Thread: Japanese wonder

3. The sign says "Large Hone (Paulownia Box Included). (something something) mine. Completely free from irregularities and impurities, very rare, unique item."

lucky... in the old days we didn't get a box for that kind of money...

very impressed with the stone, would be even more impressed with the person that could walk into that market and drop over 4mil yen on a rock...

Jim
Excellent synopsis. The stone shown at this price looks like a shiro suita Nakayama with the hazy cloud like patterns and very fine tight inclusions. These Grade 24 size stones are rare themselves and the earlier mined stones possessed high cutting strength. The deep shiro suita stratra has super hard crystalized grit and are very difficult to use for the average shapener as they are scratchy. The grade 24 stones are reserved for professional sharpeners, mostly unique crafts people like tea house builders and collectors. The sides are coated in authentic urushi. Sticking a blade requires a perfectly flat bevel as well as the stone and a fairly gummy slurry. Super thin translucent shavings with a japanese plane require a perfectly flat bevel that is as sharp as a razor. I am convinced that you could hone a razor on this stone. There are craftspeople in Japan who will own these type stones, sometimes they are given to them as honorarium or bought as an expected lifetime tool expenditure (in this case most likely at a discounted rate if the carpenter is famous). Large generous gifts move through japanese society. alx