Ikarashi Investigation

Starting a new thread on ironing out some origin and characteristic differences (if there are any - yet to be determined) about Ikarashis, particuarly from Kasabori vs other mines. Topic starts coming up on here and is a bit of topic from original thread topic.

There are a number of us that have Ikarashi from JNS, as they're 'cheap' (haha), and seem relatively abundant.
Here is my Ikarashi from JNS (I coated it in cashew lacquer, which you really don't need to do, but for consistency's sake, and the fact that I lacquer in batches, I coated mine as I do with all my Jnats):




Here is my Kasabori vintage 1950/60s:




Here they are together:




I just got the vintage Ikarashi in, so I haven't used it yet. It does feel coarser than my JNS one. It's hard to tell with my crappy lighting in the pics, but the vintage also seems a bit more aqua/blue, while the JNS is a bit more green. The vintage ikarashi also seems less porous (despite feeling coarser) since when doing the wet comparison, the JNS ikarashi needed a couple extra splashes of water. The vintage also looks more 'pure/uniform' as the JNS ikarashi appears to have some black renge (not a lot), and thick bands and swirls when wet.

I'll do a direct comparison later this week.

Let's see what we can find out!

Interesting, according to Watanabe greener=finer=better. Looking forward to read more from you.

Looking forward to seeing the comparison in sharpening

me toO!

A Ikarashi from Nigata is on the way and intersting to see how it will do or if its is "nearly the same as a Aizu"
Very interesting to see comparisons from you!

Just double checked my emails to make sure the vintage ikarashi was from Kasabori, but I guess I just assumed. Can anyone give me a Kanji translation on it (see 1st post). If not, I can ask, but it will take some time for an answer to get back.

bennyprofane said:

Interesting, according to Watanabe greener=finer=better. Looking forward to read more from you.

Click to expand...

Well first it should be noted that apparently (according to my wife) I have a horrible ability to tell colors apart, haha - his green could be more towards my blue, who knows. Secondly, I would say that 'finer=better' is relative. If my initial feel test holds when I get sharpening, that is the vintage ikarashi feels coarser (although less porous), and my observation that the JNS ikarashi seems greener, than Watanabe would be correct that greener=finer, but will only =better if I want a finer finish/edge. Since ikarashi are on the coarser side, I might actually want a coarser one that can move steel like a machine, and leave a toothy edge. Of course there are stones on the finer side that can move steel quickly, too. It is interesting, however, to throw Asteger's input in that the quality ikarashi of old from Niigata (which I hope mine is, and which sounds like Krassi's is definitely coming from) tend to be blue-er, which I think mine is vs the greener JNS ikarashi. Still a better is relative ordeal, but it might throw a wrench in Watanabe's idea greener=better. But yeah, I'm interested to see what happens between them, and the other stone people will test, including Krassi's

Well the seller is from niigata and he has good quality stones (also has such a brick size green one, but i wanted a not so tall one that is already flattened)

i dondt know when its here but should come pretty soon once it escaped out of the claws of the frankfurt airport customs

I already have a small Ikarashi-do from Watanabe and have one in full size on the way (or so I hope ) so I may be able to chime in in a few weeks with some hands-on experience from my side too

Hiho!

i got mine today..
It needs a little flattening but looks interesting.. (just around 1mm )
It feels much coarser than my Aizu and looks similar (Shinichi sayed that the mines were just 50km away and the stones are similar and Ikarashi is usually finer than Aizi)

Soo i cant test it before the night since i am in my office.....nope cant wait !
I just had a cheap J.A.Henckels stainless crapknife for testing and the stone feels rougher than my Aizu but has insane shaping power (on a Molybdenum Vanadium Stainless Steel)
Slurry is dark grey but not black and i cant wait what its doing with some real steel )






Sorry for the cellphone junk pictures but i dondt have my DSLR here.
Seeya, daniel

surface feels coarse but not very purous..and it has micro small holes.. but nothing more

Mehhh my cellphone cant handle this sorry ;(

Did i already mention that i am happy ).. i did not even have to pay customs on that

Seeya, daniel

It is thirstier than you think Daniel. Don't be scared to put a diamond plate on it and give it lots of water. It feels rougher to touch and to use than Aizu but finishes very similarly

krassi, i'm jealous of how flat yours is! the JNS ones have huge bevels on both sides that i havent removed yet

Hiho!"
Yep the Stone is thirsty ! and I am not afraid of anything.. of course ill give it a good Diamondplate massage of doom
the untouched stone felt rough like pressed wood ..

i wanted this one and not the big brick size one the seller has/had because i was not in the mood to flatten it like crazy .. it was also 10000 yen cheaper and a bigger brickis not automatically better (so is was just a lazy bum and wanted the cheaper one)

soo time for some beer and ikarashi
seeya

Just put up my comparison. You can find it here.

Interested to hear about your comparisons.

Hiho!
Still not much time to test it but ..ehmm got me another one they are just so good that i could not resist.



They should be very similar but ill see when its coming in around 2 weeks.

Whats amazing about those is the shaping power! so i still have to find out if its a 1000-2000 (thats what it behaves) or more than my Aizu with 3000-5000... very cool stones!

best regards, daniel