Thread: HELP!!! Please help verify if stone is Karasu

Maplelite - I think all the hones are likely to need lapping. If you are considering returning it, I wouldn't do anything to the hone until you settle with the seller. If you lap it, it is yours.

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Karasu from the Nakayama quarry is actually high priced because of it's rarity. Karasu is said to come from the deepest parts of the mountain. Though with the more figuring in Karasu, the more the price goes up, same with size.

This is not what I had been thinking. On So's write up on Naori layers he says:

There are total of 80 stratum in this naori, and the detail is as below.
Aka-pin
Tenjyou suita (uchigumori, nagagumori, sotogumori, shiro) x4
Hachimai x8
Senmai x2
Tomae x48
Aisa x4 (Karasu is sometimes found in this strata)
Namito x8
Hon suita x6
Shiro suita x2

these are listed from deepest to shallowest in the Hon-Kuchi Naori.

One of the complaints he (So) voiced to me is that Karasu are often too soft and sometimes too scratchy for razors. The Karasu I have has some "su" so I am guessing it is from the transition from Honsuita to Namito. Honing on it has a soft buttery feel unlike the Nakayama I have from you (which feels hard). My Karasu is from Ozuku. I am using it for medium finish before my Nakayama. I have been told that Karasu are faster cutters. The one I have seems to go along with that.