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  1. #1
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    Default The new High Carbon Glass stones are excellent

    I have the Naniwa Superstones, Shapton Pro, Shapton Glass, and now the Shapton High Carbon Glass.

    The HC Glass Stone feels hard and smooth like the Shapton Pro, but the scratch pattern is more consistent/smooth and it very quickly achieves its true grit. It cuts very fast and doesn't wear much, and it doesn't load up as easily as the other fine grit stones.

    The feedback "feel" is different. It's not nearly as gritty as the Naniwa SS, it just glides quietly. It doesn't load up as easily as the Naniwa finer grits. There is less haziness to its finish. The Naniwa has more feedback because of the grittiness, but the HC Glass stone's smoothness makes sharpening more effortless (also less suctioning effect with full wedges). The HC Glass stone needs less frequent lapping. Less likely to gauge too as it is a hard stone.

    The stone is only available in 4k-6k-8k but it is quite fine for its grit rating. You can finish your razor on the HC 8k (slurry->clean water->dry). Optionally a few strokes on a loaded strop/newsprint, and shave.

    I've also tried honing very wear resistant steels on the HC Glass stone like S30V (63 rc) and ZDP-189 (66 rc), and it works great. Cuts fast. Mirror polishes very well.
    Last edited by cotdt; 02-22-2010 at 11:06 PM.

  2. #2
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    I think the Shapton HC 8k would make a huge upgrade for Chinese 12k users. It feels kind of similar (smooth and hard), finishes a bit finer, and cuts much, much faster. You can cut up your Chinese 12k to use as a slurry stone for the Shapton HC.

  3. #3
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    Thanks for the review. I have the shapton pros but not the glass. My Naniwa superstones don't feel 'gritty' to me at all. Some do load up a bit but I like the feel and the results I get. One of these days I may try one or two of the new glass stones.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimmyHAD View Post
    Thanks for the review. I have the shapton pros but not the glass. My Naniwa superstones don't feel 'gritty' to me at all. Some do load up a bit but I like the feel and the results I get. One of these days I may try one or two of the new glass stones.
    What I meant was, with the Naniwas you can feel some friction. Not as much with the 12k, but definitely with the lower grits. Whereas the HC Glass stones are very hard and slippery, just gliding through, w/o that feeling of friction. It reminds me of my Ch 12k w/WD40 except it's a lot faster and more consistent finish.

    Another difference is that the Naniwas give a cloudy finish when you use less pressure. You don't notice it with most razors but it happens with full wedges because the higher surface area reduces the effective pressure, and you get a cloudy finish. This HC Glass stone gives a mirror polish on full wedges. It's like an oilstone in this aspect and the fact that it glides very smoothly. But yes the Naniwas still give the most honing feedback.
    Last edited by cotdt; 02-22-2010 at 11:29 PM.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Lesslemming's Avatar
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    I donīt want to argue, but my naniwa super 8.000 and 10.000 leave a most bright and mirror finish,
    and both produce nothing hazy at all.
    I heard of a hazy finish left from the SS 12k once,
    but I can say *my* Superstones polish very brightly

    I polish kitchen knives with wide bevels as well and never had such a problem. Do you use slurry on the Superstones?

    But to get back to topic;
    I am really interested in the new Glass Stones.
    How much is a 8.000 grit HC GS? And, let me guess, these are available in US only, right?
    Last edited by Lesslemming; 02-23-2010 at 10:50 AM.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Muirtach's Avatar
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    I just ordered the 4k and 8k as well as a 16k non HC this morning. Due to your comments and discussion with Lynn.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Kingfish's Avatar
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    So are these the very same glass stones that are also known as the "grey stones" or the "J version glass stone"? If so I must add that the 8k that I got a while back is very, very freindly to many razors. More so than the white ones, the caveat is you might find certain more contempory steels better on the white ones. Certain steels gunk it up faster than the white and that smooth feeling goes away until you lap. IMHO if they are the same ones as my grey 8k. If not disregard.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingfish View Post
    So are these the very same glass stones that are also known as the "grey stones" or the "J version glass stone"? If so I must add that the 8k that I got a while back is very, very freindly to many razors. More so than the white ones, the caveat is you might find certain more contempory steels better on the white ones. Certain steels gunk it up faster than the white and that smooth feeling goes away until you lap. IMHO if they are the same ones as my grey 8k. If not disregard.
    yes, they are the grey stones.

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    Kingfish (03-01-2010)

  10. #9
    26. Hatter Engaging in Rhetoric Mijbil's Avatar
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    isnt it a concern that the HC only go up to 8K? how does that cmopare as a finisher for razors to the regular 16K?

  11. #10
    Senior Member Muirtach's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mijbil View Post
    isnt it a concern that the HC only go up to 8K? how does that cmopare as a finisher for razors to the regular 16K?
    I wont speak for the others, but I had no issues with the five razors I honed up last night and tested this morning. Two of them got 5 passes on a barber hone, otherwise it just was 30 on linen and 30 on latigo.

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