Morihei Hishiboshi Hi Whetstone #500

Morihei is a knife and whetstone supplier located in Asakusabashi, Tokyo. They have been a part of the industry for over 100 years, including the predecessor of Morihei “Oguro-Morihei-Shouten“. At one point in time, more than 20 groups of blacksmiths and sharpeners were working exclusively under Morihei. They are one of the only companies in Japan with a long-standing history of relationships with blacksmiths and whetstone and natural stone makers that still exists today. The president, Mr. Akimitsu Oguro is highly regarded and extremely well educated on the “Kanto” knife style. He acts like a gatekeeper for this specific style. Educating craftsmen on the old techniques used to keep not only double but also single bevel knives from the Tokyo region alive.
Morihei is one of the most reputable natural stones dealers and next to some of our favorite knives and stones they supply a wide range of woodworking- and gardening-tools.

Please try to utilise as much of the surface of the stone to minimise dishing. In all cases whetstones need to be kept flat to insure consistent results. This can be done with flattening plates or stones. Find them on the ‘sharpening accessory’ page.
To flatten properly, use a pencil to draw a grit on the surface of the stone. Once all pencil marks are lapped of the stone is flat. Chamfer the edges and corners of the stone for extra safety.

Always clean and dry the stones properly before storing. Metal leftover can rust overtime. It is very beneficial to flatten post sharpening to leave a clean surface.
Do not drop whetstone as they can chip or even break. Leaving a stone submerged in water for extended periods can make it more fragile.