Thread: What are Your Shapton Questions?

I have just received a bit of an honor(honour for my friends who like to add those u's). The owner of the Woodworker's Club in Norwalk, CT www.woodworkersclubnorwalk.com has invited me to meet with his importer of Shapton products. I know the man has received formal training in Japan for wood working and I know he is an American. Other than that, I know nothing. However, apparently the man has been told some pack of lies about me and he wants to meet me and he wants to see the box I designed to hold Shapton stones.

I will be having dinner with the guy a week from tomorrow, 6/18. I will be happy to ask any questions you kids have so, over the next week, please give it some thought and let's get a list together.

I read in another thread someone wrote, "There are no stupid question". Well, I disagree. There are many, very stupid questions like, "Did pirates really say Arrrgh Maytee"?. That is a stupid question and I won't ask Mr. Shapton anything even remotely like that.

1. What is the difference in the gray series and white series GlassStones from the perspective of straight razor honers?
2. What are the disadvantages of using DMT's for flattening Shapton hones?
3. Does the coarseness of the flattening stone affect the performance of Shapton hones?
4. Do the 30k hones have any real practical benifit for shavers?
5. Which Shapton products are best suited for honing razors (carbon steel versus stainless)?
6. Why don't the GlassStones come in a plastic box like the pro series?
7. Why don't they use a diamond grit instead of ceramic?

Originally Posted by matt321

1. What is the difference in the gray series and white series GlassStones from the perspective of straight razor honers?

What do you mean gray series and white series?

You're having dinner with Harrelson Stanley? Cool, he is very highly respected in the Japanese style woodworking community. He's noted for developing or at the least promoting a side to side plane iron/chisel sharpening technique for removing burrs. He even has a sharpening DVD out there for that purpose.

What do you mean lies about you???

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chrisl

What do you mean gray series and white series?

http://www.geocities.com/soatoz/tois...s/Shapton.html

Wine and dine him,,,,then ask for a special, super duper, low price for an SRP group buy......

Originally Posted by Chrisl

What do you mean gray series and white series?

You're having dinner with Harrelson Stanley? Cool, he is very highly respected in the Japanese style woodworking community. He's noted for developing or at the least promoting a side to side plane iron/chisel sharpening technique for removing burrs. He even has a sharpening DVD out there for that purpose.

What do you mean lies about you???

Chris L

That's the name I was told! I couldn't remember for the life of me. Yes Harrelson Stanley. Thanks Chris!

I wonder if Mr. Stanley knows Toshio Odata, a remarkably skilled Japanese master whom I've been fortunate to know for ten years or so.

My friends have a habit of telling some pretty tall tales of my accomplishments and innovative methods. I personally have a very hard time selling myself but I am grateful to have had great discussions with guys like Frank Klaus, Ian Kirby and Toshio Odata.

Uhh oh.... I hope you didn't miss out on the 20% off deal over on Knifeforums.com?!?! DR sharpening was running a group buy for a few days, I managed to sneak in and grab a few hones. I could have swore I read about it here on SRP.......

Regards

Christian

Originally Posted by coachmike

Wine and dine him,,,,then ask for a special, super duper, low price for an SRP group buy......

Ask the Shapton man why the Japanese Shaopton line is different from those sold in the rest of the world. I own 2 Jhaptons for the Japanese market that I love. And I don't want to hear crap like: "Japanese steel is different" because even Japanese razor makers often use Swedish steel.

the gray ones are the latest shaptons out, i dont think you can get them in the us yet

The gray Shaptons are being sold in JA and AU amongst other places and are meant for Japanese tool steel. The white Shaptons were designed specifically to sharpen A2 tool steels such as used by Lie-Nielsen and were made first to test the glass hone system in the US market. As I understand it, the gray version is also available in the Pro stone series. My source of this information can be found here.

Regards

Kaptain "Gosh, some days I think I must know everything..... well, until I say good morning to my wife at least." Zero

As for the Japanese steel being Swedish..... could very well be, I dunno about that but I doubt Japanese hand tools use Swedish A2 steel exclusively considering most tools I've looked at use laminated steel.