Amakusa Johaku (Binsui)

[Kit Craft]

The beautiful Binsui:

This is another stone that does not need an introduction. This particular example of Binsui is quite the head turner and in action highly reminds me of an Ikarashi.

Background:

This time we will be looking at yet another common stone, often referred to as Binsui and it comes from the Amakusa mine just like the previous stone I reviewed. From what I can find this stone is referred to as Amakusa Johaku (Binsui). As it comes from the Amakusa mine it is also mined in Kumamoto on Kyushu. From what I have read Binsui-do was/is used in a sword polishing progression following an Ara-to stone. However, it seems to work just fine for knife sharpening and maybe for razors as well. At least this particular one as it is quite smooth.

Moving on, these stones are not hard to find nor are they too costly. I paid 7000 yen for mine which is about $65 and it is a fairly large stone at 206x70x50mm. You can find them world wide for a similar price from around $50-100 depending on the source. Unlike my Amakusa Aka, this one is not vintage and is fairly recent, probably newer than 20 years. Again, I think this mine is still functional or was recently. I really need to verify that for myself.

A forenote:

Unlike with Amakusa Aka, I have only owned and used one Binsui so I can not compare it to another nor can I speak for the consistency in regards to quality. As always, buy from a source you trust if you are worried about consistency, which I hear can be an issue with these particular stones. I have no idea if there is any truth to that but that is neither here nor there, just use common sense.

Vanity:

Yet another book and another cover to judge. Rocks, books whatever. This one is quite a looker and I have wanted this particular stone for quite some time so I pulled the trigger and ordered it. The base color is off white and it is peppered with purple, red and black renge. It also has yellowish/green swirls and lines. I find the overall pattern on the stone to flow across it like a river and it is a stone worthy of framing, for sure. Also, with water this stone takes on a slight yellow/green hue but very light, not near as noticeable as Ikarashi or Aizu but it is still there. However, like those two stones this Binsui really does pop after you splash some water on it!

Feedback:

Tactile feedback on this one is good and I find that to be another pleasant surprised because I have heard some rather experienced people say that these stones have awful feedback, I guess that goes to show that tactile feel and its desirability is a very subjective thing. The feel on this one is very similar to that if Ikarashi but this stone is a bit softer yet a bit smoother. My Ikarashi has a bit of a gritty feel to it, very slightly, mind you but this Binsui does not. It kind of reminds me of Tajima. It has that soft, creamy feel to it with a small amount of elasticity. At the same time the edge does grip to the stone better as this Binsui is a fair bit coarser than Tajima. Regardless, your edge will not slip around on this one and it is quite easy to tell where you are at or if you are over/under your angle. If you are under you will skate almost as if this were a much harder stone (I am taking with narrow bevels here) and if you are under the stone is hard enough to bring you to a full stone immediately. Over all, it is an enjoyable stone to use but not something out of the ordinary at the same time, read that as the stone being very standard.

Visual feedback on this one, as you will see in the photos, is very good and immediate. Wide bevel or narrow, it matters not, this stone will show swarf from the first stroke. This one will paint the stone black/grey very quickly and it will start to load up off the bat so you will have to add water. After adding a little water that swarf will let go and become part of the slurry.

Audible feedback is faint on this one. Similar to Ikarashi and Tajima, just a soft swish sound much like a ceramic synthetic. Something like a Cerax 1000 or Bester 1200. Just enough noise to let you know that something is going on without it being loud enough to disturb your better half.

Management:

Water management on this one is quite easy as the stone is very dense and nonporous. It hold its water well will only require a drop or two here and there while sharpening. It will need the most after your first pass on cladding as that causes it to load. After that second addition of water the issue goes away for the session.

Mud management, this one once again falls between Ikarashi and Tajima. It has more mud that is slightly thicker than Ikarashi but less and thinner than Tajima. The mud is very thin, not abundant and white. It mixes with metal swarf and turns grey/black and finally orange if you are using iron cladding. Oxidation would be my guess as to why this happens but it would be just that, a guess. Management itself is not hard as it thickens over time but never gets too thick and will only require a drop or two of water from time to time as I said above. All things said, this is not a muddy stone.

