Need a Jnat expert.

[Medivh]

I just won an auction for my first Jnat, which i've got fairly cheap and i'm not sure what exacly I bought since I know very little about them. According to the seller, the stone is - Nakayama Asagi lvl 5+. I know a few pictures won't tell for sure what it is and from where it came from, but even a little info is better than none. I still haven't paid in case is a fake/junk stone.

 

[rideon66]

The only things I can say are there are no tells saying it is a Nakayama. The lines maybe an issue maybe nothing. Stone maybe good maybe anywhere from a door stop to an excellent finisher. It will come from Russia.

 

[cugel]

Impossible to say what it is. You just have to try it. In my limited experience with JNATS, you get what you pay for. In other words, I will only buy from someone who has honed razors on it

 

[dundak]

Asagi means indigo so.....

 

[Pokeystotle]

(I'm not a Jnat expert, but have experience buying online, and have a modest collection myself)

Yeah, I was going to say the same thing as Dundak, one thing you want to do is at least match up what the seller is saying the stone is with whatever you can derive from the photos they supply. That stone looks like a kiita, or maybe tamago....a lot of Jnat's are partly named because of their color or topography on the specific stone. The mine is also usually named and occasionally the hardness, or purpose, such as "awasedo" or finishing stone. I know three reliable Japanese sellers on eBay. I have close to 20 Jnats, only four were purchased in the United States. Of the ones I bought from Japan, perhaps I just got lucky, I don't know, but I have always gotten exactly what I bought or expected. But again, I go through only three sellers and know them by their first names.

Once you get it, consider sealing it first, if it isn't already, then start working the stone, and take notes. What did they say it was? Just "Nakayama Asagi Lv 5+?" What are the dimensions?

 

[Medivh]

The saller is from Japan. This is copy-paste from the auction.

中山 Nakayama Asagi lvl 5+
Located on the east side of Atago, the 中山 Nakayama quarry is part of the East Quarry group (Higashi - Mono). The stones of 中山 Nakayama were the property of the Imperial Court because of their high quality and were used for polishing swords.
Has a color related to 浅葱 Asagi.
This is an ultra hard stone that can produce a very sharp edge. I tried one of my European straight razors on it and was delighted with the result!
The stone is ideally suited for both レ-ザ用 European straight razors
and for 日本剃刀用 Japanese traditional Kamisori razors, as well as for any blades that required level a fine finishing of straight razors.

Max size: 136 * 80 * 13 mm.
Weight: 335 g.


Anyway, I've contacted the seller and I asked him a few questions regarding the stone and i'm thinking about asking one Japanese seller of straight razors and stones to see if he knows anything and if the stone is complete junk I won't pay the seller and that's it.

 

[rideon66]

He is not in Japan. Just says that on the bay. It is a lie due to the fact he is the Russian who was called out on this forum and many others for faking stamps. Just want you to be aware.

 

[Pokeystotle]

Okudo tenjyo suita

• Pokeystotle
• Feb 23, 2019

1.2 kg - very hard stone - glassy feedback

This is the one I just got yesterday. Well, at least you didn't spend a small fortune - if the stone turns out to be counterfeit or total garbage or something it isn't you can always avoid them in the future, and as you say, not pay them.

 

[Pokeystotle]

He is not in Japan. Just says that on the bay. It is a lie due to the fact he is the Russian who was called out on this forum and many others for faking stamps. Just want you to be aware.

Ah man...that's no good. I can turn a few of you on to sellers I have purchased from in the past and have always been happy with them. They have amazing presentations, send the stones relatively quick, and they all speak or respond to you quickly in English. They are also Japanese sellers and their products are located in Japan.
I am not getting anything from anyone buying from these folks. I just don't want to see anyone get ripped off and turned off to buying Jnats as a result.

 

[alex1921]

Like Tom said - the stone will come from Russia. Trust us. It will. Also the stone is gonna look different, he enhances his pictures, the stone will be darker.
Whatever he writes about the stones means nothing. I am not saying your stone will be good or bad, you will have to test it. We are just telling you who the seller is.

 

[alex1921]

Also a suggestion. When buying jnats for razor honing it's better to buy from somebody who actually hones SR and shaves with them.
There is a seller on eBay/Etsy who is a member on few FB shaving forums that meets that criteria. I have not bought from him personally but he seems knowledgable and his prices are reasonable. He is a European guy living in Japan.
Some of the Japanese sellers on eBay just buy and sell stones without testing them.

