Thread: Shapton GS prices increased (?)

Jnats are nowadays almost cheaper than cotis of the same size. They are definitely a good alternative to the other options available.

If you can handle pros instead, keep your eyes on overseas vendors - especially for the lower grits. There are still sellers in japan who are selling them at decent dollar levels.

I wish I would've gotten into this hobby early enough to get a nice coticule about 8 inches long and 2 1/2+ wide!

I agree with alex - when you start looking at dollars per abrasive MM, they're expensive stones! Not a big deal for them to be that thin if you're only doing a few razors, but the 1k glasstone is pretty soft, and over in the woodworking side of the sharpening world, people wear them out pretty fast.

I don't know if the glasstones are used much in japan, maybe they are, it just always seems like the sellers actually in japan push pro series stones more than glasstones.

Originally Posted by JimR

It sure it. I should change it, I've been using it way too long.

If you get rid of it, I'm going to inherit his image on here - having the sword saint of Japan is a most fitting image for this forum! Read Go Rin No Sho

I think my Shapton GS's will outlast me easily. Having a full progression from 1-30k, each stone doesn't get much more than around 15 strokes pr stone, and usually just around 6-7 on the 30k.
Worth it to me...

Originally Posted by DaveW

I don't know if the glasstones are used much in japan, maybe they are, it just always seems like the sellers actually in japan push pro series stones more than glasstones.

I think the reason for that is that Japanese tool steel is mostly Carbon Steel and the Pros are formulated for it. The GS were formulated to handle western tool needs that include alloys that do not do as well on Pros.

I know they say that, but the only thing I could figure out between the two (i have and have had some of both) is that the low grit stones like the 1000 of the glasstones are a bit softer. In the upper ranges, a retailer and I were trying to figure out what the difference was on tool steels that weren't high carbon (A2 and M2), and it's not a secret that the shaptons in general do not deal well with woodworking tools at least when the steel is tougher than A2 (they glaze with the filings of whatever is on them). Even on A2, both of them are markedly slower than with carbon steel.

All of the shaptons cut carbon steel at a ridiculously fast rate.

I couldn't really tell the difference with A2, and the M2 was marginally cut on a 15k shapton pro and I couldn't tell if it was cutting at all on a 16k glasstone.

This doesn't necessarily translate to razor use, though, as slow cutting isn't really a big deal if the finish is good. On woodworking tooling where you get small chips and large wear bevels, though, causing you to do a lot of work on the stones, it matters a lot.

Glasstones and pros feel a little different in use, and there may be some difference between the two that I missed because I only side-by-side tested them a couple of times, but I'd say that there are finish stones at least that cut HSS and A2 a lot faster than either of the shapton stones. If they were aiming for the west, they should've made a bigger and thicker stone that was a little more friable. The 1000 glasstone is a bit more friable, but I didn't notice the high grits to be, and they're thin, anyway. The 1000 has to be about the worst $ per unit of work done of any stone around when the work gets heavier than razors, despite it being a fairly pleasant stone to use. I just don't understand what they're thinking when they put 5mm of abrasive on a stone that's generally (for knives and tools) expected to do a whole lot of work to set the table for the stones that polish.

I get the sense (and it's just my opinion, of course) that there is a lot of slop somewhere in the pricing between manufacturing and retail. I don't know where it is, but it seems out of line compared to a lot of other decent stones.

Just all of my opinion, I don't want to start any fights.

I would have to agree with Shaptons 1k and lower(both glass and pro FME), for me too there are better stones and options for the lower grit stones for both razors and non razors.

Since I got my J-market Pro's (Ha No Kuromaku) I don't use DMT's for edge repair on chips etc nor have I used my Glass stones which seem miles slower by comparison..
The pros eat any razor I've honed for breakfast, stainless or carbon. I don't sharpen tools so can't comment there.

Are you going from your 15k (or is it 12k Japanese) to your Jnats? How would you say it compares to the 16k GS? Also, how have you found the 1k pro for bevels, compared to the 1k Chosera if you've used it?

Originally Posted by PA23-250

Are you going from your 15k (or is it 12k Japanese) to your Jnats? How would you say it compares to the 16k GS? Also, how have you found the 1k pro for bevels, compared to the 1k Chosera if you've used it?

For me the Chosera is miles ahead of the 1K pro. The 2K on the other hand is very sweet..