Speed:

Like its sibling this Binsui is a solid cutter and I would not call it slow for a natural, though I suspect that some people would challenge me on that. Again, I think the speed of naturals is a subjective thing. Rather speed itself is not but whether you think it is acceptable is. Regardless, this one is fairly standard for a Naka-to. Not as fast as a synthetic but that is to be expected. I would say it works at the rate of a 1200-1500 grit stone but maybe a touch slower but not by a lot. Oh, and it does well with carbon and stainless. As with before I used White # 2, Blue # 2, SK-4, AUS-8 and VG-10.

Finesse:

This is where the surprise comes in. The edge left is fairly consistent across the board with steel type and seems very synthetic like to me in that it does not have a lot of bite for its abrasive rating. In fact the edge itself reminds me a lot of what you might get from a shapton Pro 1500. So that is not to say there is not bite it is just that the teeth are fairly refined for the edge it produces. It will shave hair with ease, cleanly. It slices paper towel very cleanly and goes through newsprint like butter. It does have plenty of bite for tomatoes and peppers, it is a Naka-to after all. The point is, that the feel of the edge on your finger pads or on your nail will make you think it has more polish than it does but regardless, it is a 1200-1500 edge when compared to synthetics. Or at least that is my opinion. Slightly, very slightly coarser than Ikarashi, which I put between 1500-2000.

When it comes to cosmetics, it is a good stone but average. It leaves a smaller tighter scratch pattern than Amakusa with better contrast but again, half a point under Ikarashi. I don’t feel that makes Ikarashi a better stone, just a different stone. You are likely going to use either of these stones as a bridge anyway.

I think this one might be fine enough to finish Euro stainless but that would be a judgement call for you to make. If you like the edge from a Shapton 1500 or Chosera 1k then you might like this to finish in that particular situation. I think it might do well for paring knives as well. My wife is fine with the edge it leaves on her Misono Swedish Parer.

Hardness:

This one is not a hard stone and it is not a soft stone. It is harder than some softer Awase-to such as Oouchi or Takashima but softer than other Naka-to such as Aizu and Tsushima. I would say it is a Lv. 3 for those of you familiar with that scale or a 6.5/10 if you are familiar with the other. Compared to synthetics I would compare it to a Cerax 1000. On the softer side of hard.

Dishing:

None so far. I think this one won’t need a lot of flattening but I would keep it in check because those are the kind that are hard to flatten if you let them go for too long. Lapping is needed as these stones will tint orange/grey for swarf. A plastic bottle brush works fine too.

Value:

Is it worth the cash you dish out? Absolutely, it is like a budget Ikarashi. Seriously, it is half the price and 95% of the stone. It cuts well, leaves a decent finish, has fair feedback, is not hard to use and will not break the bank. What is not to like? It is easy to source as well which is always helpful.

Bottom line:

This is a solid all round stone and is a good value. As I said above it has many pros and few cons. It is not quite an Ikarashi in that it cuts a little slow yet is a little coarser. It does have better feedback, imo and is softer. So you have a little give and take going on here.

So who is it for? Everyone, I would say. It is easy to use and is affordable plus you can find them in attractive patterns. Top that off with the utility aspect of it finishing well for Euro stainless and for me, paring knives, then you have a stone that is a winner for everyone. Collectors, utility users polishers and you name it.

Is it a good first stone? Again, that is subjective. If you are going to use it as a cheap way to test the waters, sure. If you want to finish soft steel or paring knives etc, sure. But I still think that a finishing stone is the best route as a first natural or at least a much finer Naka-to such as Aizu.

Who won’t like this stone? Hum, well anyone who wants the most they can get out of there 1-2k replacement and is willing to pay for it. Ikarashi might only gain you 5-10% in terms of performance and will cost 2x as much but if you want that performance then I say go for Ikarashi instead. Otherwise, if you are okay with a solid workhorse of a stone, then Binsui will fit you well.

I forgot practicality but that is not hard to add here or sum up. Yes, I feel it is a practical purchase. It is not costly and works well. Keep your expectations down to earth and you will be happy. It isn’t a synthetic and will not cut like one so don’t expect it to. I think that is the mistake that most make.

Note: As always, pictures to follow. I hope soon but I am having issues with my internet.

[Kit Craft]

A starting picture of Binsui. It is clean, no flattening and no water at this point.



Turned over, wet and flat.



The first few passes, pure swarf.



The next few passes build some mud.



And the finished project. As you can see, it is a fair bit finer than Amakusa.

