One thing we see a lot in movies with swords and blades is their impeccable sharpening. Especially in movies with ninjas, where their weapons are extremely sharp. A good sharpening stone is needed to achieve this level of sharpening.
After all, swords need a high degree of sharpness. We commonly see the Japanese Katanas slicing through bones as if they were butter. This does not happen naturally after forging. It requires a specialist and a good sharpening stone.
And it is about these stones that we will focus in this article. What types there are, where they come from, and highlighting the Area of Japan. After all, the country has some stones that cannot be found in many places around the world. So, let's get to the point.
Table of Contents
Hone
Whetstone, also called water stone or sharpening stone, the names are varied. But the purpose does not change, they are used, obviously, to sharpen the edges of steel tools.
A sharpening stone comes in many shapes, sizes, and material compositions. Stones can be flat, designed for working on flat edges, or shaped for more complex edges. They can also be made of natural material extracted or man-made material.
The stones are generally available in various grades. These grades refer to the size of the abrasive particles in the stone. That is, the size of the projections that are exposed on the surface of the sharpening stone.
The grain size is given as a number. This indicates the spatial density of the particles. A larger number denotes a higher density, thus smaller particles. In this case, it leads to a finer finish of the polished object's surface.
Sharpening stone and oil stones
Sharpening stones can be natural or artificial stones. Artificial stones usually come in the form of a bonded abrasive made of ceramic. Typically, silicon carbide or aluminum oxide.
Aglutinated abrasives provide a faster cutting action than natural stones. They are commonly available as a two-sided block. One side with coarse grain, and the other side with fine grain.
Natural stones are typically formed by quartz, such as novaculite. The Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas are noted as a source for this type of quartz. Novaculite is also found in Syria and Lebanon.
When the block is intended for installation in a bank, it is called a bench stone. Small and portable stones are called pocket stones. Being smaller, they are more portable than bench stones.
japanese waterstones
The Japanese traditionally use natural sharpening stones lubricated with water. Just for the record, the Japanese have been doing this for many hundreds of years. The geology of Japan has provided a type of stone that consists of fine silicate particles in a clay matrix. This makes them a bit softer than novaculite.
Japanese stones are also sedimentary. The most famous ones are usually quarried in the Narutaki district, north of Kyoto.
Water stone classes
Historically, there are three general grades of Japanese sharpening stones:
- A ara-to or "gross stone"
- Naka-TO or "Medium/Median stone"
- The shiage-to or "final stone".
There is a fourth type of stone, the nagura, which is not used directly. On the contrary, it is used to form a cutting paste on the shiage-to. In which, it is often difficult to create the necessary paste.
Converting these names to absolute size is difficult, that is, there is no way to specify the density of the stone. After all, the classes are broad and natural stones do not have an inherent "number of particles." Therefore, we will not delve deeper into this issue.
Natural stones versus artificial stones
The use of natural stones for sharpening has decreased. Due to the wide availability of consistent, high-quality artificial stones.
As a result, the legendary Honyama mines in Kyoto, Japan, have been closed since 1967. Modern synthetic stones are generally of equal quality to natural stones. They are often considered superior in sharpening performance.
After all, they are superior in of particle size consistency and control over the properties of the stones. Natural stones are often valued for their natural beauty as stones and their rarity. This makes them add value as collector's items.
Another fact is that each natural stone is different. Thus, there are rare natural stones that contain abrasive particles. These are in grain sizes finer than those currently available in artificial stones.
don't get carried away
Yes, the sharpening stone is essential for good sharpening of the blades. But we have to that this is not enough to give a sword a spectacular edge. The right techniques are necessary. The correct and precise movements. And a great experience to not lose the sense of sharpening in the process.
For example, if you sharpen only one side too much, you lose a good part of the blade's edge. And not only that, it is necessary to know how a specific one needs to be sharpened. Choosing the necessary sharpening stone and several other processes.
Of course, with practice and many attempts, all of this can be resolved. But don't think that you'll become a professional with just a few attempts. Anyway, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
Now that you know a little about sharpening stones, you can move on to a more in-depth study. Good luck! Additionally, if you have any questions, suggestions, or anything like that, just leave your comment.
That's all we have for this article. Don't forget to share the site on social media, it helps a lot. Also, thanks for reading the article this far, until next time.
