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NAKAYAMA #9 MARUKA ASAGI AWASADO
211mm x 75mm x 26mm
Reads on the stone top from the upper right down, JUN SHOSHIN HONYAMA (pure specially chosen original mountain) which is a registered trade name,
And 27 (an inventory or grading number)
And at the middle SAIKOKYUHIN (very best quality)
Marked faintly on the end of the stone in a rectangle KA SHO HON YAMA (Maruka correct true original mountain).
This Nakayama Maruka awasedo toishi stone is NEW/OLD stock from a closed store in Japan. It has not been used other than to test the quality at one edge of the stone as you can see in the photos.
You may find other references to the Maruka Nakayama mines on the internet. This mine was known throughout its history to produce the finest awasedo finishing stones in Japan and probably in the world. The Maruka stamp on the end, the registered stamp on the top of this stone and the single toothed fine saw marks help to date the stone to before WW2.
This is an actual Maruka Nakayama awasedo, it is not a fake. Stones of this color and varity have not been mined from Nakayama for well over half a century and they never will be mined again as these rare deposits are depleted. The mine was closed in the 1960s, and I will not be able to replace or offer these stones again.
This stone can be uses without a nagura or DN plate and it will build up a slurry without too much trouble.
| HARDNESS Based on a scale of 1-10 | 9 | ||
| GRIT Scale of 1-10 | 10- | ||
| CUTTING SPEED/STRENGTH 1-10 | 10 | ||
| COST Does Not Include Shipping | $800 |
*In usage when you encircle a kanji word as in this case KA, it becomes MARU (circle) KA or MARUKA.
**DN-Diamond Nagura