Atagoyama Leopard Tomae Asagi Japanese Natural Whetstone

This exceptional Japanese whetstone was selected by us and imported directly from Japan, sealed with clear lacquer on sides & back, and thoroughly tested. Results are provided below.

Hardness: 4
Atagoyama Leopard Asagi Awasedo. This beautiful and perfectly shaped Atagoyama is not only striking visually, but it performs up to par with its unique appearance. Atagoyama mine is located on Mt Atago, very close to Ohira, Mizukihara, Tsukinowa, and Umajiyama, among others. Atagoyama is considered a western mine and this piece is a shining example of a thick, Ball type stone which Atagoyama is known for. Typically these ball stones are extremely thick, tall and homogeneous. This particular example is a solid medium hardness stone with an excellent feel. Sometimes these Ball type stones can be on the elastic side in terms of feel but this one strikes a nice balance of hardness, ease of use and elasticity. Not too soft or hard and yields black swarf immediately with light self slurry produced by heavier blades like knives and tools. Best suited as a knife and tool finishing stone with its slightly larger particles compared to an Eastern mined stone but translates to fast cutting speed, toothy edges and a nicely balanced Kasumi finish. This stone feels a bit softer than its density so it's quite easy to use without being soft enough to self slurry much.