NARUTAKI GRAY TOMAE #537

From the Narutaki mine this is a medium to hard stone in the level 9/5 range, I found this stone to be fast cutting with fine grit which easily provided me with a shave ready edge that was both close and comfortable within a short
period of time on the stone.
The stone is predominately gray with a cloud or fog pattern and the center is dominated by a misty faint kan or brownish tree ring design.
 
All of my stones come fully lapped with beveled edges unless otherwise noted.

This stone and the other kamisori toishi on my site are from a world class private collection of over 400 pieces assembled in Japan over the past years in the area
around Toyama by a collector of shaving implements.
I was lucky enough to purchase total collection over the last 2 years. Many of the hones were actually used by barbers, some dating to the 1920s or earlier, while others were simply prepared by the miners as razor hones as evidenced by the size and fine quality of the stones grit composition.
 
Hardness           9+
Grit Finness        9+
Speed/Cutting 4+ to 9+ with slurr