Thread: Japanese Natural $$$

Proshophokuto sells stones from other mines as well. Can I presume the other stones are as reliably sourced?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Also remember in Japan there is a certain group who covet these stones not for their abilities but just to collect. My understanding is they value them according to color and inclusions and patterns and the locations they come from and the prices can get really astronomical.

tbs is spot on. I've listened to So wax lyrical about various stones he showed me & it was like studying the surface of a Nihonto. They do collect for aesthetic reasons but the one Hatanaka stone (a Suita) that I borrowed for a short time was pretty amazing in function.
Very fast & very fine. I normally use a Suita after 8k but the Hatanaka stone made the 4-8K range redundant ... but my call was not to spend the money. I've got more time than money

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I imagine there has to come a limit at some point. Just the basic properties of the steel and temper if nothing else. I find it difficult to believe a more expensive stone could make a marked improvement over what I already get off the asagi.

It just must be a matter of size and rarity with these multi-thousand dollar stones.

James.

As Alex mentioned the really expensive ones are just consistently uniform and you know that after 1/2" into the stone you are still getting the same quality grit. Cheap stones, cheap by the standards of Nakayama, would have some "impurity" not uniform color, or not exactly the true color etc.
My Asagi just because was not the true color(just slightly darker) cost me 500 bucks, and according to So it would have been 2k+ if it was not for the color.
Another consideration is the stone performance. I learned in my talks with So, that Asagi are very scratchy and therefore not all Asagi are good for razors, only the ones with finest and least scratchy grain. Kiita is even more expensive because its not as abundant as Asagi, since the layer was depleted before the Asagi layer. Kiita also is not really suitable for razors unless there is a very hard stone which is rare and brings the price even higher. Kiita in general is for tools and knives because they are not generally hard, not as hard as Asagi at least.

Drop me on the phillistine side of the fence here. This just seems nuckin futz to me. For that kind of cash I should be able to pay for genuine Japanese girls to shave me.

Originally Posted by mainaman

...
My Asagi just because was not the true color(just slightly darker) cost me 500 bucks, and according to So it would have been 2k+ if it was not for the color.
....

lol! That is exactly what So told me about mine also! At least, that it would have been a more expensive stone otherwise.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

lol! That is exactly what So told me about mine also! At least, that it would have been a more expensive stone otherwise.

James.

I don't mind a stone that is not of "pure" color, it works just fine for me.
I bet one has to try quite a few of those to actually pick up any difference, in the edge.

Originally Posted by mainaman

I don't mind a stone that is not of "pure" color, it works just fine for me.
I bet one has to try quite a few of those to actually pick up any difference, in the edge.

Oh definitely! I have absolutely no complaints either, and I think the colour is wonderful even if it is not "pure".

I agree also with the idea of needing to try a few to pick up differences. Problem is the price makes doing so reasonably prohibitive. So I have adopted a rather simple strategy - I just say that my stone gives the best edge possible for my needs, and do not admit arguments to the contrary!

(I do have a few actually, but the Asagi is the best of them as a finisher. Unfortunately I have been a victim of the "good on top, but crap 1mm down" suita, which is a bummer.)

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Unfortunately I have been a victim of the "good on top, but crap 1mm down" suita, which is a bummer.)

Jimbo, Did you get a layer of pits or sand inclusions ? Obvious question but have you tried lapping another 1mm past the crap layer ?

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Jimbo, Did you get a layer of pits or sand inclusions ? Obvious question but have you tried lapping another 1mm past the crap layer ?

Oz mate, I have tried lapping mms and mms, even took it to cement to try to get past it. It has the toxic su or whatever So calls it. It is a very hard stone, and lapping it is quite difficult and time consuming. I have not given up hope on it yet, as So tells me it could be a very good stone if I can get past those layers. But I have to admit since I got the Asagi I have not really tried more lapping.

James.

Mate , maybe an angle grinder might be the go. Just kidding but surface grinding something that hard would be pretty frustrating to do by hand. Don't blame you giving it the flick.
Just thinking out loud, I wonder if a headstone maker at a cemetery would have machinery to do that. They polish marble & granite after all.
Sounds like you're set with the Asagi tho.