I've been using a norton 4K 8K for a while now with good results. I recently decided to treat myself and buy a Shapton 16K to see if I could get better results (not that I'm dissatisfied with the norton results - but there is always a better......)

After lapping the new shapton 16K on 1200 wet and dry on a very flat polished porcelain tile, it was super smooth and flat. In fact, without the wet and dry, just water on the tile the Shapton 16K would slide perfectly on the layer of water between the two. showing that it was probably a true flat surface. I digress.

After moving from the 4K to the 8K the razor slid with a silky smooth action on the 8K as usual. Then moving onto the 16K the action was almost gritty / bumpy - not as smooth as the 8K, it did not slide with the same silky smoothness I've become accustomed to with the norton. After use the surface of the Shapton had quite a few .5mm to 1mm grey dots that are impossible to detect by feeling. In fact the Shapton is silky smooth. It has a sort of mottled sheen to it. I was expecting the action to be silky smooth being a finer stone, not harsh and jittery. You can see the feint grey smears of metal particles down the length of the shapton after use.

The shave afterwards was OK but only OK not what I expected (I've had better results from just using my 4/8K then a pasted stop and normal stopping before use.

I hear such glowing reports with the Shapton 16K

Any help would be gratefully received.

Jon

PS Thank you to everybody here I've learned so much over the past year. Great Web site