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During a recent trip to Japan, I was talking with a stone company that we are close with out there, and the owner and I got into an in depth discussion about the beginning of his career as a stone maker. When he first started, he began by making magnesia based stones that were entirely splash and go. Since that time, he had moved on to different stone constructions. A little while back, he found a small supply of some older stones he had made. While I was there, I got to play around with them a bit, and even got some to use when I returned to work. I enjoyed using them quite a bit, and thought some of you might enjoy them too. Because the supply of these stones (which are not being made anymore) is very limited, these will not last forever.
This stone is entirely splash and go, and should not be soaked at all. It is on the harder side of things, but not super hard. I've had good results on both single bevel and double bevel knives, and the cutting speed is rather good too. The finish from the maido stones is more polished than misty. They also resist dishing very well, which makes these stones great for uraoshi sharpening as well as microbevels. Because of how splash and go they are, they work well for travel and for times and places where soaking stones are just not possible. The Maido stones also include a synthetic nagura, which can be used to clean up the stone surface if it becomes loaded up. The nagura can also be used to refinish the stone surface after flattening if you prefer a more smooth surface. Because the nagura is a different grit from the stone, the stone should be rinsed off after using the nagura.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE: This is a magnesia based stone and should not be soaked at all. To use, just splash a little water on the surface and start sharpening. Splash more water on the stone surface as needed, but avoid submerging the stone in water. It is a good idea to wrap the stone in a damp cloth when drying, as this slows the drying process and can help minimize potential cracking issues in the long run.
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Length: 206mm
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Height: 22.5mm
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Width: 72mm
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Weight: 710g