[Kit Craft]

Edit to add:

There is one thing I forgot to mention about Binsui and that is the smell. Normally stones release a slight earthy or sometimes swampy smell. Neither are bad and the former is nice. This stone smells like an ornamental pear tree and that is not the nicest smell in the world...It is not strong enough for me to no use this stone because I like the stone but if any of you have a sensitive sense of smell, keep this in mind.

[nevrknow]

Nice review as always. I have both of these (Binsui and the Amakusa) waiting at the house for me. Working out of town like I do, it's like Christmas when I do make it back to try my new aquisitions.

[Kit Craft]

Nice review as always. I have both of these (Binsui and the Amakusa) waiting at the house for me. Working out of town like I do, it's like Christmas when I do make it back to try my new aquisitions.

Thank you for the kind words. I hope you enjoy your new stones when you get a chance to use them. Please let me know how you feel about them, maybe we can compare notes and or you can do a review as well! I think getting more natural stone reviews out there would be a good thing particularly those in contrast to my own so that people can see both sides of the coin. The thing is, I have my likes and dislikes and it is hard to remove that from the equation when writing about something.

[DonnieFi]

I really enjoy your reviews of amakusa stones as I have been thinking about getting a couple. The ones I am looking at are both white in colour but called red or green due to their lables. Any idea if either of those are the same as the ones you have?

[Kit Craft]

I really enjoy your reviews of amakusa stones as I have been thinking about getting a couple. The ones I am looking at are both white in colour but called red or green due to their lables. Any idea if either of those are the same as the ones you have?

Sorry but I am unsure as neither of my stones came with labels. I would ask the vendor. However if both are white then I would say that they are likely both "Binsui". Keep in mind that most Amakusa (Torato) are not as soft as the one I have and not as muddy either at least that has been the case with most I have owned. The others I had were more similar to Binsui as reviewed above. Well, somewhere in the middle. I asked for one this soft and muddy specifically.

Also, thank you for the kind words and I am glad that you enjoyed my reviews.

PS: You could also consider a Wakayama ("omura") or natsuya in place of Amakusa. These stones are a bit coarser but leave a better finish and to me seem more durable and consistent. I like binsui well enough to say that it is a perfectly fine stone but it is not without competition either. Ikarashi is a contender. I am not saying that you should go one way or the other, just saying not to forget about these other stones.

Honestly, I think Omura and Binsui are a hell of a pair and are friendly on the budget as well.

[salemj]

Another very useful and welcome review. I like that you are providing very detailed reviews about very prevalent and easy to find (and buy) stones. A major benefit to the forum!

[Kit Craft]

Another very useful and welcome review. I like that you are providing very detailed reviews about very prevalent and easy to find (and buy) stones. A major benefit to the forum!

Thank you, I think that as we go on the stones will get a little less easy to source, though. I have been trying to start with the most well known first but they are going to start to deviate with this next review. However, I only own one stone that is what I would call difficult to find and even that stone, an Iyo, can be found in more than one place it just takes patience to find the one that you want.

Having said that, I wanted to review these easier to find and often overlooked stones first because I think many of them are misunderstood. Not that they get a bad rap but I think with naturals in general, a lot of people try one stone and decide it is not for them. Okay, if that is how they feel, I get it and that is fine but I think the problem with that is with natural stones there are so many variations of the same thing that it is hard to make up your mind from one stone. I find this to be particularly true with Naka-to. Binsui, Ikarashi and Tajima, these stones are different but all similar enough to work for the same application however I think these three stones are all likely suited to different personality types.

Again, I think more people should give Ara-to and Naka-to stones a shot. Almost none of them are going to keep up with a shapton glass, they just won't but none of them are so far behind that it would take you hours to set a bevel either. The difference is seconds, minutes at most and I think that some overemphasize how inefficient these stones are compared to synthetics.

Okay, sorry, I am done with my no coffee morning rant.

Thanks again for the kind words and adding to the discussion!

[salemj]

I think this makes a lot of sense. One of my pet peeves is that people often try to justify a product for being what it is not just because they like it (such as someone's favorite 200 knife being the "perfect" for everyone just because they like it, even when they've only tried two other knives). I see your reviews as dancing around this, but in a much more honest way. You are not trying to argue that these stones somehow out-perform at every turn. Instead, you just say what you like and don't like, but at a level of detail that a LOT of people can identify with at least part of what you are saying from experience.

