I do not know from which mine this stone came from, and I have no other examples to compare it to. This is a Hoard stone that came from the Air Raid Shelter. The hand sawn sides and ends refer to the Meiji period. Rated as Mohs 3+ it is a finishing stone for tools, razors or knives. Oddly shaped as it came from the mine, the one and only inclusion is solidly filled and super tight.
This awasedo blooms with yellow kiita color when sprinkled with water, but when dry it is typically somewhat dull.
The stone has the very finest microscopic pattern of red and black renge spots on the front side and the back that I have not seen before. Much like a field of stars.
This stone will hone a knife to razor sharp. I have shave tested and shave with ease the the following steels; Brian Brown, Henckels 415, Gold Dollar, early 20th century Wade & Butcher steel, Hart & Kikuboshi Swedish steel.
3- hardness
1094 grams
209 x 75 x 36mm
$650
A tested tomonagura will always be included with my base stones.
#2183 Unknown mine iromono
All of my stones are sold with a money-back guarantee minus the return shipping if within 30 days of the sale and returned in their original state. Please do not lacquer the stone if you have any intention of returning it.I encourage sealing the sides of all sedimentary stones, especially if there a inclusions, cracks, or fissures and or if the stone is used in an active workshop where the stone is constantly wet. For casual use, sealing, especially all four sides, and preferably the back with one of either a marine type of spar varnish, a synthetic lacquer, urushi, or a cashew-derived lacquer is prudent.
Not all sharpening stones will sharpen steel fine enough to shave from the resulting edge. Many are fine for tools or knives, and I test for those uses as well. In my testing I first create a fresh bevel on the chosen razor with a 1,000 grit King red brick stone. With the new bevel at the razors edge formed I next use a well-worn Atoma #400 diamond plate to raise a slurry upon the test stone, and it is this slurry and only this slurry that I use for honing the test steel.
If the razor's steel bevel, with a 1k King scratch pattern can be honed by that test stone to a shave ready after a simple stropping in:10 strokes = extraordinary: 20 strokes = noteworthy: 40 strokes = worthy, Any more than that I make a note and try a different steel.
Stainless, high carbon, wrought iron, all can be tested and noted. Matching stone to steel saves time in the long run. This is why chisels come in sets, and bullet calibers exist. Efficiency cannot be faked when sharpening razors. Adding muscle or weigh flexes the blade leading to irregular wear patterns on the steel. Drinking whiskey to pass the time while honing razors for more than 10 minutes suggestes, well, a waste of time.