The Aoto Thread

[hi_bud_gl]

I may miss it early just please post seller's name. it will help rest of us.

[Pyment]

I don't know which seller you are after but 330mate's ebay store is:

eBay Store - Japanese tools whetstone for sword: Top class, Yamawaku, Hi class

His website is 330mate.com

I am pretty pleased with my Aoto. It is not a bevel setter and I would like one in a wider format some day.

I also like my Ohira Tomae. I would like it bigger and am considering selling it because of that. OTOH, when I get better at honing I may appreciate the size occasionally. I have used it as a finisher for kitchen knives with success.

[mainaman]

my AOTO from 330mate is about the same as my 1k Chosera.
It will be good bevel setter for a nat stone progression only.
There are other sources where one can get a quality AOTO.

[Pyment]

Because mine just doesn't cut fast enough, I will settle for using it after my DMT 1200.

I will look at getting a natural bevel setter again in the future.

My next goal is to get a stone to follow the Aoto - a medium finisher. It turned out the Ohira Suita I was looking at was really a Okudo Renge Suita. This will lead to an immediate price increase (I am sure). I am waiting to hear how much. I had a budget in mind to get a new finisher and the medium stone. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up spending the whole amount on the medium finisher. It will be worth it, though.

[mainaman]

If I am not wrong stones from the Tomae strata should fit in the sub 10k range, which should fit the med finisher category.

[Pyment]

It does and works fine. I want something bigger (and more expensive).

[Garry]

I've been playing with my Aoto a bit more, so I have more to report. I've just taken 9 razors from my Norton 1k to the Aoto. Using a new method I've recently learned, I did 40 circles with a firm stroke per side, followed by 10 firm X stokes. I didn't use any slurry, and I kept adding water as it was pushed off/absorbed into the stone. The razors wer from various Sheffield and German makers.

All of the bevels are much, much more polished than before I started, and they are all cutting arm hair much easier; feels something like around a 4k range to my untrained senses. The hone only wore a little unevenly; I could barely feel it from the feedback. I've not checked for dishing, but I'd guess there must be a bit because a very light slurry did form. I think in the future, I'll do a quick refresh after every 4 or 5 blades, juts to keep things in tip top shape.

And now we come to what I really like about this hone - the feedback is awesome. You can really feel the edge start to bite into the hone as she becomes keen. It is very noticable and a great sign that you're ready to stop your circles and give a few X passes to even things up.

I'm really liking my Aoto; now I just need to figure out what to go to next. Tonight, I'm going to play with a synthetic nagura on my Dragon's Tongue followed by (maybe the coti and then) my Asagi.

eh . eh eh ... told you, you'd like the Aoto Dylan hehe . I just stumbled upon the thread .
As you know I've been singing the praises of my big blue brick ( with the lovely brown viens) for 2+yrs now . I don't think I've did as extensive testing as you did but your findings are what I have experienced when using it .....
Japan Woodworker have incereased it's price over 100% since i bought mine

Incidentaly I must have struck lucky with my little Amakusa, I know Olivia wasn't too impressed with hers but I have to say I love using my little version ( it's like a low grit coticule ,nice feedback , nice sound , nice slurry ) definatley hit and miss with them tho judging by the sound of them ..

Have fun with the Atoto

Cheers .. Garry

[Pyment]

An update on my Aoto experience.

I am liking mine and seem to have been lucky. The side I have flattened has no "toxic" inclusions and (from descriptions of others) it is harder than average. I would agree with the 3-4K estimate and that is where So estimates them to fall.

It has become the place in my progression where I go from synthetic to natural stone. I find that I can easily go from my Aoto to either my BBW, coticule with slurry, or my Ohira Tomae.

I have also noted that the bevel appearance moves from hazy to more mirror-like from this point on.

Prior to this stone I am using either my King 1000 or my Arashiyama 1000 then my Chosera 2K.

[mainaman]

An update on my Aoto experience.

I am liking mine and seem to have been lucky. The side I have flattened has no "toxic" inclusions and (from descriptions of others) it is harder than average. I would agree with the 3-4K estimate and that is where So estimates them to fall.

It has become the place in my progression where I go from synthetic to natural stone. I find that I can easily go from my Aoto to either my BBW, coticule with slurry, or my Ohira Tomae.

I have also noted that the bevel appearance moves from hazy to more mirror-like from this point on.

Prior to this stone I am using either my King 1000 or my Arashiyama 1000 then my Chosera 2K.

did you get yours from 330mate?
Is that Oohira tomae your finisher and how do you like it?

[Pyment]

did you get yours from 330mate?
Is that Oohira tomae your finisher and how do you like it?

The aoto came from 330mate.

The Ohira Tomae also came from him. It is a medium fine stone and not a finisher. It is the one he has listed as "JAPANESE sharpening stone #100 Ohira Green kumori sword" it is a size 100 so is about 150 by 55. I would like it to be bigger and maybe a little harder. It yields slurry easily. It is a good stone to fit between the Aoto and the finish stones.

I have been discussing an upgrade for that spot (the Tomae) with So.