Toma Nagura (砥間名倉) - is a traditional Japanese natural auxiliary stone used to form a suspension on the surface of the main honing stone. The term 'nagura' itself means 'rubbing stone' and 'Toma' is one of the old, classic types.
Toma Nagura was mined in various parts of Japan, but today the old Toma Nagura mines of known quality have closed and the remaining examples are highly prized.
In Old Japanese usage:
- 「砥間 (Toma)」 - meant any piece of sharpening stonethe cuttings or trimmings used to make the slurry by rubbing it against the bedrock.
- Tokyo "Toma" could have come from the same mine as the main stone, or from another mine.
- It didn't always have to be of high quality or of a special coating - the suspension function was the key.
📌 How did the current concept of "Toma Nagura" come about?
Over time, as the tradition of natural Japanese stones has evolved, nagura sets have come to signify not only function but also origin and level of abrasiveness. Then it's "Toma Nagura" started to be called:
- Or very fine pebbles from a quality layerused for the last suspension.
- Or, as in the old schools, any cut from another good stoneused as a nagura.
Asano Mikawa Nagura system came later, standardising the layers and the progression of nacre from the coarsest to the finest.
📊 Toma Nagura characteristics
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Origin | Historic mines in Japan, mostly in the Kyoto region |
| Abrasiveness | Mostly small but faster than Mejiro, close to Koma but can be any rough stone chip |
| Suspension colour | Depends on the properties of the stone in question |
| Usage | Mostly for finishing suspension, edge smoothing, precision polishing of razors and knives, but can be used for any stage |
📌 Where is it used?
- Traditionally used with Awasedo (finishing natural stones) for the final polishing slurry.
- The coarser option allows any sharpening step
- Ideal for the final "smoothing" of razor edges.
- Used instead of Koma when a slightly softer but more abrasive effect is desired.
📍 Toma Nagura's place in the progression
If we put it into a progression with Asano Mikawa Nagura:
Mushi > Ban > Atsu > Yae Botan > Botan > Tenjyo > Mejiro > Toma > Koma
It stands between Mejiro and Coma, or even some schools instead of Koma.
📖 Conclusion:
✔️ "Toma" basically meant cuttings or trimmings any sharpening stone used to extract the slurry.
✔️ In current terminology "Toma Nagura" is sometimes called rare old nailsbut it is more of a historical concept.
✔️ If someone says "here's my toma nagura", the old meaning might be any piece of natural stone for sharpening suspension.
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