Thread: first j nat /opinions please

onimaru55 is total right it is Ohira Karasu pretty soft ones probably from Tenjyou, more for tools stone because sometimes you can feel those lines on this stones with knives and with razors.

In any case a good looking stone. You will find that the Nakayama karasu have bolder distinct mottling, the blacks look blacker and the grays look grayer and more even in their coloration and the stand out in contrast against each other. Ohira mine is famous for their uchigumori, and if your stone is from that strata this would not be considered a choice piece of uchigumori for sword polishing but it could be perfect for razors depending, as Maxim said about the lines.

For sword polishing you are looking for very even gray stones with distinct layering lines. Here are photos of actual uchigumori at Ohira mine showing how the stone looks as found, and after being split into finger stones for sword polishing. The next step would be to sand them thinner and to shape the edges and to next glue handmade mulberry paper to the back using an adhesive made from persimmion juice. These small finished pieces sell for tens of dollars and up into the hundreds of dollars per piece depending on the qualiy of grit regarding cutting speed and finess.

Making up these small finger stones creates enormous waste, most of the stone breaks into small unusable pieces and this is all done by hand, following the natural stratification of the stone. Because of this you cannot cut them with a saw as a saw does not by nature follow the grain in a gentle way. A dull nomi or chisel is used to seperate the layers, sort of like spliting wood for kindling. Better to use a dull axe for spliting. Alx



TheJapanBlade

Originally Posted by thebigG

I will send him a message and see where he would use it ,he does say he used it with razors ,so i will see what he says.

I asked him the same question and this was his reply -
"This is a very fine "finisher" stone, but to complet razor adge
next step will be balsa wood with pasta and then Kanayama strop, thanks"
Hang on and enjoy the ride

Originally Posted by Havachat45

I asked him the same question and this was his reply -
"This is a very fine "finisher" stone, but to complet razor adge
next step will be balsa wood with pasta and then Kanayama strop, thanks"
Hang on and enjoy the ride

that pretty much means it is not a final finisher, it is a prepolisher.
This by no means implies the stone is not worth it though.
It is great to start leanrning on a softer stone and then get a hard finisher.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

According to the eBay listing it's not from Nakayama nor is it hard . It's from Hirayama & it's a medium soft uchigumori stone with Karasu colouring. I'm not sure but I think the listing implies it's a prepolisher to be followed up with a harder finisher. You should contact the seller on how he used it & where he would place it in a progression. Uchigumori is a stone not commonly used on razors but more for sword polishing.

I have a uchigumori, and it is great for razors. It is by far my favorite stone.. Let me throw in a disclaimer though. I am not a hone meister, just a shaving guy. I will say this though, i use it on my whacker st8tand some of my more sensitive edges and get great shaves from it. I understand with j-nats though there are different respoces from every stone...

I have used many pieces hazuya, the color looks the same, and, if you cut it into flakes and sell them, you can make a lot of money. They are around 5k grit from what I know. But give a beautiful matte finish on hamon.

I have finally had a chance to use this stone and i really like it it slurries up a treat puts a great polish on the blade feel like a coti,i havent shaved off the edge yet im am going to test it against the edge off a chinese 12k both solingen blades and SHARP.

The polishing it leaves, is it mirror like or haze-satin-matte? (this also depends on the wear resistance of the steel) From the experience I have with the flakes of this stone (hazuya), it slurries very easily, like a soft thuringian, with very good feedback, I would say it is more like a Turkish oilstone than a coticule, assuming we are talking for the same stone. Compare its edge with the other stones you have, and tell us the results.

Well i have just got myself a turkish oil stone so i will be able to compare them together when i get a chance,work and a baby dont leave to much of that at the moment but the holidays are nearly here and i will have a chance soon.

Originally Posted by Havachat45

I asked him the same question and this was his reply -
"This is a very fine "finisher" stone, but to complet razor adge
next step will be balsa wood with pasta and then Kanayama strop, thanks"
Hang on and enjoy the ride

It took me a second to realize that "pasta" was just a typo for paste. I was completely baffled.... like, "What kind of witchcraft....?"