Toishi Ohishi, Premium Japanese waterstones. In Japan, the importance of correct sharpening is given high status as the Japanese reason that perfect work can only be accomplished with a perfectly sharpened blade. It is not just the quality of Japanese tools that excite craftsmen but also the quality of the sharpening. Japanese edge tools, chisels, planes, kiridashis etc. are honed exclusively on special Japanese waterstones. These Ohishi stones have found favour with UK cabinetmaker John Lloyd and with Lie Nielsen Toolworks in the USA who have now championed them as their sharpening stone of choice. Dimensions of standard stones: 8.07x 2.95 x 0.98 Inch. Dimension of Combination stones: 8.07x 2.95 x 1.18. The 3 inches width is very useful when honing wide plane blades, knives or cut throat razors.

Application:
Place the stone in water about 15 minutes before use so that it can absorb enough
water. The stone can also lie in water all the time and is therefore ready for use
at any time. It is important to ensure that the stone is not exposed to large temperature fluctuations (especially not frost).

Use and maintenance of Japanese sharpening and honing stones:
After the sharpening process the stone should be cleaned from the abrasion of the iron.
If the surface is no longer even, the stone should be dressed. (Unevenness occurs
after using e.g. chisels that are narrower than the stone, which means that the
stone does not become evenly thinner). To do this, let the stone air-dry, place
sandpaper on a flat surface and sand the stone until it is flat again.