Thread: Need help IDing a J-nat stone

Is that the same as this stone Ohira Tomae High Quality

Ohira & Narutaki are 2 different mines & stamps look different to me..

I didn't think it would be, I was just looking at the red stamp and the color lol all the writing is just symbols to me lol

It would be cool to be able to read Japanese!

What is the red stamp for, I see it quite often?

Originally Posted by Oldengaerde

It's a Narutaki.

The top line on the label reads 鳴瀧 (naru-taki) 礦 (mine) 山 (mountain) 産出 (product). It further has 品質 (hin-shitsu, product quality) 優良 (yuu-ryou, excellent), 正本山 (shou-hon-yama), 砥石 (toi-shi, whetstone) and 京都特産 (Kyou-to toku-san, Kyoto special product).

The lower stamp reads 最上級 (sai-jou-kyuu, highest grade).

One thing to consider Narutaki is a common denomination or stones coming from the region when the actual mine of origin is not known.
That really does not mater when the stone does the job it was purchased for
That kind of label is very common by the way and applied to a variety of stones from the region.
I 'd say the price is so cheap precisely because it is of unknown origin.

Well, those stones were not always that cheap. They've been taking up space in that shop's warehouse for over 12 years from what I can gather from talking to them. I believe they are now at a stage where they just want to get rid of them.

However, what you say is quite possibly and probably in all likelihood true of these stones - when the owner went to Japan and bought them I doubt he would have known much about the provenance associated with Jnats and how important it can be.

James.

Well they just have them all jumbled up on display, so you take your chances on the quality of each stone.

Talking to the guys at Wynnum they basically said what Jimbo said. They're trying to get them out the door.

I think to get them sorted properly they'd have to get am expert in to go through all the stones and tell them which was good and which was bad, and it just isn't worth their time and effort to do that.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well, those stones were not always that cheap. They've been taking up space in that shop's warehouse for over 12 years from what I can gather from talking to them. I believe they are now at a stage where they just want to get rid of them.

However, what you say is quite possibly and probably in all likelihood true of these stones - when the owner went to Japan and bought them I doubt he would have known much about the provenance associated with Jnats and how important it can be.

James.

Jimbo take a look at this one
it is listed as Oohira, but same label as the stone the OP has



I have seen Oozuko with the same label.
All that apart, if the stone works for it's intended purposes , it does not matter which mine it comes from.

It is label of Imanishi stones company, I think the kanji on the stone tell Narutaki region and not mine it self. It is unknown origin. But still stone is very cheap and super nice skore !!
Very clean and uniform to that price its really a good deal !!

@ Pauly what was the condition of the other stones?

I just called and got the last one! They sold over night! They are sending it to me in WA sight unseen.. So i hope that they were ok

But like you said, for $49 (+ postage for me) if it good its a plus and if not it wasn't an expensive stone and can still be used for knives or a pre polisher etc

All the stones were in good condition.

Mine needed lapping, so there will be a good chance yours will too. But since you have a lapping plate and silica carbide that won't be a big job.

None had chips or cracks on the surface and most had boxes although I go the distinct impression that many of the stones had been picked up and put down randomly over the years so no guarantee that the box and the stone will match.

Last week there were 8 or 9 left so I can't see how there's only one left now - but there was one left on the 'run out' bin at the front of the store and that one was a smooth and fine one.