Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
First half: Learn the difference between artificial and natural grinding stones
Second half: Sharpening the knives you brought with you on a natural whetstone
It was a knife that had been sharpened but never sharpened on a whetstone.
The edge of the blade is much rounder. Since the blade had not been applied, I started with a synthetic whetstone No. 1000 and put the blade on.
Elementary school students took up the challenge. They sharpened it well while handling it carefully because it is a blade.
We put the blade on No.1000, No.3000, and then used a natural whetstone for the finish. For the natural whetstone, I used a stone from a layer called Tomae in Nakayama. It is a very precious natural whetstone.
It was a short sharpening experience, but we were relieved that it ended without any injuries.
We hope you learned how to maintain one knife and use it with care. The natural whetstone used for finishing is still easier to use than the man-made one, as it improves the sharpness of the blade. However, there are many high-quality man-made whetstones for shaping and sharpening the edge, called rough and medium whetstones, and the mines of natural whetstones are being closed. We would like to hold a second or third hands-on class if the opportunity arises, so that the valuable assets of natural whetstones in Japan can be passed on to the next generation of children in a better form, and so that the appeal of natural whetstones can be enhanced and a sustainable society can be created.
Thank you very much for your participation today.
(Extra) It turned out much better.