hey guys =)

at the moment I play with korean glass stones, but I'm not satisfied with that. theire just ok.
a month ago, I ordered "very well shaped" yunzi for 200€ (about 220$).
I really loved the feeling of them, but after a week I tested them about lead and the test turned positiv, so I gave them back.
also the stones werent really "well shaped" almost the half of the stones lay crooked on the board.

so, where can I get noble stones? I dont want glass, so the only opinion is yunzi right?
I looked weeks ago on theire homepage, but they had just few offers.

is theire a possibility to get real well shaped non-lead yunzi (or a equivalent alternative)?

for some reason I dont want to use shell stones

kind regards
aatos

I've never bought from them, but there are gemstone go sets available at http://www.algorithmicartisan.com/gosto ... tones.html

Would definitely recommend checking with others/the owner before purchasing as they are a bit pricey.

thx u, smoky quartz/black onyx and magesite/white jade seems to be cool. but I like the look and feeling of yunzi more.
but thats a first worthy alternative.

any other suggestions?

If not Slate and Shell, then Jade and Onyx would be my alternative. They were the traditional stones in China (well for the upper gentry anyway).

I'd wanted a set of yunzi stones for a while, but after learning about the lead issue a few years ago, I no longer recommend them. It's quite disappointing, they're beautiful stones.

Hi,
I have several sets, of different materials. One set is onyx. They are gems, also to the eye, but they are more to show-off then to play with them. I don't like them very much for actual use. The material may be shiny, but it is (very) hard and feels cold. Also, they are slippery between the fingers.
An other set of mine is yunzi. Some stones have minor defects, but overall I like them very much. Both look and feel are very nice. I play them often. I bought them from Yellow Mountain Imports. I recommend this seller. If you wash them and oil them, then I think lead is not an issue (anymore). Surface lead is washed off, and internal lead is irrelevant because one doesn't eat them. I think you can order in various sizes/thickness.
I don't understand your dislike of slate and shell though. I have several sets of slate and shell, various grades and thickness, and they are beautiful. Contact Erythen for a nice set of slate and shell if you like.
If budget allows, and if you have an exclusive preference, you may want to search for jade (lighter green and darker green; actual, proper jade I mean, it is a rather soft stone). I expect that to be both beautiful and nice to play with. I don't know where/how to get a set of those though.
I do not know if I would have the guts (and money) to buy from this online artisan.

The 10 mm ING weighted plastic stones are excellent for club use, and very affordable.

The original post did not say slate and shell, merely shell. I have a set which I have had for over 30 years but I would not buy them anymore. When I became vegetarian with strong vegan leanings I stopped buying anything which uses animal products in any way. Perhaps the OP is a committed vegan.

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Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

I keep hearing good things about ING stones. I need to get myself a set one of these days.

I've tested my yunzi after washing and oiling them, and the test displayed maximum measurable lead contamination on the surface.
maybe this is no big problem, but I had "ugh, its lead in it" in my mind all the time ^^
to me, shellstones are the most beautiful, but I dont want to bear responsibiltiy for killing several beeings just to play with nice stones.
do you think onyx is harder than glass?
money is not the problem, but I cant find your suggested jade stones.

@EdLee: but plastic isnt noble =P


boy oh boy, I dont want to know how many hours I actually had spend for getting information and searching a fitting go-set...

thx for your help!


edit: if I can get slate stones separately, I have to look for well shaped white jade stones. (the artisan stones dont look like theire well shaped). this would be a nice combination I guess

I've purchased replacement slate from Mr. Kuroki. Go ahead and send him a message. I'm sure he can put together a full set for you in whatever size you'd like. Just keep in mind that slate stones are generally one size larger than shell stones.

are kurokis stones all well balanced?

does it make sense to purchase the slate stones one size larger then the jade stones?


finally I need to find the jade stones in same quality and cut than kurokis stones. thats going to be difficult I guess

Yes, his stones go through a rather intense review before being shipped.

Honestly, I'm not sure if the size difference matters. It supposedly offsets an optical illusion between the observed sizes of the white and black stones, but in truth, I've personally never noticed any difference.

Another thing to consider if you're going to mix slate and jade (or some other precious stone) is that Jade will be fairly shiny in comparison. I've never played with Jade, but the difference between it and the slate might be a bit distracting. Slate is quite matte, especially new.

that's because the optical illusion has been offset


Why not go with Jade and Onyx?
http://www.algorithmicartisan.com/gostones/

The Algorithmic Artisan stuff sure is pretty, but most of them aren't in stock (asterisk means Sold Out), and will take 6 - 8 weeks for delivery. Plus the guy suggests talking to him before paying (probably to make sure you know about the long delivery times).

If time and money are not really an issue, why not go for a totally stunning set of lapis lazulae and malachiet?

after all lapis lazulae and malachiet is a bit out of my budget ^^
also I want black and white stones. but to be honest, malachiet looks really gorgeous. its my favourite gem followed by citrine.

I've asked him if he can achieve same shape and balance of the stones as mr. kuroki, if I would send him a master-stone.
lets see... =)

thx u!

I have several samples of Algorithmic Artisan's go stones. The materials are unusual, but the craftsmanship isn't overly special. You can purchase the exact same stones directly from various Chinese factories. Quality control isn't anywhere near Mr. Kuroki's.

If you're set on white/black stones, I suggest striped agate.



They're stunning stones, very reminiscent of slate and shell but completely lacking any semblance of animal cruelty. They're durable and relatively inexpensive. I use these in my travel set. These are some of my least expensive stones, but one of my top two favorites.

I know this is an old thread, but does anyone know how to find striped agate stones like those in Scatcat's post? Other than the super expensive out of stock site Algorithmic Artisan? My google-fu is letting me down today.

#2 in this thread

http://www.algorithmicartisan.com/gostones/

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“The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.” — Salvador Dali ★ Play a slooooow correspondence game with me on OGS?

Right, but like I said, other than that site? ScatCat seemed to indicate he had gotten them elsewhere, and that they were inexpensive. I would not consider AA inexpensive. So any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!