Maruichi "Maruka" (Nakayama Asagi)

Over a month ago I ended up buying this stone from So. THAT was an experience in itself, he is amazing. I have held off posting because of the pictures that were needed. I had a horrible time taking photos of this thing. It is an Asagi and should be pretty grey but it is really a grey,greenish blue, if that makes sense. My grey card would not fix the problems that I had getting good color balanced pics. The resulting pictures don't come close to relaying how beautiful this stone is.

Stats.
1485 grams
200mmX 70mm x 40mm thick
It is very hard, dense and very smooth despite the lines that run deep into the stone. It is speckled with black specks.
The cutting speed is really quite amazing because it will bring out a steel slurry quickly with no visible slurry from the stone when using just water. Using this stone gives me the best edges that I have ever had with almost no effort. It is almost like I can do no wrong with it, like it has a mind of it's own!

The color is gray with an emerald blue green tint depending on how the light hits it. Very hard to describe really.
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Here is the Maruka stamp. So said it means nothing if the stone is not meant for a razor. I don't understand it all.

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Finally the side

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and bottom.
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Another reason that it has taken a while to post pics is that I wanted to use and learn it a little before posting...who knows I could have sent it back!;)

Well anyway I use my Naguras on a medium fine Okura stone that I have and save the final finishing for this stone. I only have 6 razors so it is tough to get enough time on it. It is very hard yet when I put the steel to it, with its own slurry, it is oily smooth. I have found that there are a couple of different edged that I get from it. Stop at light slurry and get a very forgiving smooth edge or I can go to just water that has a very smooth feel to it yet is very responsive. It cuts very fast and it gives a very finely polished bevel that has a diamond bright reflection. The resulting edge is very smooth and one would think that it is not very keen at all but alas I will get a weeper once in a while that will remind me just how keen the edge is.

For me it has always been about the shave and I tend to buy good gear and stick with that and this stone does "good enough" that I am pretty much done with HAD. The price for me was a lot but I knew by talking to So and his father that it was the stone that I have been looking for. His father gave this stone top reviews and after working with So for a while, and the rep he has on this and other forums, it was not a very hard sell.

Thought it was worth a post. I think it is a keeper!

Take Care,
Richard

Great stone.
So is an entity unto himself. It is flat out weird "talking" with a guy who you know to be Japanese yet comes across so Australian! Well, anyway, it was odd for me. It takes a long time to get through to him but the wait is worth it. He is a very nice guy and is extremely helpful. I'm glad he's making ridiculous amounts of money off of us buying his rocks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Utopian

......I'm glad he's making ridiculous amounts of money off of us buying his rocks!

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He is worth every penny and his depth of knowledge is impressive. There is also the part that when you buy from him you are getting a stone for a bargain no matter what class stone you get from him.
Thanks,
Richard

Nice stone, glad you like it! :)

I've not yet had the pleasure of talking to So, but I'm sure I will when the next bout of HAD hits.

I love my J-Nat, they really do put great edges on a razor. Its almost like they were put there by God just to ensure that we lucky straight razor users could experience the wonder of a J-Nat edge and laugh at all the M3 users.

My panties are now in a wad over a jnat, having experienced the edge he put on that breathtaking williams blade.

First experience was that it didn't seem that sharp. I didn't check hht (I pay less attention to that now), but after a post shave strop it did fine there. In our discussion, I mentioned preferring smooth to ultimate sharpness. It came with smoothness that I've not ever experienced before. That's what's got me jones'n. The edge on that blade is such that you really have to work at it to get it to nick or cut, yet 14 hr shaves come easily. A single wtg pass w/ some touch up work, gives 90% smooth. I wanted a friend to experience what a str8 could do. 'Showed how to hold, angle, no pressure, and to only go from sideburn to jawline & finish up w/ a DE, which he now uses. At the point he cleared the first 1.5" of lather off, the phone rings. When I got back, he'd finished both sides of face & neck. One weeper below the chin, which he said was done by the DE. He'd never held a str8 before. That edge is amazing.

I'm bummed by the wait for So, but it does sound like he's the right guy to deal with.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Richard!!!!!!!!

That is a specimen. Best of luck. I already know how you feel about it, but the picture is impressive and I am sure in real life, it has to be So-san amazing!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

:beer1:

That stone is amazing! And it should last you several hundred lifetimes!
Seriously, when I get the funds for another one, I'm talking to So. I'm actually eventually looking for a stone like what you've got (faster cutter & works on both slurry & water--mine works best on only slurry & is verrrrry slow).

Maruka was just the name of the (I think) family that owned the mine during a certain period. As you've seen, the biggest thing is who you buy from. Again, gorgeous rock!!!

Congrats Richard . Awesome hunk of rock. Fast & fine is what it's all about.
So is just the best to deal with. You always get more than you bargained for :D

Congratulations, she's a beauty, So is an individual that exhibits honor and integrity dealing with others, customers will beat a path to his door.
MIke:)

I really feel fortunate belonging to this forum. There have been awesome people that have helped me with my J-Nat quests. One has been Seth (Zethlent) and he really helped me get a very good stone that I use with all my Naguras' up to the final polishing. So has an awesome customer service thing going where he probes your abilities and your desires and then lays out the stones that he thinks you might like. He builds your trust and has unbelievable access to many different stones which makes him unique in many ways. This is not usually not good for the pocketbook but that is a different story! :D

The real problem here is that I only have 6 razors to hone and they are all in top notch form so she sits idle for a lot of the time. This could lead to a resurgence of razor purchases.....not good!:rofl2:


Thanks,
Richard

That is a beautiful stone Richard...congratulations on the acquisition. Enjoy it :tu

It's amazing how a piece of rock can get a bunch of guys' blood pumping :D.