Thread: What is it about hones versus razors?

Originally Posted by RoyalCake

I'll venture to say that it could be also that (natural) hones are harder to sell for a decent price? You almost have to know someone personally or trust them enough to know you're getting what you're looking for?

That's very true, especially of Jnats. The Japanese will pay far more than most any of us because the best stones are the tools of journeymen craftsmen and as such command a price like a good bandsaw or table saw which we have less ideoligical problems paying for.

Browsing a Japanese shop inventory I saw a nice large (as in 8"x8"x2") suita at $6000, and a good Hatahosi-branded Hatanaka bench stone, $4000 and up. These stones would be practically impossible to sell in the West, so we tend to see stones that are cheaper because of lines, irregularities, imperfections, missing corners, etc. This is not necessarily a bad thing as that $4000 benchstone quality may be only $250 if it is an irregular koppa in the barber hone size.

Cheers, Steve

I am perhaps fortunate. I love to drive and so make a lot of stops at antique stores. My average quality natural stone costs about 5K miles and some change! A good barber hone is more like 2Kmiles and some change
There is a reason naturals get a high price, the time spent accumulating them and lapping them is not considered by most looking for a good deal on the 'bay. As with any skilled hunting, getting to know what they look like in the wild with all the camouflage that time and tribulation can add to their look takes a long time. I look back and there were a lot of them that got away!
YMMV!
~Richard