Hideri-Yama Awasedo Japanese Natural Sharpening Stone 706g (1lb. 9oz.)
193mmX68mmX20mm
Hideri-Yama is one of Kyoto mine. It is located on little far north east from other Kyoto mines. It is normally used for chisel and Japanese plane finishing sharpening. It is kind of soft whetstone, and it is entry class of the fine grit whetstone.
Hardness-------------8.4
It produces very good amount of black slurry quickly. It is not too hard and not too soft stone. (Scale; 1 to 10, 1-3 is very soft muddy rough grit whetstone 3-6 is soft medium grit whetstone, 6-8 is hard medium grit whetstone, 8-10 is fine grit whetstone)
Particle Size--------- 8.7
My blue II steel blade knife Jigane became cloudy grayish silver color, and Hagane became from little frosted silver color to semi-mirror finish. (Scale; 1 to 10, 1-3 give deep scratch marks to the steel, 3-5 is delete the 1-3 scratches, 5-8 makes the steel cloudy, 8-10 makes the steel semi-mirror finish or mirror finish)
Natural whetstone has more wide capacity than artificial whetstone, and actually, we do not know until sharpen blade on the stone. Sometimes, treasure whetstone is found after used it for a while. Never know until then.