Thread: Chosera vs Shapton Glass

I currently have the following stones:

Chosera 1k
Naniwa SS 3/5/8/12k
Suehiro Gokumyo 20k

I am not in love with the feedback I receive from the Naniwa SS stones. Any advice on swapping over to either Chosera 3/5/8 (snow white)/10 or Shapton Glass 3/6/8/10/16k.

Thanks for your input!

I hear you with the Super Stones. The 8k Snow White will eliminate the 8k and 12k Super Stones. (Folks say it is higher than 8k, I think so, amazing polish for an 8k almost stria free), And is an easy jump to the SG20, Natural or Chrome Oxide. It is also splash and go.

So, if you go that route, you just need a good 4k, I like the Naniwia Hayabusa 4k. But really any 4k will do. You are not shaving off that stone so, it does not matter much. The Nubatama 4k is the best, if you can find it. Smooth and fast, I haven’t seen them for a few years.

Your progression would be Chosera 1k Hayabusa 4k, Snow White 8k (white box) though the Fuji is very close second. And SG20, or Natural,

The only benefit of the Shaptons over the Naniwias is splash and go. If you do go Shapton you can make the 8k to SG20 jump easily. You don’t nee the 10 or 16.

Splash and go for me is over rated, I just use a plastic tray and a squirt bottle instead of a spray bottle and keep the top of the stone flooded after a couple squirts, just add as needed.

Years ago, I tried to put together the ideal progression and ended up with a Nubatama 1 and 4k, Snow White 8k and SG20. That is my go-to, I do switch up the 1k with a Chosera and a King, all 3 work, with the Nubatama the most aggressive, actually the Norton is most aggressive but I don’t use it much. For some reason I like the King 1k, it is muddy and a quick soak helps, but it is fast and smooth (muddy).

So, the bevel setter and middle stones don’t matter much for me, the 8k is the workhorse that get me to a finisher.

The Choseras and especially the Snow White have a reputation for cracking. A friend has had 4 SW (he really liked them) and they all cracked and there are threads on Chosera cracking here. I have a SW and it shows some fine spiderwebs. That said, SW/Chosera are thick as opposed to the Shapton Glass 5mm thickness. The Glass stones do take a while to wear out but it can be done, especially if you hone pro or semi-pro.

There are 2 series of Glass Stone so you have a choice there too. The original HR is the white one, they’re very fast and a joy to use if you control the cutting speed. The speed is especially nice with full hollow razors because you can’t push very hard on them. I use a 4k Glass HR for light bevel work on full hollows.

The grey HC (high carbon) series feels very much like the Shapton Pro, smoother, softer feeling while honing, not as fast as the HR and designed for high carbon steel. These are currently only offered (I think) in 4k, 6k, and 8k, but more are coming I believe.

Cheers, Steve

I have the Shapton Glass series 1k 2k 4K 8k 16k 30k. It is the foundation for all else I might do with my naturals. The SG stones are easy and reliable to use. I wouldn’t use anything else as the center of my setup.

“The Choseras and especially the Snow White have a reputation for cracking.”

Yup, Snow White is crazed, a bunch of cracks that you cannot feel. It does not affect honing or the edge I use it almost daily and has been crazed for 4-5 years now.
My 1k Chosera that is older maybe 7-8 years has not, it is pristine. I just splash and go with both of them.

I do have a new Snow White in the box, just in case. There was a rumor a couple years ago that it was going to be discontinued, but I don’t think so.

I heard they craze if you soak them, I did soak it when I first got it. Now I just splash and go, I also lap often, every time I use it. It is a hard stone. I would not worry about the crazing.

I use the Chosera 1K, 3K, 5K, then I use the Snow White 8K, Naniwa 12K, then a final SG 20K, the Snow White 8K is a stone I've used for many years, I also think the Snow White 8K is higher than it's 8K rating I would say more near a 10K stone.

I too have a snow white, that's cracked. I call it my egg shell, rock. For it reminds me of a hard boiled egg, that's been rolled around on the counter.

Haven't used it or my SS, in some time. I set the bevel on a Chosera, then progress through Nats.

So...I like to hone a bit more.

Except Nubatamas, I have/had all of the stones mentioned and more. I still consider the Glass HC 8k to be the best 8k stone I ever used. Even the HR works well (now I have them both).

The Choseras and SW need attention. I still hear about cracked ones. They never got soaked once and still cracked. Even the 1k can crack if the air is too dry for long. I've seen this as well. Alternatives would be the Kramers, but the 10k can also split on its own at some point, so I don't know. I really like the rest of the set. Not 100% like Choseras, but close. I've used them side by side on all grits.

I would say that Glass HR/HC 4/8k would be enough. HCs are easier to work with and better for razors as far as I could see. Right now in Europe they go for about 110€ both. Definitely best buy.

Thanks to all for the input! I could not resist and ordered a SW 8K last night. I have been wanting to try this stone for some time now and it was time! I will play with it and see how it performs.

As far as the 4/5k goes, I received a quote on a Nubatama 4K bamboo for $104 shipped from Ken Schwartz. I am going to hold off on this stone for now and play with what I have.

Thanks again for all the input!

Good choice, synthetic stones are just a matter of personal preference. The better stones all do the same thing, about the same way. Some feel different, some may be a bit more aggressive, but none of that matters, (5-10 laps more or less) all that much once you get to the finisher.

As long as you do your part, fully setting the bevel and removing the deep scratches from the previous stone at the edge, with each stone you will get to a finisher, that will polish the bevel and give you as straight an edge as possible.

The brand or model of the stone does not matter. Some guys bevel set and then finish on 2 stones. For hundreds of years guys shaved just that way, a course stone and a fine stone, then stropped on a bit of paste and used the finisher and paste to keep shaving.

I have even done a full progression from 1k to 8k on Wet and Dry and finished on a natural. I defy anyone to shave with that razor and one honed on stones and finished on the same natural, to tell the difference.

You’ll be happy with the Snow White it is a good stone, really an edge does not get real straight until the 8k, which is why I use it for a jumping off point to a natural most often. It is a very easy jump.

Lap it well, it is hard and enjoy.