# JNats (Photos & Discussion)



## Yamabushi (Mar 8, 2014)

I'm quickly discovering that the world of JNats is extremely esoteric and nebulous!! True, knowledgeable experts, it seems, are a very rare commodity! That being said, I am potentially interested in acquiring two stones. The first would be a finisher for my straight razors and the second a finisher for my Heiji's and upcoming Kato's. I need help!

In any event, here some photos from a follow-up visit to Morihei. The first two are of a couple of absolutely stunning _karasu_! It's tough to gauge their size from the photos, but they are both significantly bigger than standard stone size. They were valued at an eye watering ¥300,000 and ¥500,000 respectively!













These two photos are of a Shohonzan stone I was looking at. It was valued at a more modest ¥30,000.


----------



## Asteger (Mar 8, 2014)

Wow, you might have grabbed the 2 karasu then hopped on that bike of yours! Very nice, aren't they. Razor stones.

And the second - was that a recommendation to you? Probably a good one and the price sounds okay-ish.

Idea for you: find your great razor finisher and get some good nagura, maybe starting with a set of 2 or 3 small Asano. You can get them cheap. Will give you a great range with the 1 stone, and (although I only have a general knowledge of things-razor) I think you might even be able to set bevels this way.


----------



## Yamabushi (Mar 8, 2014)

Asteger said:


> Wow, you might have grabbed the 2 karasu then hopped on that bike of yours! Very nice, aren't they. Razor stones.


Don't think that the thought didn't cross my mind! 

And as for your suggestion, yes that is why I want to get the harder, finer razor stone first.


----------



## Yamabushi (Mar 8, 2014)

From a different shop, but two other stones I saw today, a couple of Ohira's. These were less than ¥20,000 each.


----------



## TaJ (Mar 8, 2014)

The two Karasu .. where is the emoticon which wets itself?


----------



## Asteger (Mar 8, 2014)

From what I know, stones like these were cut, stamped and labelled (various wholesalers & labels) perhaps in the 60s. Therefore, they're 'vintage' for what it's worth. They often still come in their original boxes, and I think Japanese buyers like that. Both, as you said, are Ohira (&#22823;&#24179;&#37489;&#23665;&#21512;&#30757;&#30707 and layered finishers; similar-looking stones, with the old labels, etc, might come from other Kyoto mines as well. Quality is supposed to be good and reliable, although there's nothing flashy about them and to use someone else's word they're a bit 'pedestrian'. Both are 30-gata (&#19977;&#21313;&#22411 so a good size. The 2nd one has the stamp &#19968;&#26412;&#25776; and I'm not exactly sure what it means, and the 1st has a different stamp - which is the same as the one on the Morihei honyama - but aside from &#21697; I'm not sure what it means either. (Maybe your wife can help, or are you not yet disclosing the prospect of a new purchase?) I'd say, of the 2nd two stones there isn't much to separate them, just check that they feel hard enough. The Morihei is probably more expensive because it's Honyama, though I'm not sure if that will translate into better performance, or just because it's from Morihei. Under ¥20,000 for either of the 2nd two is a good price.


----------



## Yamabushi (Mar 8, 2014)

Thanks Asteger! Apparently those markings are the grading of the stones, and "&#19968;&#26412;&#25776;" (Ipponsen) is a higher grade than the other one.

HERE appears to be nearly identical stones, same origin, marks, size, and grading for ¥47,250[FONT=&#65325;&#65331; &#65328;&#12468;&#12471;&#12483;&#12463;, Osaka][/FONT] and ¥26,250 respectively. If they are indeed the same, maybe an indication that a found a good price?


----------



## Asteger (Mar 9, 2014)

Wow, ¥47,250 is a rip. But yes - I checked for you when I wrote above - a good price. For example, here's another, although it's 40-gata not 30 and so a bit smaller: http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%9D%91%E6%AD%A3%E5%88%83%E7%89%A9%E5%BA%97-%E5%A4%A9%E7%84%B6%E7%A0%A5%E7%9F%B3%EF%BC%9A%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%9C%AC%E5%B1%B1%E3%80%90%E5%A4%A7%E5%B9%B3%E9%89%B1%E5%B1%B1%E3%80%9140%E5%9E%8B-%E4%B8%80%E6%9C%AC%E6%92%B0-%E8%B5%A4%E7%AE%B1/dp/B00C1T87M6

There can be big variations in prices, as you can see.


----------



## Yamabushi (Mar 9, 2014)

Asteger said:


> There can be big variations in prices, as you can see.


 Yes, indeed there are!


----------



## sfurax (Mar 17, 2014)

Hello everyone

Can somebody help me to know which type of stone is it ? i want use it for polishing my razor with nagura

Is it nakayama or shuobudani ?









Regards
Stef


----------



## Yamabushi (Mar 17, 2014)

The top right kanji in the circle is Shoubu as seen in Shoubudani. Down the middle of the stone and on the label is Tennen Shohonzan Awasedo, roughly = Natural Real Mountain Finishing Stone. Additional markings indicate it is from Kyoto and that it is a high level.


----------



## sfurax (Mar 17, 2014)

Good sound for ¥12,000


----------



## banjo1071 (Mar 17, 2014)

Hey
I also got myselve one of these (Yahoo, right?). I gave it a ride yesterday, it a looooovley stone. It produces a Fine, yet aggressive mirrorfinish! It works best with carbon...


Greets Benjamin


----------



## sfurax (Mar 18, 2014)

Yes on Yahoo 

Good sound for carbon , i use a lot of razors with carbon edge

I had Botan , Tenjyou & Mejiro naguras


----------

