Thread: Traditional Sharpening Experience.

While living in Japan I have become acquainted with a traditional tool shop in "KoEdo" which means little tokyo that is actually in the city of Kawagoe in Saitama prefecture. I have purchased many interesting and unusual items along with your standard planes,chisels and saws. Then came the shocking news that they would not sell me a natural sharpening stone. SHOCK HORROR DISMAY!!!!!
Until further discussion reveal that the reasoning was far beyond my current interlect. At that time unknown to me is when you by a stone you have to match it to the blade with which it will be used. A logical and slightly philosophical level. The shock has now dissipated.
The following weekend I returned with my Kanna and had a truely learning experience. The cabinet was filled with numerous stones from different parts of Japan. The initial choice was made by the master a 72 year old gentlemen who is traditionally trained to polished swords. Really scary to watch!
As we have been acquainted for about 3 years he knew my poor level of skill and so continued to match the stone to the plane and secondly to my skill as I discovered that some stones exceed 2000 Australian dollars. Bloody hell!
The sharpening process is fairly standard as most of you know using water and elbow grease to achieve the finest edge. One major note I made is that with a coarse stone the edge is held at 90 degrees to the stone while the finer and finest stone, the blade is held at about 45 dgrees to increase the level of control. I have attached some pics that will hopefully explain the spiritual experience that we shared. I would like to say that the shop has been in the same family for 7 generations.

The pictures show Takeshi in action.
Second the stone chosen for my blade.
Third Shop picture.
Fourth a set of chisels $4000 AUD