Black Shadow French Natural Stone 200x60x20mm Extra Fine with Slurry Stone

Selected from naturally occurring slate from the French Ardennes the Black Shadow stone is a very hard, very fine finishing stone ideal for razors and tools which require a super fine finish. 

The black shadow stone will cut at approximately 8-10k with a rich slurry generated with the bout, or slurry stone cut from the same stone (same idea as tomo nagura), as the slurry is worn with use and thinned with more water to eventually using only water on the stone surface the approximate finish is around 12K. It has a tiny bit toothier feel than a synthetic stone of the same general fine finish and looks a little different in that it is not as homogenous a grit. 

We did our experiments with water and are inclined towards it but this stone can be used with either oil or glycerin which can produce a brighter looking finish.

These Ardennes slates have been used for quarrying natural stones for many hundreds of years and even with the advent of modern synthetic stones they are still relevant for creating nuanced razor keen edges. 

This grit estimates are based on entirely subjective judgment of comparing the cutting speed and scratch pattern of natural and synthetic Japanese stones, being natural stones they cannot be graded in the same way as synthetic stones which use a measurable industrially manufactured grit.