Found some waterstones...

[stitchawl]

We went to a flea market at a local temple and discovered one of the vendors was selling some nice sharpening stones. She had box loads of cheaper stones, and her tables were covered with better quality stuff, most of it mined right here in Kyoto. For the prices, just move the decimal point over two places. Something marked 5000 would be about $50 USD.

These are some of her better stones

... and here are some of the junkier ones.

There is a shop in downtown Kyoto selling stones for well over $1,000 USD. Those are NOT giant sharpening stones. Just giant PRICED sharpening stones!

Stitchawl

 

[antonio_luiz]

There is a shop in downtown Kyoto selling stones for well over $1,000 USD. Those are NOT giant sharpening stones. Just giant PRICED sharpening stones!

Stitchawl

[ edited for racist term ]

 

[CarpScot]

Thanks for the pictures stitchawl. I would love to see such a large display of sharpening stones for myself some day.

 

[type00rev]

Gotta love JDM prices!! Reminds me of searching for Spoon Sports products in Thailand.....the markup was almost 100%!!!

 

[stitchawl]

Thanks for the pictures stitchawl. I would love to see such a large display of sharpening stones for myself some day.

I'll try to get a photo of those really high priced stones. Most of those are not perfectly rectangular. The edges aren't finished either. These stones in the photos are lower end stones. Prices ranges from $3 USD to $75 USD. (If you can think of $75 for a sharpening stone as 'lower end!' ) One item they were selling was pretty cheap though; the stone flattener! It was selling there for about $5 USD and in the hardware stores sells for about $10. Unfortunately, I bought mine from the hardware store...

As much as I enjoy spending the day with my wife, having her with me when I discovered the stone table was a real bummer. On the other hand, we still have money for the rent, food, and clothing.

Stitchawl

 

[matt321]

Cool photos. Wish I could read Japanese.

I've seen photos of really expensive Japanese waterstones. Like you said, they are usually very crude and oddly shaped. These are natural stones, whereas the perfect shaped ones (and less expensive) are synthetic.

 

[CarpScot]

I'll try to get a photo of those really high priced stones. Most of those are not perfectly rectangular. The edges aren't finished either. These stones in the photos are lower end stones. Prices ranges from $3 USD to $75 USD. (If you can think of $75 for a sharpening stone as 'lower end!' ) One item they were selling was pretty cheap though; the stone flattener! It was selling there for about $5 USD and in the hardware stores sells for about $10. Unfortunately, I bought mine from the hardware store...

As much as I enjoy spending the day with my wife, having her with me when I discovered the stone table was a real bummer. On the other hand, we still have money for the rent, food, and clothing.

Stitchawl

I would certainly love to see a picture of the really expensive stones. Sharpening stones have always fascinated me. I went to trade school with several Japanese students who used them to sharpen all of their woodworking tools, and I was always envious of the level of sharpness of their chisels and planes.

 

[SShepherd]

those all look like manmade stones...I just bought a 4000/8000 grit norton that cost me $90

while in tsukiji mkt., I bought a natural stone--smooth as glass-- for $300. Although it was spendy it's well worth it