You don't claim these things are perfect, or even the best or most appropriate, for hardly anything, which is probably true at this price point. Instead, you articulate what is fun and useful about the stones without trying to rank them. I think this is very important. More and more - and especially with sharpening - it is not about better or best, but rather what fits one's desires at the moment. I personally feel that naturals at this level are about fun, not performance (as you point out, synthetic stones are really quite good, and in lower ranges, they often cut better, are more predictable, more uniform, etc., etc., than naturals). In other words, if you are going to play around with these naturals, it is not to experience the "best," but rather to experience something fun, to experience a bit of variety, if you will.

Recent talk about the Platinums makes this abundantly clear yet again. The two major advocates (Ken and JSG) make it clear over and over again that these stones are top-notch for very specific tasks and very specific metals, but the immediate response is that many people seem to read these as "the new best" in all ways, or the new "must experience" even though the advantages seem to speak to a very specific subset of knives and work that few people actually need as home cooks. I'm guilty (I definitely see the appeal)...my point is just that these reviews of lower-priced stones actively avoid that. I hope that, as you move into more exotic and (frankly) better performing stones, you keep your very detailed and discriminating eye...even as you also maintain your very positive, open, and optimistic attitude about the possibilities of each stone!

[Kit Craft]

I think this makes a lot of sense. One of my pet peeves is that people often try to justify a product for being what it is not just because they like it (such as someone's favorite 200 knife being the "perfect" for everyone just because they like it, even when they've only tried two other knives). I see your reviews as dancing around this, but in a much more honest way. You are not trying to argue that these stones somehow out-perform at every turn. Instead, you just say what you like and don't like, but at a level of detail that a LOT of people can identify with at least part of what you are saying from experience.

You don't claim these things are perfect, or even the best or most appropriate, for hardly anything, which is probably true at this price point. Instead, you articulate what is fun and useful about the stones without trying to rank them. I think this is very important. More and more - and especially with sharpening - it is not about better or best, but rather what fits one's desires at the moment. I personally feel that naturals at this level are about fun, not performance (as you point out, synthetic stones are really quite good, and in lower ranges, they often cut better, are more predictable, more uniform, etc., etc., than naturals). In other words, if you are going to play around with these naturals, it is not to experience the "best," but rather to experience something fun, to experience a bit of variety, if you will.

Recent talk about the Platinums makes this abundantly clear yet again. The two major advocates (Ken and JSG) make it clear over and over again that these stones are top-notch for very specific tasks and very specific metals, but the immediate response is that many people seem to read these as "the new best" in all ways, or the new "must experience" even though the advantages seem to speak to a very specific subset of knives and work that few people actually need as home cooks. I'm guilty (I definitely see the appeal)...my point is just that these reviews of lower-priced stones actively avoid that. I hope that, as you move into more exotic and (frankly) better performing stones, you keep your very detailed and discriminating eye...even as you also maintain your very positive, open, and optimistic attitude about the possibilities of each stone!

Thank you for taking the time to make such a detailed reply. Speaking of articulating ones thoughts, you do this in a way that is quite enjoyable and straightforward to read. Sometimes I run in circles when trying to express myself.

I agree that it is important to understand that with most of the products we use, but especially natural stones, there is no best or at least not for every person. What might be best for me might not for another person but as you said, it goes beyond that. One stone might be best for a particular situation but be just awful for another. In fact, as you said with naturals often times none of them are the most idea.

I do know that my reviews have a lot of subjectivity to them, maybe review is the wrong word in this case and I should use the word impression. I almost did not write any of these 'impressions' due to just that. However, a friend on here talked me into it. Moving forward, I too hope to keep in line with what I have been doing and not become jaded, so to speak. You guys keep me honest and call me on anything if I stray!

But again, thank you for this post it is quite encouraging and helpful!

[DonnieFi]

Ok, on looking closer, I believe the stones I am looking at are the same as the two you reviewed (so thank you again). The red label is to-do and the green is johaku-to. They are both indeed cheap and although they look nothing like your stones for colour. Perhaps cheap enough to gamble....

[Kit Craft]

Ok, on looking closer, I believe the stones I am looking at are the same as the two you reviewed (so thank you again). The red label is to-do and the green is johaku-to. They are both indeed cheap and although they look nothing like your stones for colour. Perhaps cheap enough to gamble....

I don't know what you consider cheap and I can not tell you which way to go but as a general rule, I typically jump on naturals that are under $50. For me, it is worth the gamble. Not that I have $50 to throw away but I have yet to find a stone that did not have some sort of use. However, I also always buy from the same sources which are well known and trusted. Keep that in mind when buying stones.