Thread: Japanese naturals, Karasu and Renga Suita in Particular

It looks pretty snazzy, and at that price I would be sorely tempted to buy it anyhow.

My logic is this: I (you) have a Japanese natural already for finishing purposes, but I want something faster.

Either A: it works just as well as your other stone, so I have two equivalent stones.

B: it is finer, so I can use it after my current J-nat to push the edge even farther

C: it's coarser, so I can use it before my current finisher as an intermediary step, which would speed things up anyhow.

D (this one is most important): It works pretty good, but not great... I'm not impressed with this stone so I SELL IT TO JOE.

Khaos that's the name alright. Some have a stiff leather guard and others don't have a handguard on the oak blade. I can tell you they hurt if you make an error in practice with another person.
I've had mine for a very long time. I went to the Kodakan, the home of Judo, when I was 16. I was a member then. I did do some visiting at various Dojos and picked up a real Bokken.
Bokken - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Khaos I'd email Old_School. He can have a look and give you much more info than any of us can.
Ones used on tools are usually a rougher grit than razor J-nats.

Joe what was the one you were using in BJ's shave den at the meet?

Originally Posted by Gunner777

Joe what was the one you were using in BJ's shave den at the meet?

That would be a Nakayama I got from OLD_SCHOOL a little while ago. It's really a two-sided kiita:
the narrow side has a fair amount of nashiji, the top side has a tiny swipe of Karasu in the corner, and is 95% kiita.

Originally Posted by Gunner777

Ones used on tools are usually a rougher grit than razor J-nats.

why do you say that? I think it would be quite unusal to take a large chunk and cut it for razor hones- like coticules or eschers.

if you look closely at kamisori stamp stones you will see few regular rectangles. They are the drop offs and odd shapes, smaller and thinner that are generally speaking less suitable for wood tools.

Kev,

That's what I was told by a member as well as on a Japanese website that didn't sell J-nats but had a lot of history and info on them.
I was told and tend to believe the person who told me the Karasu is pretty much the top shelf stone. Certainly above the Kiita I use.
Oh to answer your question I have seen the rectangles on the side and end of several stones.

You guys confuse me so much i don't want it anymore.
who is buying? Joe are you? go head please i back up.(already send private pm 8 of them to khaos)

Originally Posted by Gunner777

Kev,

That's what I was told by a member as well as on a Japanese website that didn't sell J-nats but had a lot of history and info on them.
I was told and tend to believe the person who told me the Karasu is pretty much the top shelf stone. Certainly above the Kiita I use.
Oh to answer your question I have seen the rectangles on the side and end of several stones.

If you read japanese then the world of sharpening stones should open up wide for you. do you have a link?

I am not sure of what you mean by top shelf. A karasu could come from any number of places- different mines. they can be worthless as well as valuable. Think of synthetics- if you said it was "yellow" how much would that mean?

by rectangle i meant the whole thing not a side, edge or end.

I should have specified Nakayama Karasu:-) Nah I don't read Japanese. My daughter and her best friend (majoring in it in college after taking it in high school) do so I borrow them for translation. I also sometimes use a translation program which works sorta.
I thought you meant the Kanji on the sides of the stone. Now I'm confusing myself Kev---LOL!