The 1x4 Naniwa 600 Grit "Bubble Gum" stone is a very flexible coarse stone used for profiling, repairs and initial maintenance on your edges. It gets its name from the bubble gum pink flavor, and has a smooth, soft feel to it that packs quite an aggressive punch. This stone cleans up deeper factory scratches, makes transitioning from diamond plates and stones easier and cleaner, and is a good foundation stone before progressing to finer grits. 

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:

• Ideal for harder steels and abrasion resistant steels.
• Starting grit for factory edge knife and profiling.
• Starting grit for light repair and maintenance of an already sharpened but dull edge.
• After any diamond grit plate or stone to remove the deeper diamond scratches.
• After lower grit sharpening stones (120, 220, 320, 400 grit)
• After coarse belt grinder grits (60, 80, 100, 120, 220, A65, A30 Trizact grit)
• Before progressing to a finer and/or medium grit stone (800 - 2K grit)

The Naniwa 600 Bubble Gum sharpening stone is a mid-range sharpening stone that 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.

This stone can also be used in a mix and match progression with other synthetic and natural sharpening stones as well as with other brands, such as Shapton, Sigma, Suehiro, Imanishi, Spyderco, King, etc. The Naniwa 600 Bubble Gum is a Waterstone 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 Naniwa 600 Bubble Gum works on steels between RC 52 and RC 65 on the Rockwell C Hardness scale. The stone is softer and quicker than other Naniwa stones, and will make a consistent matte finish on the 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 600 Bubble Gum is incredible. The softer matrix of the stone makes cutting these steels like butter, and the finish it leaves is a light scratch pattern that is easily worked out on the next levels. While it can remove rust and reestablish bevels and edges, it is a really good second-step stone after belts or coarse grit stones.

On Carbide Forming Steel and More Abrasion Resistant Steel Edges such as VG-10, D2, M2, S35V, S90V, etc. The 600 Bubble Gum stone acts similarly to higher hardness carbon and stainless steels to be a very effective second-step cleanup stone. The softer matrix conforms with the edges and really evens out coarser stone, diamond plate, and belt sander scratches to prep the edge for a more even surface before going to finer grits. 

Hacks and Tips:

• For a more aggressive stone, create a slurry by rubbing the stone’s surface with a smaller 600 grit stone, or a coarse or extra coarse diamond plate and some water. The slurry will be white.
• This stone is thirsty, so be sure to keep the surface wet with water when sharpening to avoid the black swarf from turning into a thick paste. This stone really likes a little slurry/paste on its surface to add a little horsepower. Keep the stone wet enough with drops of water or a fins spray mist to allow the paste to be viscous, but not dry or too runny.
• Because of the fast cutting speed, this stone will require more frequent maintenance to keep it flat and even over time. Lap this stone with a coarse or extra coarse diamond plate, silicon carbide (SiC) powder, or low grit wet dry sand paper to keep it consistently flat and clean.

Alternative Premium Level Stones: Shapton 500, Naniwa Chosera 600