Suehiro whetstone, Finishing soaking stone #3000: Ouka 3000-35, Stone and Nagura / 7.20 x 2.43 x 0.78 "

The Suehiro family of whetstones/water stones has several brands. My favorite water stone is the Suehiro Debado 1000 grit, a splash and go type that needs no more than a 5-minute soak and it is ready to use. If I am sharpening a Japanese knife or a good quality German knife (e.g., Zwillig by Henkel), I like to go a step farther than 1000 grit. This Ouka 3000 grit stone fits that bill perfectly.The stone stays quite flat for multiple sharpenings. Of course, over time it gets cupped, and eventually it will need lapping (flattening). But the stone is quite hard, so it behaves well. It also provides good feedback during sharpening. Not too soft, not too hard, not mushy at all.I like the fact that it will not build up a layer of metal from the generated swarf (metal removed) during sharpening. Some of my other water stones get a fine shiny metal layer on the stone surface during sharpening. This layer inhibits the stone's effectiveness until the metal is removed by rubbing it on my lapping plate.This Ouka 3000-35 stone is somewhat small, being about 7.25 inches long and about 2.5 inches wide, but that is a convenient size for most knives. I purchased a larger version (about 8 inch x 3 inch) elsewhere on the Internet, but I don't see the larger version at Amazon. You would use the Ouka 3000-35 on a stone holder, or you can buy this same stone mounted on a holder for about the same price. Search Amazon for SUEHIRO Whetstone Finishing Stone No.3003-S #3000.For those who want their knives to be polished further, I recommend the Suehiro Rika 5000 grit, which is available on Amazon. the Rika 5000 is sold either mounted to a base or as the stone only. I personally prefer without the base, but I also have an adjustable stone holder.

I would like to preface with I have limited experience with whetstones, as just a couple months ago, I came off of diamond plates. However I do love this stone, I honestly don't know that it's true to grit, assuming that the cerax 1k and king 1k are, this seems a bit coarser and fast cutting for its grit rating, 2k-2500?? Maybe? As it's the only 3k whetstone I've used, I don't have a whole lot to base it on, but I touch up my knives on this stone every week and it has great feel, cuts fast and leaves a pretty nice finish for a 3k stone, it's not dishing fast, ive used it regularly on a 58-59 rockwell 14c28n, and a n690 61-62 rockwell, as well as a couple cheaper, softer carbon steel knives and have had great results, I have had it perma soaking since I got it, until about a week ago, I let it set out to dry and yesterday I soaked for 15 min before use, it works either way, honestly I couldn't tell much of a difference...great stone, I strongly recommend it

This put a really toothy Edge on my softer Steel knives like my Victorinox. Anything in that 58 Rockwell hardness range should get a really nice 1000 and this 3000 and it's going to cut beautifully. I was able to rip right through some Yuca root.

Excellent for middle stone

This is at least an inch shorter and 1/2 inch narrower than my other stones which makes it harder to use with larger knives. The softness of the stone is the bigger issue. It catches on the steel easily and becomes damaged quickly requiring the stone to be resurfaced. Not even my 8K grit stone is this soft.

Amazing stone for blue and white steel awesome for a quick touch up..! Suehiro stones are my favorite

100 %

This is in the middle here at my knife sharpening station, I use an 400, 1000 Imanishi, the 3000 Suehiro, and then the Suehiro 5000. The Suehiro Ouka is very nice at removing metal and i wonder if i really need the Imanishi 1000, but then perhaps that is why the Suehiro does so well.