Thread: Nagura types?

I have 4 nagura stones pictured here. I hope I at least got the characters in the right order (not upside down) . Can you help me identify what these stones might be in terms of nagura? Do the differences in the characters on each stone help identify type of stone or would all of these be general purpose nagura? Thanks.

Check here as JimR gives a description of the nagura and identifies them:

Japanese hones: a traditional approach - home of the famous Belgian Coticule Whetstone

Thanks! You made that easy for me.

1 - Tenjio Superior selected grade
2- Botan Superior selected grade
3- Tenjio Superior selected grade
4- Mejiro Superior selected grade

Originally Posted by mainaman

1 - Tenjio Superior selected grade
2- Botan Superior selected grade
3- Tenjio Superior selected grade
4- Mejiro Superior selected grade

Remember that these 'grades' are not a designation of quality, they only denote the shape and colour of the nagura stone. The 別上 (betsujou) means only that the stone is a predominantly white colour (vs. striped) and in not a uniform square shape (which would be betsu dai jou or 別大上). The striped ones are all 特級 and 特級上 (tokkyu and tokkyujou respectively) which are the non white ones, or the so called striped ones which are of the same quality, but are less common.



I would like to ask others here about their Botan naguras. The botan is always in katakana i.e. ボタン but I have one that is labeled 八重ボタン or 'yae-botan'. Do any of you have one like this? Mine is all pocked like a suita but is no more absorbant than a regular one. If you do let me know if it has this similar look. Thanks.

Originally Posted by ZethLent

Remember that these 'grades' are not a designation of quality, they only denote the shape and colour of the nagura stone. The 別上 (betsujou) means only that the stone is a predominantly white colour (vs. striped) and in not a uniform square shape (which would be betu dai jou or 別大上). The striped ones are all 特級 and 特級上 (tokkyu and tokkyujou respectively) which are the non white ones, or the so called striped ones which are of the same quality, but are less common.



I would like to ask others here about their Botan naguras. The botan is always in katakana i.e. ボタン but I have one that is labeled 八重ボタン or 'yae-botan'. Do any of you have one like this? Mine is all pocked like a suita but is no more absorbant than a regular one. If you do let me know if it has this similar look. Thanks.

Seth,
I have seen one of those something like 580g , ~150x50x15 mm or so.

Yes so have I. The ones I have seen have all been like that. From Iwasaki's nagura info, the yae-botan is a different layer than the botan, both layers just below the koma layer. I was wondering if the distinction was in the 'su' that make up the one I have.

Does dis mean I has to upgrade nagura's from the old standard plain generic Japanese Woodworkers one that I bought for $20 and have been using for years??? Dang and just after I get done testing it on all my natural stones OK OK OK......sign me up.

Thanks,

Lynn

Originally Posted by ZethLent

Yes so have I. The ones I have seen have all been like that. From Iwasaki's nagura info, the yae-botan is a different layer than the botan, both layers just below the koma layer. I was wondering if the distinction was in the 'su' that make up the one I have.

From what I understand, Yaebotan have more inclusions than the botan but are of similar coarseness/speed.

Seth, you can see some more information on Teshiba-san's Mandaraya page (Japanese Links): Â�ƒŽO‰Ã�â€�’–¼‘q“uÂ�ÃŽÂ�Aâ€�ªÂ�dÆ’{Æ ’^ƒ“

And: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/mandaraya/nagura-youto.htm

Just to resurrect an old thread for my own clarification: the grades are purely aesthetic designations? All three of my lower nagura are (別上) though the Mejiro is noticeably more gray and patterned. However my Koma is stamped (特級) is striped with orange has a different smell entirely.