN NAGURA

Let me tell you a short story behind these stones.

It was 28 December 2022 when I got my hands on the demo version of the Shin Nagura stones for the first time. The Shin Nagura 1000 stone size was untypical: thick and narrow but relatively long. I have never liked these narrow stones. At the time, I knew nothing about the stone. Is it Splash-n-Go, or does it require more water? I started with just a tiny amount of water. I work above the sink, so adding water as needed is easy. However, the Shin Nagura doesn't absorb much water, so you can immediately start sharpening. These days, I always test my whetstones with an Aogami 2 blade. A familiar knife is the best way to learn how a new stone performs.

Now, we get to the part where the famous Wow effect happens. I think I had only been sharpening for about 30 seconds when I realized I had found something new and extraordinary. This has never happened to me before, and I don't know if it will happen again; after all, I've already tested so many stones that it's hard to surprise me.

I'm a whetstone nerd, but every time I see a new stone, I think about its commercial viability and how it fits into my range. With this stone, it took me practically 5 minutes to make a buying decision. But only after I get 1000 stone in a standard size.

About eight months later (5.9.2023), these three stones are in the shop.

Well, what created the Wow effect:

The feedback that the stone gives to the knife is in a class of its own, and when sharpened, the feel, sound, and appearance are something you won't find in any other stone or at least not after 30 seconds. This is something that continues to amaze me every time I use it.

When you jump to the 3000 and 6000 stones, you're met with a slightly different style of finishing stone. You could say the stones are more refined and creamy but surprisingly powerful.