Thread: Shoubudani Hones?

I wonder if anyone has any experience with Shoubudani Stones. Like Nakayama stones these were patronised by the Imperial Households, and like Nakayama they are the only stones which are true Hon-yama, yet I've never found much information on them. They share a similiar pedigree to Nakayama Hones but aren't as popular, is there any particular reason for this?

Regards,
Alex

I have never heard of such hone. Would be interesting to get one and compare to nakayama.

So has 2 on his site.

let me check it out.

I have a greenish colored shobu stone from shallow layer. It is on the soft side. Cuts a black slurry. It is high grit. I have not used it for some time, so I won't say how fine it is exactly but its pretty high

I use it as a polishing stone rather than sharpening. I don't mean polish as a final step for sharpening but making shiny

It's really a weird stone

Maybe So himself can widen our horizons. Ill email him, just hope he responds soon.

I have a Shoubudani Suita which is a fast cutter/polisher. It takes out 8k scratches & I use it as a precursor to my Asagi.
I don't know about their lack of popularity but I know they can be super expensive. I have one on loan atm that is a chunk broken off a 200,000 yen stone.

So, just out of academic interest, how does a chunk of a 200000 JPY Shouboudani stone perform?

Regards,
Alex

Verrry Nicely Basically it is the mythical fast cutting polisher. Not quite Asagi smooth but much faster cutting action.
This one needs to be lapped & chamfered but I found a small area I could use on a shortened razor.
Kicked up a slurry with my Atoma 1200 diamond plate & about 20 passes later completely polished out all the scratches from Coticule down to 4k. Under my loupe, all I could see was a smooth surface that showed some 1k scratches that I had missed removing with the 4k. 1st shave test was rushed & straight off the stone. Just slapped some soap on my face, no brush no beard prep. Edge was a bit unforgiving but smoothed out after a few passes on the Asagi & then some stropping. Hope to buy this one if I can afford it.
Actually, I'm not sure if this Suita is from the Shoubudani mine. I'll have to ask So when he gets back.

Who is So, and what is this site you speak of? lol