Thread: Shapton Glass stones vs.Traditional or "Pro": What's the right choice?

I'm getting info overload trying to research this myself! Can anyone make a recommendation on the Shapton Glass Stone vs. the Traditional? I will be using these stones only for my Str8's so I don't care about cross functionality. Also, the Lapping stone seems really expensive. I'll make the plunge if some more "experienced"

One additional follow-up: Lynn Abrams talks about the 4k/8k Norton as his workhorse stone. I don't see the 4k Shapton's Pro Models too often. Would it make sense to get 4 stones (1k/5k/8k/15k) if in fact the pro or traditional is the way to go.

Thanks

Get the 4 Shaptons you have already mentioned and you would be fine, you can lap them on wet and dry automotive sandpaper, no need for expensive plates. You will get more consistency out of the Shaptons, naturals are very inconsistent with their ability, each one is a completely different critter.

Thanks! Just to be clear, I don't need to use the Shapton Lapping plate for $320? I can use auto wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface? Would you go with glass stones or the Professional? I think they are both synthetic. Thanks again for the fast reply.

You don't need to spend $320 bucks on a lapping plate man. And wet/dry sandpaper rubber cemented to a piece of glass is a mediocre substitute. I would go on ebay and try to find a diamond DMT plate for lapping, You can find them for $10-$20 most of the time

I would suggest checking out Bladerunner001's recent honing experiment thread.
He sure seems to get some super results with the Shapton Pro's.

I'll check out that thread. I am always leaning in the direction of the more expensive things in life! Why should my Straight Razor obsession be any different?!

Originally Posted by Rojo

I am always leaning in the direction of the more expensive things in life! Why should my Straight Razor obsession be any different?!

Dude, it's like we are best friends already

Hi All,
Please excuse my ignorance, but are the Shapton Glass stones that you are discussing also known as Shapton Ceramic stones?
TIA

Marvellous as the currently available diamond products are for so many purposes, I am a little wary of them for lapping sharpening stones. My reasoning, which could be mistaken, is that something only a little harder than the grit of the stone (or equally hard, in the casew of disposable paper) is more likely to expose fresh grains where diamond would blunten them but leave them in place. It isn't like razor sharpening will require you to flatten a deeply hollowed stone in a hurry.

I wonder if you can still find old televisions with a front of thick, very flat plate glass? Most I've seen lately are either flat-screen or have a bare, convex cathode ray tube.

You can spend the money if you want, but lapping with sandpaper worked for me on the GS's & as far as I know, they are about the hardest system available. I've used sandpaper to lap my Charnley Forrest as well...it doesn't get much harder than some of the naturals. I just use my DMT for slurry or blade repair any more.

If I could find 8" or larger DMT's for $10-20 I might change my ways...but I have never found large, new diamond stones for that price & if you use a diamond stone for lapping, it should be at least as large as your stone as far as length. Sandpaper is cheap and I've always got some on hand...