Ohira Renge Suita

Dimensions (mm) / Weight

180x64x17 / 513g

Performance

Hardness / Fineness: 4 / 4+

An excellent all purpose suita suited for a wide range of tasks. Feedback is very smooth and the lines cause no issue at this time, however, they can be felt under heavy sharpening pressure. The kasumi finish is bright and refined highlighting the detail in blade materials and leaving a surface that is “scratch-free” in all but the harshest light. This is an excellent stone suitable for a wide range of tasks - final sharpening of kitchen knives, kasumi polishing, tools, and razors. Ohira suita like this are what helped give the mine such exceptional repute. 

Aesthetics & Other Notes

This creamy white shiro suita is loaded with aka renge. The golden lines are benign at this time and would be easily dug if they developed into something problematic.

The stone's stamps are still visible but are in some cases smeared due to testing the lines for toxicity. A fully lapping of the stone's surface will remove the stamps all together, however. The stone is not sealed. 

Ohira (大平, Oohira, Ohirayama)*

A Western mine famous for Uchigumori and the quality of its suita. Although the mine is still occasionally worked, it is increasingly challenging to find uchigumori and Ohira suita available for export. Reportedly, many togishi are worried about the long term supply of quality uchigumori stones. Due to the premium that comes with Ohira suita and uchigumori, it is not uncommon to see stones from other mines stamped or sold as Ohira.