Thread: Shapton Kuromaku Stones Thoughts/ Shapton Pro Stones

I've been honing with the Shapton Kuromaku stones for the last year and this is what I've learned about them and how I have used them lastly how it effects your pocket. I have the 1k 1.5k 2k 5k 8k 15k pro series stones which is the entire set excluding the 30k which is a little above my budget lol.

First I would like to address the Kuromaku stones which is the Japanese version on the Shapton pro stones. The kuromaku stones are half the cost of the Shapton pro stones and it was said that they released the Shapton pros just for the states because some stones were cracking due to the humidity differences from Japan and they used different binders to prevent the cracking. In terms of performance they are exactly the same, even the 12k Kuromaku and 15k Shapton Pro perform the same and if there is a difference it's not enough to justify the $60 difference in the stones IMO. I haven't had any issues with cracking on my stones now that doesn't mean that there isn't any issues with it, maybe if u live in the desert you might have different results. a risk you do have with buying the Kuromaku stones is that it voids Shaptons warranty if the stones do crack. Looking at the price difference for the series of stones is Shapton Pro $555 and the Kuromaku for $310 (price doesn't include 30k stone)

Now comes to the honing bit, what I have noticed with these stones and how I use them. Keep in mind I am not a honmister nor do I claim to know a great deal about honing. This is only what works for me and if maybe someone new comes across this hopefully this will help them with the learning curve with the stones. Also another thing to bear in mind is that I have only used these stones to hone with and maybe this is how all brands of stones work in a progression. lastly I tried my best with the pictures, I took them with a 100x microscope and u have to get it just right. i took a bunch of pictures and used the best ones but still didn't have the best of luck.

To start I lap all my stones prior to using them with my Atoma 600, using the pencil grid under running water to make sure they are flat. Each stone I use a light slurry then I water it down completely until it's just water on the stone. I do this with one hand on the razor and spray bottle in the other.

The 1k stone I have noticed is really abrasive stone, I have used another 1k stone briefly and it felt way less abrasive. (I actually had someone point this out to me) this made me wonder if the girt levels were different from one brand to another. I use this stone to start off with if the edge needs a great deal of work like big chips in the edge, frowning that kind of thing. Another thing I've noticed with this stone is that my edge would never be straight it would always have micro chipping. I used to think this was a problem with how much pressure I used or how long I stayed on the stone. I also used to bread knife the razor to make it straight then go back to the 1k and only use the stone up to when the serrated looking edge started. Now things have changed and I've realized the 1k 1.5k 2k level stones actually all cause this "chipping" looking edge but it would slowly get better as I moved to each stone. I have never used stria to know when I move on (might be a huge flaw in my honing but this works for me) I know when to move on when my entire edge looks about the same with the size of the "chipping"

here are pictures to maybe help explain what I'm saying because I might not be making any sense hahaha

here is the 1k 1.5k 2k there isn't much a difference you can tell in pictures but the edge gets less "chippy" another way to say this is the edge gets straighter with less flaws in it.





now the 5k is where the magic seems to happen lol I've checked after only a few passes and the edge will improve leaps in bounds. I would say the 5k and 8k is where I spend most of my time. But I use the same process as before and just keep trucking until the edge looks about the same all way across. Also this is where I use less pressure as compared to the other stones.




the 15k, this is were I spend the least time I would say I will get 25 passes because if I go any further the edge will start the micro chipping. I have no idea why this happens but it doesn't fail that if I get careless and not count the edge is ruined and I have to go back to the 8k until it's gone again. I have had someone try and replicate this issue who was a honemister (IMO) and he had done about 100 laps and didn't have the issue now how or why this happened I haven't got a clue but it didn't happen, it was craziness!




Again I have to say this is only IMO I have no idea if this is right or wrong but I just know what has worked for me with these stones and how I use them. I just hopes this helps someone or even shows where I'm making mistakes with my honing and someone can help me out and make me improve, either way it would be great.

thanks guys,
Fonz