Hondo Daigokujo are the highest quality sharpening stones among Otaniyama stones. Mount Otani is located approximately 10 kilometres north-west of the centre of Kameoka Town Hall and is the common name of many mountains. It is a grinding stone layer containing many abrasive particles and appears to have been quarried during the Showa era, as the black colour was considered a bad luck and was avoided in the Edo period.
The quality of the stones is good, but they are not widely known because they were not allowed to join the Kyoto Natural Stones Association, because the latter did not like the cheap, high-quality stones on the market. Then a businessman, who mainly imported and sold lubricants, rods, irons, etc., spotted this grinding stone and sold it door to door to hairdressers all over Japan, and gradually it spread.
This stone is a mixture of Hondo-mae and Shiki-tomae which gives the best finish. This can be compared to Nakayama's finish.
At the time, it sold for about the same price as a university graduate's starting salary, but since it's a black stone, not everyone thinks it's worth that much. As for this whetstone, it is a little soft, so it can also be used for finishing knives.
It is thick enough to last a lifetime. As the name suggests, it is a versatile grinding stone that can be used not only for knives, but also for finishing razors, small knives, scissors, files, chisels, etc. The appeal of Otaniyama is that the result is similar to that of the highest quality sharpening stones.
Cold water will significantly deteriorate the response of the steel over time, so it is better to use warm water of about 42 degrees when sharpening.
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