Thread: J-Nat club

I can tell you from experience that matching tomo to base stone in NOT easy. I had 8 tomos for my stones(8×40$=320$) and I really only liked one(velvety smooth), you can make due but not ideal.
I purchased a Hatatoshi and made up my mind to take it to Alex Gilmore and all I can say is WOW! He knows what he is doing and has a vast collection to try and figure out which is best. If you can take it to him I would highly recommend as you get to see him at work(total pro). The second best is to send your base stone to him so he can match it up. Third would be to describe it to him and he can pick one for you. It will save you money in the end and you will have a perfectly matched Tomo for your stone. It can make your stone more versetile and speed it up. A eye opening experience for sure!

Same experience here. Was testing a stone and used 2 different hard, quality tomo. Razor was tugging. Rubbed a full stone that I was prepping to cut due to one inclusion and boom perfect shave. Went back to the first tomo and tugging again so it wasn't a fluke. All this while test shaving so me running back and forth lathering etc to keep as many variables as possible equal.
Once the tomo and base stone click the results are amazing.

Originally Posted by Toroblanco

I can tell you from experience that matching tomo to base stone in NOT easy. I had 8 tomos for my stones(8×40$=320$) and I really only liked one(velvety smooth), you can make due but not ideal.
I purchased a Hatatoshi and made up my mind to take it to Alex Gilmore and all I can say is WOW! He knows what he is doing and has a vast collection to try and figure out which is best. If you can take it to him I would highly recommend as you get to see him at work(total pro). The second best is to send your base stone to him so he can match it up. Third would be to describe it to him and he can pick one for you. It will save you money in the end and you will have a perfectly matched Tomo for your stone. It can make your stone more versetile and speed it up. A eye opening experience for sure!

Stone is from Alex, and the tested tomo that he paired with it works spectacular. I was thinking what if I lost it, and how To match a tomo to stone.

Nice! O.K. if you have a hard tomo I would ask him for a slightly softer grit rich tomo. With those two it can make honing a lot more productive and enjoyable.
But if you want to do it yourself I remember it first starts with how it sounds and feel assuming you are starting with a fine even grit piece to begin with.
It's complicated but easy once you know how. I think the hard part is having enough different kinds of "quality" tomos to try. Until you find the right one or two.

Hi all.

Can run a challenge "Japanese natural whetstone as a work of art"? or simple "Sharpening stone as a work of art"

Nakayama Karasu VS Vincent van Gogh



Shoubudani Karasu VS Mikhail Vrubel



Narutaki Asagi VS Grand Canyon

I have often bought stones at flea markets and swapmeets, for how they look, up until a few years ago I could buy Arks cheap ($1-5)) just for how they looked, pattern and color. Now for some reason, thank you SRP, arks are hot and cheap stones are harder to find.

I still buy cheap black oily stones, especially from the bottom of a toolbox and always if boxed, cleaning them is like unwrapping a Christmas present. If they are old and boxed, they are usually something special.

I am a sucker for Karasu though, they aren’t near Ark prices.

Nice stones, how do they cut?

Originally Posted by Euclid440

I still buy cheap black oily stones, especially from the bottom of a toolbox and always if boxed, cleaning them is like unwrapping a Christmas present. If they are old and boxed, they are usually something special.

I am a sucker for Karasu though, they aren’t near Ark prices.

Nice stones, how do they cut?

Unfortunately, works of art are expensive. Is always. And a beautiful stone too. I am not a fan Karasu, but I can not resist. I'm enjoying.

Cut well.

The next Karasu is less abrasive, but he is not Honyama.



Japanese stones are very gravitated to landscapes. Suitas and autumn and water / sky motives are especially good.

Oohira Renge Suita vs Sumi-e Style