Ohira Sumingashi Suita

Size (mm) / Weight

218x80x55 / 2,479g

Performance

Hardness / Fineness: 4 / 4+

This suita is an excellent all purpose polishing and sharpening stone. While not soft and muddy, it has terrific feel and tactile engagement with hardened steel and soft cladding alike. It abrades uniformly and predictably without the need for extensive surface conditioning or a slurry. While some portions of the lines can be felt under heavy pressure, I have not experienced any issues with scratching or particle inconsistency. There stone is almost entirely sunashi and very clean. 

The polish is a glossy kasumi revealing some detail while maintaining good contrast and haziness. Edges are very refined, but not dead and glassy feeling in the way some stones can be. For razors, this could be a finishing stone when used skillfully alongside a good stropping regimen - others will prefer this stone as a pre-finisher in that context. 

Aesthetics & Other Notes

This suita shows blue-grey coloring with swirls of darker purple, splotches of lighter color, and ample red renge. The sumingashi pattern is apparent and beautiful.

The stone is sealed in clear lacquer.

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.

This stone is being sold on consignment