The materials gua sha tools are made from: what jade actually means, how dyed and imitation stone is produced, hardness versus toughness, and why tools break.https://guashastone.org/https://guashastone.org/blogs/testing-a-stone-at-home/https://guashastone.org/blogs/testing-a-stone-at-home/The scratch test, the water test, the loupe and the kitchen scale — what each one actually establishes, and the much longer list of what none of them can.Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTidentificationtreatmentsdurabilityhttps://guashastone.org/blogs/what-bian-stone-is/https://guashastone.org/blogs/what-bian-stone-is/Bian stone is a category name, not a mineral species. Understanding what it does and doesn't specify explains why the label tells you so little.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTbiantrade-namesidentificationhttps://guashastone.org/blogs/hardness-toughness-and-why-tools-break/https://guashastone.org/blogs/hardness-toughness-and-why-tools-break/Hardness resists scratching. Toughness resists fracturing. They're different properties, and the harder stone is often the one that snaps.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTdurabilityjadequartzhttps://guashastone.org/blogs/how-imitation-stone-is-made/https://guashastone.org/blogs/how-imitation-stone-is-made/Dyeing, waxing, polymer impregnation, reconstitution, glass and resin — each is a different process, and each leaves a different trace behind.Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTtreatmentsimitationsidentificationhttps://guashastone.org/blogs/nephrite-jadeite-and-what-jade-means/https://guashastone.org/blogs/nephrite-jadeite-and-what-jade-means/Jade is two unrelated minerals with different compositions and hardnesses — plus a long list of trade names for things that are neither.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTjadetrade-namesidentification