Ceramic Toishi
fine, medium and coarse Ceramic Toishi
Everyone from beginners to professional artists use ceramic stones. Ceramic stones come in three grits: shiageto (fine), chudo (medium), and arato (coarse). Use the shiageto stone regularly to keep tools in top condition and the chudo stone occasionally when the tool is quite dull. The arato stone is reserved for grinding out nicks.
When you are using ceramic stones, it is a good idea to use a Nagura Stone. These soft stones are rubbed on the wet ceramic stone, creating a paste that aids in sharpening the blade.
Molded Ceramic Toishi
fine and medium Molded Ceramic Toishi
Molded Ceramic Toishi feature pre-formed grooves for sharpening u-gouges. The separate slipstone (at the top) has both a narrow and a broad edge used to remove the burr that forms on the inside of v- and u-gouges as the bevel side of the tool is being sharpened. (Do not try to sharpen the inside face of your tool on the slipstone; this will create a second bevel, effectively dulling the tool so it will no longer carve well.) The back of the stone can be used as a flat stone for any tool shape.