Thread: Shapton Glass 30k - Is it worth it?

Try a lot more laps, coticule -> slate -> 30k are big jumps. In my experience and from what I've read you can't overhone if you're using light pressure so go nuts even, just to be sure, like 50+ laps. If you do that experiment try shaving off of the slate-with-way-extra-laps first just to see how you like it. It'll probably be different than your usual which sounds like you were making a sweet hybrid of the coticule and slate edges. Then do a whole bunch on the 30k, since that's also a big jump and it's a smaller hone. You might consider using some magnification to inspect the edge, keep honing until it's a mirror as you shouldn't be able to see a 30k scratch pattern on less than a microscope and probably not even then unless it's a quite good one.

Pumas have good steel, I'd be surprised if it couldn't hold the edge. And even if it can't, wouldn't that start out sharp initially and then degrade during the shave? Seems to be the way it went when I've had retention issues.

Also, good price, I'm in Canada too, where is the 30k 7 $80?

Fendrihan had it on sale a week ago. Don’t know if that sale is still on.

It's not anymore. Was a big hit.

It's good and it works, but ymmv.

It would be interesting to compare it against 0.1u CBN and see if that gives something more evident or not.

This being said, a good coticule edge might be hard to beat.

Originally Posted by JOB15

The best synthetic edges I've had have come from the 30k
I would recommend it if asked.

As Glen said, the Shapton Glass series are intended to be used as a closed system. I’ve got the full set and for those razors I take all the way to 30k, they are excellent shavers. For some of my razors I finish on naturals, but usually bring them up on the Shaptons to 8k then jump to the naturals. When I got started I bought the Shapton set (1,2,4,8,16,30k)’to serve as foundational to anything else.

It gets to point on honing where the honer is chasing something that is not there, for me and this is me only my progression lately has be a slurried 4K Shapton GS then a Shapton 8k and then some passes on a Nakayama Kiita with just a hint of slurry then strop.

For lots of razors they can’t handle this high level grits like a 30k and really does your face need a 30k, for me I find those razors honed on higher progressions somewhat harsh but this is all me

I looked at it years ago. I saw they had this very expensive lapping plate. And the fact that the sg20 k was only marginally less fine (.49 micron to .44 for the shapton) and went that route. And the sg20k doesn't have a history of performance issues. Not my words though. Those are the words of many users who have the stone. I don't and never tried it so won't comment on that.

So here's a question for you guys on the idea that Shaptons are intended to be a closed system. On the other end, I was thinking about getting the Shapton Glass 1.5k to supplement my Chosera 1k (which is the most important hone in my arsenal!) as a bevel setter. Does that SG 1.5 offer anything I don't already have? Bevel refinement? For what it's worth, the backbone in the middle of my progression is the tried and true Norton 4/8k, which I have no intention of replacing. My usual jumping off point to naturals is the equally trusty Nani 12.

I generally like my natural edges at this point, and have no desire to get any super-high grit synths like this-just curious what experienced Shapton users think about my theory on the 1.5k SG's utility on the low end.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

So here's a question for you guys on the idea that Shaptons are intended to be a closed system. On the other end, I was thinking about getting the Shapton Glass 1.5k to supplement my Chosera 1k (which is the most important hone in my arsenal!) as a bevel setter. Does that SG 1.5 offer anything I don't already have? Bevel refinement? For what it's worth, the backbone in the middle of my progression is the tried and true Norton 4/8k, which I have no intention of replacing. My usual jumping off point to naturals is the equally trusty Nani 12.

I generally like my natural edges at this point, and have no desire to get any super-high grit synths like this-just curious what experienced Shapton users think about my theory on the 1.5k SG's utility on the low end.

If I am reading this right you are asking if a Shapton 1.5 will help after a Chosera 1k... The answer is a resounding "No" it is a waste of money

(Before anyone takes that wrong I am NOT dissing on the Shapton,, I am saying it isn't needed after the Chosera 1k)

When you are ready to change something get a Chosera/Pro 3K or 5k and drop the Norton 4k JMHO that would smooth out your "Sharpening" and lead into a nice Norton 8k pre-finisher

ie: The Norton 8k is a really strong hone the Norton 4k mmmmmmmm not so much since around 2009 /2010 when they moved production

I've been using the 7 series exclusively for some time now and the feeling I get is they're cutters, not so much polishers. I have shave off the 1.2 micron alot and it is only okay. From charts I've seen it should exceed the Naniwa 12k, but the polish and shave is closer to the 8k. Even then the Naniwa is a bit better. Though a bit of polish on any natural puts a laser edge on there, and is the only way I will use them.

Aaron, I second Glen's position. But I would go for the 2k/5k super/special stones, stellar performance and decent price. The amount of leg work they cover towards polishing the bevel is stellar and the water/edge response is 1000 times more reliable than shaptons.

Thanks men-I'll take your experiences and advice into consideration. Glenn, I got one of the "good" Norton 4k's before the production move. It doesn't have the rough skin that apparently some had to lap through. That said, I'm not sure it improves a Chosera 1k bevel all that much-I swear that green brick can hone like a 4 or 5k with a few sets of super-light strokes after bevel-set!