Shapton Kuromaku Stones (the Only Ones to Buy)

This is not a Shapton love letter.

About 21 years ago, I was introduced to Shapton sharpening stones. Harrelson Stanley, the owner of JapaneseTools.com, brought the Japanese president of Shapton to the Popular Woodworking office in Cincinnati, Ohio. They had a suitcase filled with Shaptons, which were not yet available in the U.S. Would we like to try them?

I spent about 45 minutes working with the different grits, sharpening different steels that I had on hand – high-carbon, A2, M2 and (I think) some odd stainless steel chisels I was testing.

That day, the Shaptons blew the doors off any sharpening medium I had tried before. And to this day, the original Shapton stones continue to be my absolute favorite sharpening stones. I love them so much that I have an extra set sealed in plastic and hidden – just in case.

Since Shaptons were introduced in the U.S. in 2003, the company has introduced other sharpening stones, including the GlassStones, the RockStar stones, some smaller stones for knives plus a crap ton of accessories.

This article is about why you should ignore all other stones out there – even those made by Shapton – and focus all your love on the company’s original stones (which are now called the Kuromaku or Ha-No-Kuromaku stones).

My review of Shapton’s original line of stones in the June 2003 issue of Popular Woodworking.

Why Shapton Kuromaku?

Shapton found the sweet spot with the Kuromakus when it comes to sharpening stones. Unlike other waterstones, you don’t have to soak them. Just splash them with a little water and get to work. Unlike other waterstones, Shaptons wear slowly. They cut faster than any oilstone (or even waterstone) I’ve ever used.

But most of all, they have the best feedback of any stone I’ve used. What does that mean? On some stones, it feels like you are rubbing the tool on glass – there is no sensation of the “bite” of cutting or polishing that tells you: work is being done. Other stones offer so much feedback that it is like rubbing the tool on sand (I’m looking at you, Norton and King waterstones). Other waterstones feel gummy, like you are sharpening pudding.

With Shaptons, the feedback and the sound are just right. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like listening to a well-made guitar vs. a cheap mass-manufactured one. Both have the same number of strings and both can play a G chord. But what you hear from each instrument… that’s totally different.

So bottom line: The Shaptons cut fast, wear slowly, don’t make a mess and are responsive.

Why Not the Other Shaptons?

Shapton also offers GlassStones. These are 5mm of abrasive bonded to a piece of glass. When these stones were introduced, I was told they were superior when sharpening A2. I didn’t find that to be the case.

What I did notice is this: They weren’t much cheaper than the old Shaptons (which were then called the Shapton Pros). And the GlassStones had only one-third the abrasive.

Plus all the GlassStones were the same color (white/gray). This was annoying. It was easy to get the stones mixed up. I always had to flip each stone over and read the number to make sure I had the right stone.

I can’t recommend them.

The company also offers the RockStar line. This line uses the abrasive in the GlassStones, the only difference is the RockStars are thicker (10mm). And, like the GlassStones, all the RockStar stones are the same dang color.

The Shapton Kuromaku stones are fantastic for all the reasons I mentioned above, plus these two important facts: each grit is a different color, and the stones are 15mm thick – 50 percent thicker than RockStars and three times as thick as GlassStones.

So in the end, the Kuromaku stones are cheaper in the long run and easier to use day-to-day.

Accessories

Instead of spending $185 on a Stone Pond, buy a boot tray from the home center for $12 (and you’ll have room for other sharpening supplies). Instead of a Stone Holder or Field Holder, just use the box that the Kuromaku stones come in. It’s a fantastic stone holder. And it’s the same vibrant color as your stone, so it reinforces which grit is which.

(To be fair, don’t buy *any* sharpening accessories for holding your stones unless you have some real particular requirements.)

What Grits?

Kuromaku stones come in 10 grits from #120 to #30,000. Please don’t buy them all, even if you win the lottery. That’s like owning a full set of chisels in 1mm increments.

You need only one quick-cutting stone in the coarse grits to cut a new edge on a tool. I like the #1,000-grit Orange stone. (I have yet to find a good use for the coarser-grit stones.) For polishing, I like the #5,000-grit Wine stone. If I were pressed for money, I’d live with those two stones. Luckily, I don’t have to. The #8,000-grit Melon stone is the best polishing stone I’ve ever used. It cuts and polishes beautifully.

Here at the shop, we own a #10,000-grit Yellow stone. It’s OK, but I don’t like to use it. I like the #8,000 better. I tried the #30,000 a few times (a friend had one). I’d rather own just the #8,000.

And for Flattening?

Sorry Shapton, this is not your forte. Years ago I owned a Shapton Standard Lapping Plate, which you charge with powdered grit. It’s messy and kinds slow, to be honest. Then I spent some real coin on the Shapton Diamond Glass Lapping Plate. It didn’t last a year before the binder started peeling off the casting. (Yes, I use my gear a lot, but I do treat it well.)

After trying some other flattening plates from Atoma (no joy there), I finally settled on the DMT Dia-Flat. They make several versions now (compare them here). The original 4" x 10" plate is the only one I’ve used. Why? Because I haven’t been able to wear it out yet. It’s the only diamond plate that is tough enough for daily use (in my experience).

In Conclusion

After reading this post back over, it sounds like I’m giving Shapton the shaft. That’s not my intent. The company just has so many products that it can confuse beginners when someone says: Shapton makes the best sharpening stones. This entry is just trying to shine a light on what I think are the best sharpening stones ever made – the Kuromakus.