King 4000x Water Stones

King water stones were among the first Japanese stones introduced to the West. They are aluminum oxide abrasive in a resin bond. In our testing, they were effective in O1 steel but noticeably slower in tough alloys such as A2. The particles fracture and dull after a short period, performing like progressively finer grits, which allows you to move from a medium grit straight to a finishing stone. They are economically priced, require only a quick soaking before use, and are a good choice for honing softer tool steels or when cost is a concern.

These excellent 4000x finishing stones quickly put a mirror finish on tools. The standard stones measure 7" × 2 1/2" and are available as a 1/2" thick stone mounted on an 8" × 2 3/4" rubber-footed plastic base or, for those who store their stones in water ready for use, as a 3/4" thick stone without a base. The large stone is 8" × 2 3/4" × 7/8" thick on a 10" × 3" non-skid plastic base, and is wide enough for even the largest plane blades.

Producing a finer edge than a hard Arkansas, these have the best combination of speed, economy and finish of our fine stones.

Made in Japan.