- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
I finally found out from Kami what this magic stone process is all about and now it makes sense to me.
He brought some "magic stones" with him and it looks like granite mixed with some quartz and mica. It is collected on the higher slopes of the Himalayas.
The kamis wash the stone in water first. Then they pound it to dust. In years gone by the kamis would take a strip of leather or strong cloth such as canvas and put it in hot wax. Then they would run the strip through the pile of magic stone dust allowing it to collect generously on the leather-cloth strip. This could then be used in final edging and finishing. The guys were making their own form of emory cloth strop! They add some "white powder" (which they refer to as "cement" but I know it isn't) to the dust before applying the dust to their strop.
I can now see how this thing works and why they would use it...but the kamis insist that this ancient process has magic involved and improves the quality of the blade significantly. After examining some of the latest efforts from shop 2 I will not argue the point with them. They are doing something very, very right.
Interestingly, in shop 2 the kamis have figured out a way to use a bench grinder with a buffing wheel to take the place of the leather-cloth strip in the using of the magic stone.
Stay tuned for more interesting info.
Uncle Bill
He brought some "magic stones" with him and it looks like granite mixed with some quartz and mica. It is collected on the higher slopes of the Himalayas.
The kamis wash the stone in water first. Then they pound it to dust. In years gone by the kamis would take a strip of leather or strong cloth such as canvas and put it in hot wax. Then they would run the strip through the pile of magic stone dust allowing it to collect generously on the leather-cloth strip. This could then be used in final edging and finishing. The guys were making their own form of emory cloth strop! They add some "white powder" (which they refer to as "cement" but I know it isn't) to the dust before applying the dust to their strop.
I can now see how this thing works and why they would use it...but the kamis insist that this ancient process has magic involved and improves the quality of the blade significantly. After examining some of the latest efforts from shop 2 I will not argue the point with them. They are doing something very, very right.
Interestingly, in shop 2 the kamis have figured out a way to use a bench grinder with a buffing wheel to take the place of the leather-cloth strip in the using of the magic stone.
Stay tuned for more interesting info.
Uncle Bill
