Holy Crap! Local Stones!

**JimR** · 12-01-2009, 04:28 AM

So I was sitting here at work, killing time and browsing about stones here in Japan, and I found...A LOCAL HONE MINE!
There's apparently a mountain that provided hones in a city called Iwakuni, about an hour from here. I found a blog showing pictures and evaluating a stone he PICKED UP there!

Check pictures here:
Yahoo!¥Ö¥í¥° - Æ»³Ú
and
´ä¹ñ¤ÎÅÖÀÐ»³¡¡¡¡Â¶¤ÎÆõ - Âç¹©¤ËÀ®¤Ã¤ÆÎÉ¤«¤Ã¤¿ - Yahoo!¥Ö¥í¥°

It's apparently a finisher, but who knows...

Holy crap is this exciting!!!

**richmondesi** · 12-01-2009, 04:34 AM

That is exciting. ~subscribes~

I'm going to be watching this develop with interest. Congrats on the find!

**JimmyHAD** · 12-01-2009, 04:41 AM

I have a premonition that Jim and his lady will be going on a day trip ASAP with some pick axes and shovels on board.

**IanS** · 12-01-2009, 04:47 AM

Yes, yes, do that.

There's several mines near my folks, but all they mine is various minerals, gravel, sandstone, and brownstone.

**McWolf1969** · 12-01-2009, 04:52 AM

Oof! "Exciting," is an understatement!
Congrats Jim and i do hope ya keep us posted.

Mac

**JimR** · 12-01-2009, 06:30 AM

Oh wow, this just keeps getting cooler. Apparently, there is an old hone shop which is run by a former miner from that mountain, and he has some of the stones that he mined back in the day...the writer of that blog sat around and talked about it for an hour, learning about the mining process, how to recognize gfood hones and the like.

I am SO GOING.

**SiRed8** · 12-01-2009, 11:29 AM

That's awesome Jim! Next thing you know you'll be posting more hones next to the naguras on your page!

**joke1176** · 12-01-2009, 12:39 PM

Wow, that could turn into a HUGE time-eater... and a worthwhile one at that.

It would be really satisfying to dig out, lap and use a hone all by yourself.

Put me on the list for a nice Karasu or Momiji stone please!

**JimR** · 12-01-2009, 01:56 PM

Thnaks for the encouragement, guys! The wife is already resigned to her fate.

Well , things are progressing nicely! I've gotten in touch with the blog writer, he's apparently a housebuilder/carpenter in Iwakuni, where the mine is. He seems really friendly...perhaps a guide?

He uses a full range of local stones for his planes and such, apparently, from rough to fine. There is even an aoto mine around here, he says!

Also, from that same blog, I have met a total honing-geek. He has his own blog all about honing kamisori, knives, axes, anything with an edge. I am taking notes...but according to him, the Iwakuni hones might be a little soft and rough for kamisori; they are finishers, though, above 10K. Just not in that special Japanese natural range of 30K or so. However, softer stones might be fine for razors, as you use less pressure than kamisori, right?

This is one HECK of an awesome rabbit hole! And I shall keep on down.

**hoglahoo** · 12-01-2009, 03:27 PM

Congrats, Jim!

You must be a pretty happy cat. Or a pretty, happy cat

I hope the mine turns out to yield some nice razor hones

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