Thread: Help with the Japanese stamps, please

Originally Posted by onimaru55

The stone looks yellow like Kiita on my monitor. I've only seen blue/grey Asagi.

Yeah. If you look at the top right corner, it looks like the typical light blue/gray. I think the gold color is the "Yake" color variation of Asagi. The sides are probably blue/gray.

Originally Posted by JimR

Yeah. If you look at the top right corner, it looks like the typical light blue/gray. I think the gold color is the "Yake" color variation of Asagi. The sides are probably blue/gray.

Jim have you conifrmed that with any of the whole sellers? I have seen a few asagi with yake, but is not pronounced yellow at all, it is visible only when the stone is wet.

My Asagi has pronounced yake even when dry but it is obviously blue grey.
I guess there can be an overlap in colour. I have seen a Habutae/Asgi.

Hmmm, My Asagi, I have several, all different colors, One is a Nakayama Maruichi Asagi with the Maruka stamp as well, it's more of light brown color, I can post pics later when I'm more awake...Definitely not blue gray, like an Escher. I have seen Asagi like that, but they do come in other colors...
The two that I speak of are from Old School, so, I'm convinced of their quality and authenticity.

I really did throw a curve....the colors are off in the pictures....cell camera photo under incadescant bulb. The true color is predominantly a pale blue, blue/green; yes there are some yellowish/orange tint in sections. The middle photo is closer to nekid eye, but even that is off enough. Maybe I can add a photo shot under real light to put up.

And thank you all for shedding "light' on the subject.

By the way, everything I've read says this stone will not be so cooperative in the hands of a novice. I am 2 years into honing, so maybe I am beyond novice and now a beginner! I am indeed getting better results on this stone. Was initially afraid to make slurry with the small slurry stone that came with this (same stone as the larger piece to my eye). Now doing so....it adds a valuable element and versitality to this piece, IMHO.

So, is flattening this ok? The stamps are so lovely.... Thoughts?

Here's a pic of my two from Old School. I hope you can see the colors in the photo, it doesn't really do them justice. They really don't look blue gray in person..
The larger one is a Nakayama Maruichi Asagi, It's been lapped, I have pics of the Kanji, the other is in tact, and has a Maruka stamp on the small side away from the camera. That is a vein on the larger one, but it does not effect honing...
Enjoy.

BTW, OP If you lapp it (flatten it) just take pics like I said earlier to have a record of the Kanji, should you decide to sell it.

Very nice stones! I am guessing OLD_SCHOOL used to mount all of his stones on the wooden base for his customers himself?

He never mentioned it, but it must have been him or his source. I put little rubber feet on the bottom of the wood for stability...

Originally Posted by zib

BTW, OP If you lapp it (flatten it) just take pics like I said earlier to have a record of the Kanji, should you decide to sell it.

+1... The stamps are worth recording with a pic & that's all they're worth
They won't help you hone razors

PS Nice rocks Zib !.