Thread: are shapton hones worth the purchase?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

As you have already read there are many opinions, and as of yet I actually haven't run into many hones I don't like ....

The Shaptons are a SHARP set of stones, they will probably get a given razor SHARPER then any other set... (before you disagree I am talking true micron sharpness, not anything else)

Their true strength is in the "Flags" they throw up as you reach the end of each stones usefulness, Many stones you have to guess when to move on the the next stone, with the Shapton GS set they are very obvious about it...

Which is nice for guys without thousands of razors honed under their proverbial belt

Glen, what exactly changes in the feedback when they're done? More/less suction? Increased/decreased draw?

Originally Posted by PA23-250

Glen, what exactly changes in the feedback when they're done? More/less suction? Increased/decreased draw?

Yes

You can really feel the end of that stone as you hone, it is like when you start on that stone there is one feeling and once the previous scratches are gone there is a slicker feel... It really is pretty obvious...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yes

You can really feel the end of that stone as you hone, it is like when you start on that stone there is one feeling and once the previous scratches are gone there is a slicker feel... It really is pretty obvious...

This is exactly my experience too. The hone goes from feeling like it's really getting after it and then all of a sudden... it's like you are on glass, and that's when the hones is saying, "hey dummy... move on "

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You can really feel the end of that stone as you hone, it is like when you start on that stone there is one feeling and once the previous scratches are gone there is a slicker feel... It really is pretty obvious...

I'll second this. The shaptons are great hones. They're readily available, cover the entire range of grits that we need, are very fast, consistent performers on pretty much every razor, and extremely communicative. When I first discovered them it was almost like cheating because they made it so easy.

OK, Here's the other end. Everyone that has Shapton's or the entire line of course likes them. I think it's like anything else, Favorite razors or widths, Favorite shave cream or soap. I think it's personal. They're synthetic and expensive. I like Naturals when I can. If we got Howard on here, he could blow your mind with his Shapton knowledge. I'm with Jimmy on this one. I like and use the Naniwa's. I have almost 100 hones, and 1 Shapton. The 16k. I used it maybe 6 times. I just, and this is my opinion, think there are better finisher's out there (J Nat and Escher) I really can't say about the rest of the Shaptons, and there are like 4 different types...

I'm sure Shapton is a great hone. I've managed to avoid them. My 16k is the Ceramic based hone mounted on glass. That's what your talking about. With Shapton, They have way to many high end toy's. A special 300.00 DGLP, or Diamond Glass Lapping Plate, Special holders, Special ponds, Etc...Now, you can get around all that stuff, you really don't need it. If that was my only choice for honing, I'd be using an Electric Razor....

Originally Posted by mparker762

I'll second this. The shaptons are great hones. They're readily available, cover the entire range of grits that we need, are very fast, consistent performers on pretty much every razor, and extremely communicative. When I first discovered them it was almost like cheating because they made it so easy.

The Shapton Glass hones are indeed very consistent. I did a couple thousand razors on them before testing another set of hones and they are very nice. They have a nice hard feeling to them along with the feed back mentioned if that is your personal preference. Can't go wrong with them all the way from bevel setting to finishing. I am still using my Naniwa Supers and Norton more than these along with some rotation with Naturals as finishers, but these are also a very worthy stones.

Lynn

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yes

You can really feel the end of that stone as you hone, it is like when you start on that stone there is one feeling and once the previous scratches are gone there is a slicker feel... It really is pretty obvious...

I wanted to comment earlier. I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm a newb and shaptons are the only thing I've worked razors on. So to me it's not "obvious" but it certainly isn't difficult to notice either. I wouldn't say it's a change in draw or suction. It's just a different *feel*