The 1x4 Suehiro 5K Cerax is a fine grit stone used taking your edge to the polished level. The Cerax line of stones has a unique solid underlying stone with a silky smooth surface for bringing out the polish without dishing. The 5K leaves a slicing edge and preps the edge for further polishing and stropping.

This stone is 1" x 4" in size mounted to an aluminum blank with a total thickness of 5-6mm and used with water only. It works best when soaked in water for a minute or two before use. Let air dry and store dry when not in use.

Abrasive Material: Aluminum Oxide

Ideal place in a sharpening progression:

• Starting grit for maintenance on a dull edge.
• After lower grit sharpening stones (1K, 2K, 3K, and 4K grit)
• After fine belt grinder grits (A16 or A6 Trizact grit)
• Before progressing to a finer polishing stones and fine stones (6K – 30K grit)
• Before finishing with strops and emulsions ( 4 micron – 0.025 micron)

The Suehiro 5K Cerax sharpening stone is a premium level polishing stone at a mid level price, and works on almost all types of knives, scissors, tools and chisels, including those made with abrasion resistant steels. While the 1x4 size is meant for use with the KME Sharpener, it is also a great size for a slip stone, field stone or a pocket stone for knife repairs and sharpening on the go, or to remove unwanted burrs.

This stone can also be used in a mix and match progression of other synthetic and natural sharpening stones, as well with other brands such as Shapton, Sigma, Naniwa, Imanishi, Spyderco, King, etc. As a waterstone it is not to be used with oil, but can be used in conjunction with oil stones (such as Norton India and other carborundum and Arkansas stones) if the blade is wiped clean before and after switching stone types.   

On More Traditional Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel Edges the Suehiro 5K Cerax works on steels between RC 52 and RC 65 on the Rockwell C Hardness scale. This is a very good finishing grit for knives and tools made with softer end of the spectrum of steels like X50CrMoV15, AUS6, 440B, and most steels used by many kitchen knife makers like Henckels, Wüsthof, Gunter Wilhelm, F Dick, Victorinox, etc.

On the higher end of the hardness spectrum of traditional steel edges made with steels like 1095, 52100, 440C, Aogami White, Shirogami Blue, O1, W1, etc., the Suehiro 5K Cerax brings out the shine and sharpness while leaving the edge prepped for further refinement if desired.

On Carbide Forming Steel and More Abrasion Resistant Steel Edges such as VG-10, D2, M2, S35V, S90V, etc., the Suehiro 5K Cerax stone brings out the shine and preps the edge for further refinement and polishing.

Hacks and Tips:

• Allow the mixture of metal, stone particles, and water from sharpening to turn into a paste/mud to squeeze out a finer finish. Keep the paste viscous with drops of water to keep it from drying out into a cement-like mess.
• Conversely, a cleaner, more viscous surface will cut faster than a pasted one, so it is best to start this stone clean, and allow the paste to form.
• Lap this stone with a coarse diamond plate, silicon carbide (SiC) powder, or low grit wet dry sand paper to keep it consistently flat and clean.

Comparable Stones: Naniwa Chosera 5K, Shapton 5K, Sigma Select II 6K