 

[Pokeystotle]

Like Tom said - the stone will come from Russia. Trust us. It will. Also the stone is gonna look different, he enhances his pictures, the stone will be darker.
Whatever he writes about the stones means nothing. I am not saying your stone will be good or bad, you will have to test it. We are just telling you who the seller is.

What's the sellers name? Has anyone purchased a hone from this guy and been happy about it?

 

[rideon66]

He goes by many names if that tells you anything.

 

[Pokeystotle]

He goes by many names if that tells you anything.

Not surprising. I've managed to avoid him so far. I wish eBay had a setting to only look for items located in specific countries.

 

[Pokeystotle]

I just found another one of this stones on eBay. Notice the generic language he uses. Language that is found in multiple listings, like "I tried one of my European straight razors on it and was delighted with the result." And "This is an ultra hard stone that can produce a very sharp edge."

Now, what is odd is that the country listed as the item location is Japan, not Russia.


Japanese Natural Whetstone
中山 Nakayama Midori Asagi AkaTomae lvl 4+
Located on the east side of Atago, the 中山 Nakayama quarry is part of the East Quarry group (Higashi - Mono). The stones of 中山 Nakayama were the property of the Imperial Court because of their high quality and were used for polishing swords.
It was produced in the 戸前 Tomae layer, has the base green color of 浅葱 Asagi and the red spot 赤 Aka almost in the very center of the stone penetrating it..
This is an ultra hard stone that can produce a very sharp edge. I tried one of my European straight razors on it and was delighted with the result!
The stone is ideally suited for both レ-ザ用 European straight razors
and for 日本剃刀用 Japanese traditional Kamisori razors, as well as for any blades that required level a fine finishing of straight razors.

Max size: 145 * 82 * 22 mm.
Weight: 689 g.

 

[alex1921]

What's the sellers name? Has anyone purchased a hone from this guy and been happy about it?

last year it was listed as Russia. Then he got exposed for fake stamping stones, Jnats- A treatise on Stamps and Kawa.
He changed his name, country of shipping and his avatar. For a while he used a picture he stole from AlexG.
Overall a weird guy doing weird stuff.

 

[Pokeystotle]

last year it was listed as Russia. Then he got exposed for fake stamping stones, Jnats- A treatise on Stamps and Kawa.
He changed his name, country of shipping and his avatar. For a while he used a picture he stole from AlexG.
Overall a weird guy doing weird stuff.

People like that **** me off.

I am seeing his stuff popping up a lot. Skiboy, and Kossi or something like that - he uses the same language, same fonts....I'm a word guy so little word subtleties stand out to me.

I exposed someone on eBay for selling "bonsai seeds." There are no such thing. I have been doing bonsai for 15 years, and all they are are the same species of trees and shrubs as the normal ones. So if someone sends you a packed of "bonsai seeds" they are sending you, say, a packet of "maple tree seeds" or "juniper seeds."

As far as the stamps go, I do go out of my way to try and know what each one is supposed to mean, realizing, of course, that they are easily faked. And I do know a little of Japanese culture, I studied Japanese law for a time, and lived in Kyoto. There are some things that strike me as odd in how that guy writes. Meaning, it doesn't seem like something a Japanese person would be likely to say. He boasts a lot in what he writes. That isn't very "Japanese." But again, its not a system that you could use...its just a 'feeling' I have when I read his descriptions.

 

[alex1921]

Yes kossy_1123, before that he was japanese_natural_whetstone and some other names. He is actually quite infamous on the Russian shaving forums as well. He got a reputation and eventually refused to sell in Russia. Only abroad.
I have been in touch with 2 sellers from Russia and the surprising part for them was that nobody actually knows him. They told me that Jnats are very popular in Russia and people tend to know each other through forums etc but nobody knows this guy. He is a mystery.

 

[Medivh]

From him:

Hello!

This is 100% Nakayama, you can understand it from the cortex on the back (this is only Nakayama's).
There is no crack, it is part of the picture.

That doesn't sound very convincing though. I will tell him that I have some concerns regarding the stone and I won't pay for the auction. If he decides to put a negative feedback, I will do the same. Is there any way I can report him for selling fake stuff and get clean of all of this, because I don't want a negative review?​

 

[alex1921]

it's impossible because there is no way to prove if the stone is or isn't from a certain mine.
I reported him to eBay for shilling auctions and they did nothing, basically told me they cant 100% prove it.
So nothing except threatening him with a negative review. he doesn't like negative reviews and he will probably give you your money back if you agree to take it down.