Shrimp Corporation SS-800 Professional Super Ceramic Whetstone with Base #800

If you are looking for one of the best waterstones in the 1K grit range, and money is no object - then look no further. I am not sure why Naniwa chose to give this particular Cho the tag of "800 grit" --- and then also offer a different 1K Chosera stone to compete with it. In the end, all that did was hurt the recognition and sales of this stone - which IMHO (and the opinion of many) is the better stone between the two. Many shopping 1K stones would automatically choose the Cho 1K before the 800 mainly because of the familiarity of the 1K label. This Chosera does everything well - whether kitchen or pocket knives, chisels or plane irons, etc. The hardness is just right, and the feedback is perfect. Then, the stone cuts fast and the edge is clean. This stone cuts like a 1000 -1200 stone, not sure why the 800 label, but Chosera is famous for under-rating their stones in grit. If I want a reliable / utility edge that is not polished to a mirror finish, I typically follow this up with a Chosera 3K and stop there. Many follow the 800 with a Cho 5K also with good results. I have also gone with a Cho 800 --> Cho 3K --> Naniwa Snow White 8K lineup when I want a more polished / refined edge with great results. (note the Cho 10K is VERY expensive, and to me the 8K SW is 90% of what the Cho 10K is for MUCH less). Some woodworker's I know like to go from the Cho 800 to the Naniwa 8K Snow White directly - but I find that there is too much work eliminating the 800 scratch patter and like a stone in between (like the Cho 3K). A couple of use / maintenance tips on this stone - you will get many different opinions and there ARE do's and don'ts to keeping your Cho's in good working order. First - these ARE splash and go stones - but can benefit from a short soak before use (note "short"). Maybe a 10-15 min soaking before hand will help. DO NOT PERMA-SOAK THESE STONES. Short and quick. Next, they require frequent water refreshes as you get them going initially... but do get to a point of saturation quickly where the surface does not require constant refresh. NEXT - and most importantly - dry them at an even and slow pace - do not expose to heat, sunlight or other means to dry them faster. What I do is let them dry for a few hours, then wrap them in a cotton hand towel to dry the last 10-20% after that for a day or two. The key is natural, slow drying. You will read how some have issues with Chosera's scaling / cracking and 99.999 times out of 100 this is due to poor handling, over soaking or poor drying / storage techniques. Sure, the Cho's require a little extra care and feeding to keep them optimal, and are not bullet proof but to me that is the price you pay for this high level of quality. (look at them as a high class lady that needs a little extra maintenance to keep her happy :-)) If you have the budget and don't mind spending more for that little extra bit of quality, this is a great stone. Realize though the 1K waterstone market is clogged with so many great choices that the price of this stone may mean others will choose different for half the price. Recommended. Thanks for reading.

Naniwa chosera 800, not sure why the odd name but this is a very good stone. Cuts fast, low wear and muddiness. Quick to set up, just “splash and go.” No soaking, no waiting. Just have to let it naturally air dry after use to avoid cracking or so i hear, mine has not cracked so i cant say if it does or not, just youtube concerns really. Better than a 1000 grit i think, cuts faster and finish is very comparable. I would buy again, only downside is the high price but as is life.

This is a high-quality sharpening stone. I use my knives for processing meats with a high fat content, and my usual sharpening routine involves three Naniwa Chosera stones: #400, #800, and #2000. I only use the #400 occasionally, when there are chips in the edge. The #800 is my go-to for regular maintenance, and I finish with the #2000. What I like most about the #800 is its excellent feedback and resistance to clogging during sharpening. The #800 and #2000 together make for a very smooth progression. I previously used the Chosera #3000 for finishing, but for commercial stainless steel knives with an average hardness of around 56 HRC, the #3000 is a bit too fine and tends to create a burr that’s harder to remove.

One of the quickest stones on the market that leaves a scratch pattern in the 1200-1300 grit range . The feedback is outstanding and you can feel where your edge bevel is while sharpening. The stone doesn’t produce a lot of mud and is quite hard so you don’t have to worry about your stone dishing out compared to softer stones , I usually sharpened around 8-10 knives before it needs a flattening but the amount of knives can be increased if you’re utilizing the whole surface of the stone evenly . So far , I like this stone a lot that I have multiple of each chosera stone in the line up and because it’s cheaper than the professional while also thicker at 25.4 mm to 20 mm . If you’re wondering whether to get the 800 or the 1k , either stone will be a great addition to your collection. The 1k is slower and harder but leaves a more refined edge but both have similar feel and feedback . If used properly both stones can produced a razor hair shaving edge .

I made the mistake of buying the King Deluxe 1000 as my first Japanese whetstone. Dont get me wrong, the King 1000 is a very good stone at $20. However, after using it for a couple of months I got tired of having to soak it for 30+ minutes every time and decided to invest in a good splash and go. The Chosera 800 was a great choice without a doubt. I do not regret having spend $20 on the King because now I have a reference and a good second stone. However, most people who are just looking for an effective option to sharpen their knives would be better off saving the $20 and just buying the Chosera 800. PROS: - Cutting speed is just great. You can sharpen dull knives in 5 minutes - Feel and feedback are very nice - Real splash and go. Just splash some water and you are ready to go. - Very slow wearing. Will last for many many years - Plastic base provides hand clearance and non-slip base - Comes with high-quality nagura stone CONS: Not a single complain TO BE NOTED: Naniwa offers a Professional Series which are the same stone without the base and with a higher price. You should buy the Choseras instead while still in stock.