Hone, stone or both?

So, I'm in the process of upgrading my kitchen knives and need some guidance on honing and sharpening. I've read several things saying a hone is absolutely necessary. I've also read that a hone can (and in my case likely will because of poor technique) destroy an edge so it's better to just go with a stone. For reference, I'm looking at the Tojiro DP line as well as the Kanehide TK and Kohetsu Blue #2. As far as hones, I'm interested in the Idahone ceramic and for stones, I've got my eye on the Imanishi 1K/6K combo. Thanks in advance for all of your help and guidance!

 

I see the use of a rod basically as an emergency procedure you better avoid. It redresses a failing edge using fatigued steel, and fatiguing steel a bit more. Better have the fatigued steel abraded. With a few edge trailing -- stropping -- strokes on a fine stone you may refresh an edge. If you still feel any uneveness, don't stay with your finest stone but have the one before. When your 8k edge fails it makes not much sense to put a 1.5k microbevel on it. I admit you won't lose much material doing so, but you will once you will restore your original 8k edge and will have to remove all fatigued steel that has been accumulated into a more obtusely angled edge. You will notice that rod use is highly addictive. First use after e.g. two hours of work, next use 15 minutes later, and after that almost after every stroke. A poor habit.

 

Sorry if I'm being too presumptuous, but it sounds like you are looking for something just shy of sharpening. Since you are already going to have a sharp knife in a Tojiro DP (though a good sharpener could take it to an entirely new level) I bet all you really need is something to maintain the edge. A ceramic hone will work fine but perhaps you could also consider using a strop. Dave Martell used to sell a base that would take a leather and a felt pad. That is enough to keep an edge really sharp without the risk of taking off steel. I bought one from him about 5 years ago and I use it constantly. I don't see any for sale on his page or I'd attach a link. I can post photos of mine if you'd like to see one. Once you get into sharpening and get stones figured out the strop will be indispensable in the last stages. So either way you win. Good for maintenance, good for sharpening once the heavy lifting has been done by the stones.

 

Perhaps not such a good idea to start with a Tojiro. The VG-10 core needs a careful abrasion of the burr.

 

The Tojiro 240mm gyuto was the knife I was sold on originally, but the more I look, the more and more interested I become in the Kanehide and the Kohetsu. Both seem like they may be a little easier to maintain.

 

The biggest thing to remember with the knives you listed is that the Tojiro is full stainless, the Kanehide is semi-stainless and the Kohetsu is carbon with a stainless clad. The Kanehide and Kohetsu will require a little extra care over the Tojiro. Will need to be hand washed and dried soon after using, no sitting in the sink for long periods of time and absolutely NO dishwasher. I do think the the two later are the better knives.

I use an Idhone on lots of knives and it works well to touch up an edge and keep it sharp between sharpenings. It does require practice and good technique to use it right. The biggest thing is to use very light pressure and only just a few strokes, you can over do it. Stropping on stones and using various strops are very effective too, it's all personal preference.

 

I am sure my sharpening could be greatly improved upon. That said I find I'm happy with a 3k finish. Works well for cutting all the food I encounter. Less importantly, I think, they can shave hair, slice paper and I can do that grape on the cutting board trick. As Benuser mentions the Tojiro DP was a little trickier, but not a problem.

It is embarrassing to note I started with an oil stone in my boyscout days, went to a Lansky system, then an Edge Pro clone and now use only a cheap 1k/3k combi stone and find it suits my needs well.

I know, I speak blasphemy

 

If your looking for something between sharpening sessions I prefer a strop to a rod this is just a personal preference as I feel they are more forgiving and as effective on carbon maybe not so much in stainless.