Originally Posted by
Vasilis
What I have observed about natural stones in countries who quarry and sell them is, when a country is famous for its woodworkers like Japan, or/and has a heavy steel industry like UK. Those two by far the most famous countries for their stones.
And then, there is Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, USA, Canada, Greece, Spain, etc. that have at least one quarry of a stone that can be used almost purely for sharpening.
In most cases, it's the need for sharpening media from the people for their jobs, and that need made them search for those stones.
And the internet of course. Who knows how many quarries of quality stones are exploited in countries that people use them everyday, and don't care to make them famous in the world. Africa, biggest part of Asia, south America etc. People in those countries did have the need to chop wood, made wars with sharp, shiny instruments, and need a sharp edge to cut their food.
My main point is, there might be excellent stones in many places, that could easily rival the legendary stones of the past. It's us, who couldn't find it, because we didn't search for it, again because there was no need.
The best quarries didn't dry up, the best ones, are waiting for us to find them.