Thread: Nakayama Maruka

Originally Posted by Vasilis

Once upon a time (like, until two years ago [emoji14] ) I was thinking the same way, and had 50 different types of stones with the most expensive at 100 euro. Then, I started selling them. I sold many, and with the money I made selling them, bought few. Then I realized that, pretty much, you get what you pay for. Each and every one of those 50 stones didn't hold a candle in front of a good Jnat (some did, but they were rare pieces of rare stones). Or a white TOS I had and still miss, it was one of a kind. Or a quality Charnley, Thuri, WOA. There were a few nice in these 50, but the expensive ones are better than the cheaper ones. And now I have 5-6 stones that I love, regularly use and are expensive.
And another lesson, there is also the matter of the seller. If he has 50 Thuringians or coticules, common sense says, he'll sell his worst pieces first and his best last.

I guess I've been lucky... and I had the time to explore and make the cheap stones do what I needed them to do. [emoji6] All the stones I've tried so far have provided exactly as advertised and more. Even the softer jnats, as long as their grain is fine, can deliver a shave-ready edge. The issue I find important is the speed at which a stone achieves the result. That's a strong and valid selling point, next to the grade of the stone. Personally, I don't really care for the looks that much and boy, do I hate the marketing game around some of these.

Anyway, in the $300-$500 price range, one can surely find an awesome stone to finish a razor. Why pay a thousand, or more? Is the edge really that different? I have no idea, one day I will meet you in person and you'll show me, OK? [emoji6] Then I'll start selling all the stones I have and MAYBE I'll put together enough money for a really special stone.

Still, until that day, if the razor shaves flawlessly, then the stone is good enough for me. I agree some stones are harder to finish on then the others, which is also a valid selling point. This especially plays an important role for the people who, unlike me, you I guess and a bunch of others, don't want/have the time, to explore and play with a bunch rock to figure out what it can and cannot do. That's where "you (hopefully) get what you paid for" comes into play once again. This time it's not so much about the rock itself, but the time, effort, sometimes the nerves, etc...

You're kind of right ...

Most people when they begin the JNat journey are under the impression that quality drives price. It does, but apparently not as much as size, regularity, and color.

I have $70-$90 stones that perform as well as anything as far as the edge goes. But they are for the most part, small, irregular, thin, and not a desirable color. If these stones were 205x75x25mm, a perfect rectangle, and a desirable kiita yellow, they'd be $2,000 and up. That's just how the pricing goes.

All of the Nakayama and most of the other mines are closed and what we're all buying is warehoused stock that's becoming increasingly picked over. So small, irregular, and ugly stones are atill somewhat common and reasonably priced even if the quality is top notch. Likewise, large, good and regular stones are increasingly rare and desirable.

It is fun to hone a razor on a large, beautiful and regular JNat that feels like honing on velvet or greased ice and puts a wonderful feeling edge on the razor. I'll pay for that, but you don't really have to.

One thing that's rarely mentioned is that the Japanese will pay more for fine stones than westerners will. We rarely see a stone over $2k in English-speaking markets, but large fine suitas and razor/tool finishers are pretty common at $4-6k in Japanese markets, and a large fine piece of uchigumori for sword polishing, I think the sky is the limit.

These hones are the tools of journeymen craftsmen in Japan, and the best stones will bring as much as the best bandsaw or tablesaw, drill press here.

However you decide to do it, there's a good JNat for you at almost any price point, the only question is what you sacrifice, and what you give up may or may not be important to you.

Cheers, Steve

I somewhat agree, after all it is quite akin to getting from point A to Point B, you can get there driving a 10K vehicle as well as one in tens of thousands. Understand that pricing is relative however I feel that the features that drives the price is after all a part of quality.

Just generalising here:
The best acting stone should not cost more than $1k approx. Hiigher cost will be aesthetics weight ,size etc.
A razor stone will also help keep the price down. ie roughly 5"x3". In that size about $500 will get you a top stone, even a pretty one.

Originally Posted by Steve56

You're kind of right ...
It is fun to hone a razor on a large, beautiful and regular JNat that feels like honing on velvet or greased ice and puts a wonderful feeling edge on the razor. I'll pay for that, but you don't really have to.

Thanks for that sentence Steve, these words describe it the best also in my mind...

...its nice to have such a stone, its great to work on it and the feeling is, (i can guess) awesome! If you want to own it and you have the money, you should have it. You should enjoy it and be the lucky one owning such a stone.......but its not needed....