#682 Imanishi Ohira Tomae Type 40 Size 1321 Fast Hard 3.5-4 Hard 3.5+-4 Fine

Old stock stone from the Tomae strata of the Ohira mine. A good sized full rectangular shaped stone with no flaws, flat and level. Hard but not scratchy, once a little mud is up it cuts very fast, a sub mirror finish with more water and pressure, can be graded a bit finer with less pressure on worked mud. Some small patches of su can be seen in the light colored band. 

Type 40 refers to the size of the stone by the measurement of how many stones could be carried at once.

205x74x33mm
1321 grams

Ohira:

A ‘Nishi-Mono’ or Western mine that produces some of the highest quality whetstones. This mine is most popular for producing Uchigumori, which is a famous stone type used for sword polishing. For knife users however, we love Ohira Uchigumori to produce a dark jigane and frosty hagane. Ohira mine also produces highly sought after Suita and Tomae stones of various hardness, typically having a fast cutting speed and a toothy yet refined edge.

This stone has not been lacquered on the sides but is recommended to avoid splitting along bedding planes. Do not soak. We do our best to disclose any cracks or flaws but being a naturally occurring stone we cannot guarantee against these. That said these have been selected by an experienced stone dealer in Kyoto with decades of experience.