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NARUTAKI #125 IRO AWASADO w/RENGE
204mm x 73mm x 35mm
Reads on the stone top from the upper right down, TOKUSEN (specially chosen).
Down the center SHO NARUTAKI AWASE TOISHI SHO (original Narutaki finish sharpening stone).
And at the center right SAIKOKYU (very best quality)
This Narutaki awasedo stone is NEW/OLD stock from a closed store in a small town 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. Exceedingly rare in this color and quality, toishi awasedo like this have not been mined for many, many years and you do not see them on the market.
The actual color of the stone is complex and contains pastel tones of brick red, a tinge of violet, a warm grey and a light sea green. From the end of the stone the red looks like a lipstick color of red. The renge pattern on the stone is in the form of some red and light brown but mostly small black spots too small to measure. They are scattered evenly throughout the stone surface and aid in this stones excellent cutting abilities. There is a black corner of the original strata skin showing on one side and a touch on one corner.
These older stones tend to have a microns thin film or skin on the top surface that is a result of chemical reactions with the atmosphere and the minerals of the stone. The stones performance can be greatly enhanced the moment this skin is removed with a diamond flattening plate.
A Swedish blue steel Ishido Teruhide blade was used to sample this stone.
This iro or colored awasedo builds its own paste quickly and cuts extremely fast, it feels almost like the stone pulls the blade into itself.
The comparative grit test for this stone can be seen HERE. I found indications from the photo tests and sampling the stone that the grit base of this stone to be in the 20,000 range if not higher and with compression will crush finer into the low 20,000s range.
I found the stone to be very receptive to the blue steel blade, there was no chattering or scratchy feeling of any kind. The stone has a smooth even grit throughout the whole surface and with the little bit of sharpening I did, the skin opened up and some of the rose color began to show through. You can see in the photos that the hagane became mirror like and the jigane also polished up while still keeping a contrast with the hagane.
Hardness Grit Speed/Strenght Price in U.S. $
8/10 9+/10 10/10 $950