Thread: Jnat Stone PassAround, Uchigumori hand held stone

I have a very modest sized piece of uchigumori that is just inspiring and the beauty of the stone drives me to share it with others. Not a large stone so it will fit into a Small Flat Rate Priority Box so the shipping is $7 one way. If anyone would like to partake I am happy to provide. It can be uses with slurry or not, a diamond plate slurry or the tomo that is included. I found that it will hone almost any steel and will tackle a razor with a 2k to 4k pre-finish leaving the razor keen and beautiful with a kasumi finish. I have never done this before so some guidance would be appreciated.

best wishes,
Alex

First, let me say I would like to try your stone.

A few things to think about, would you be comfortable opening that passaround to non CONUS participants?
Would some of the participants be willing to absorb the additional cost to ship overseas?
What would be the suggested time frame to keep the stone moving but allow each person to evaluate it?

Alex,
That's a generous offer. So a big THANKS.

joamo brings up some good points.

I'd suggest a sign up list, maybe even limit it to a number your comfortable with...when you get to the end of the list it's your call to get another list going or end it.

Lay it out at the beginning that the person in possession is responsible for shipping it to the next person Even lay out contact guidance like email the next person and confirm address and that they're ready to receive it (not on vacation, etc) and the person receiving acknowledges receipt.

Guidance on how you expect it shipped (bubble wrap, tracking #, etc)

You might need to think about if you want people to take insurance out when they ship it to guard against loss or damage; and put the value you expect back if someone (heaven forbid) breaks it.

With all that said...I'm game to jump in on your offer.

Again, very generous offer Alex!
Jer

do love my Uchigomoru Suita also
& find it is a great work house & can easily fill the gap using self slurry to clean water from the 1k bevel set to my Nakayama finisher with out a problem

Hey Alex,

VERY COOL.
So what was your final evaluation on the smoothness of the edge?

You know I am in. Haven't heard back from you on our discussion about this topic.

Enjoy,
Tom

Alex,
That's a generous offer. So a big THANKS.

joamo brings up some good points.

I'd suggest a sign up list, maybe even limit it to a number your comfortable with...when you get to the end of the list it's your call to get another list going or end it.

Lay it out at the beginning that the person in possession is responsible for shipping it to the next person Even lay out contact guidance like email the next person and confirm address and that they're ready to receive it (not on vacation, etc) and the person receiving acknowledges receipt.

Guidance on how you expect it shipped (bubble wrap, tracking #, etc)

You might need to think about if you want people to take insurance out when they ship it to guard against loss or damage; and put the value you expect back if someone (heaven forbid) breaks it.

With all that said...I'm game to jump in on your offer.

Again, very generous offer Alex!
Jer




Jer & Joamo

Thank you for your helpful posts. I have printed out your suggestions and am reading them right now.

First, I see no reason the stone could not travel to Europe and once there beyond the first stop from country to country. It would be time consuming to ferry it back and forth across the Atlantic, so within the USA to begin and then to Europe and within. This is an insignificant looking stone as far as looks go to the average Customs House inspector so I think it would move smoothly across boarders. Once there the shipping might be similar as it will be between states here in the US by Priority Mail at about $7.00 USD. If a person had the stone for a week that should be fine but if someone would chime in here with suggestions I am all ears.

The sign up list could follow you two fellows, I will keep track if that is appropriate, being new to this I do not want to break any protocol. If the stone was able to travel to 10 or 15 fellows/gals stateside, and then to Europe for the same. Does that sound reasonable?

Seems sensible among this fine group that the Pay To Forward It is the logical manner to pass it on.
E-mailing the next person from the holder of the stone should not be that much trouble for myself If I keep track, forwarding the e-mails along the way to make sure everyone is at home and expecting the stone.
I will facilitate this as long as everyone understands that I am a spaced out retired hippy, if you know what I mean. You got to cut me some slack every blue moon.

Shipping a compact stone like this in a re-usable cardboard sleeve within a small box is not difficult. Bubble wrap I do not like. A twice around cardboard wrap sleeve is like a second skin. Tracking is easy in the US. and should be overseas too.

I personally do not like to insure my stones, hippy logic again figures in here. Let it fly as free as possible. Lost, damaged or broken would be a first for me. No fret. If the stone gets shared by 10 or more I will be amazed considering the prospects.

If anyone else has done this please feel free to interject.

Alex

Originally Posted by rideon66

Hey Alex,

VERY COOL.
So what was your final evaluation on the smoothness of the edge?

You know I am in. Haven't heard back from you on our discussion about this topic.

Enjoy,
Tom

Tom
You are cool, and in. I'll tell you, I shaved off this stone today and it was effortless. I raised a slurry with a harder tomonagura so the slurry was about 80+% from the uchigumori, I did a combination of circles and X strokes and edge on strokes and the slurry darkened so quickly. The stone also has a earthy smell in the slurry. Being a single pass guy (self employed) the shave was very close with no irritation of any kind. You could easily go ATG, no problem.

Alex

Alex:
First I would like to say thanks for such a great pass-around.
I have (just a few) Nat's but have never tried any Uchi so I would love to be considered.

Thanks
Frank

I got more than enough stones to play with so I'm not looking to get into this but,
As far as time with the stone, IF it was sent to me or to others that are NOT retired, 2 weeks might be better. Just thinking of us folks that only get time to play with rocks on the weekend. A couple weekends with it might be more productive.

It's a fine thing your doing and I hope it all goes well. Even if you are an old Hippy. I won't hold it against ya. Ha.

Alex, when I did several pass arounds of some of my "found" stones I used some fitted closed cell foam cut like a wooden box to fit the stones. The outside of the foam "box" was sized to snugly fit inside a USPS small flat rate box. This worked great and none of the stones got damaged in the slightest. Might be worth trying that method.