#709 Aiiwatani Asagi Goma Easy Hard-ish Bright Kasumi LV 3.5-4 Hardness LV 4 Fineness 573 Grams

Fairly hard, barely self slurrying AIiwatani with a easy crisp cold buttery feel, it generates mud a bit with work, is fine with pressure even at it's hardness and cuts fairly fast, the fine sub mirror kasumi finish cannot be graded finer by working drying mud with very little pressure, I found it can get streaky if done dry too hard.

Sides are sealed with cashew lacquer

163x71x23mm 573 grams

Aiiwatani: A ‘Higashi-Mono’ (Eastern Mine) whetstone that is close in proximity to Takashima and Wakasa, two mines known for their high density stones. Aiiwatani are great shiage-toishi(fine stones) when you are looking for a refined edge. Typically more mellow in cutting action, but this can lead to a cleaner polish.

Asagi: This aesthetic term refers to the general color of the stone. Typically, Asagi stones are grey, light blue, greyish-blue/green, and tan. They are usually quite clean stones that are on the harder side. However, softer Asagi stones are great for knife polishing.

Goma: This aesthetic quality looks like tiny black dots, or little sesame seeds in the stone. This quality typically translates to having a fast cutting speed.