The Hibiki 3000 from Naniwa is a porous vitrified type of hone. It is a little thirsty, I’d guesstimate that a minute of soaking is mandatory. But then it’s fine and ready to work. The feeling is good, it is smooth but you know you are cutting. it does not have that chalkboard feeling lat all, it is a very nice feedback. The polish is a bit hazy, not quite what I’d expect from a 3k, but the polish is super clean; this is a high-quality stone. I have not put this stone through a torture test yet, but the information from Naniwa said that the Hibiki stones were harder, and designed for sharpening professional tools. They claimed that the wear resistance of this stone is top-shelf, which should keep the stone flatter longer. This stone was introduced in 2018, and the catalog number is IT-0150.
