Shapton 30K, talk me out of it

[David Sloan]

After much deliberation, I bought a Shapton 16K glass stone a year ago and love it. Have used it for plane blades, chisels and knives. Today I sharpened 15 knives for our next door neighbor. Such fun! Got me wondering again about the super expensive 30K stone! Will it take me to the next level? Happy New Year, David

[Rob Luter]

[J. Greg Jones]

I love my 16k Shapton also, but that’s as fine as I’m willing to go! If you get one, let us know what you think.

[Rob Luter]

Try a horsehide (aka horse butt) strop first. I use a strop following 12K abrasive film (I use film on glass). It’s a cheap alternative that works very well.

[ken hatch]

David,

Shinny isn't sharp. One of the most knowledgeable sharpeners on this Forum, David W (no longer here, my guess is he got tired of the BS) does most of his sharpening with the final stone a Washita and a strop. Here is a link to a video he did comparing different types of stones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAPRC2WSEco.

[ken hatch]

Had to double post, the link wanted to continue with the following text.

It is your money, and I love to spend other people's money but it is a lot of bucks for little or no effect.

[Phil Mueller]

I’m curious, what do you use prior to the 16K?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Stropping is a good as a 30k stone. I would only use a 30k for straight razors. I use a 16k for those now and have not felt the need to go with the 30k, but I admit that I have also been curious. I would almost see a 30k as a “hard strop.” I would use bare horse butt (removed from the horse first ) and only make two passes to remove the burr if I had a 30k stone.

[Andrew Hughes]

I have Shapton 30k and hardly ever use it. I think the last time was to sharpen a very expensive pair of scissors.
I got mine from Hap and it was a deal I couldn’t pass.
I don’t think it worth the full price plus it’s a little softer then the 15k.
Save your money for a nice chisel or something.
Good Luck

[David Sloan]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful comments. Phil, I have a series of Norton waterstones as well as several diamond plates. I usually go from the 8000 Norton stone to the Shapton. Ken, I watched the David W. video and it was quite fascinating. He seems like a very knowledgeable and interesting person. Thanks for the link and I would commend it to others. It is probably because my technique is not very good but I have never found stropping that helpful. Malcolm, that makes sense that the 30K stone is akin to a hard strop. I guess I am just curious as they sell 30K stones and some a lot more expensive than the Shapton 30K glass stone. Andrew, I could buy a very nice LV or LN plane for the money so your point is very well taken. I would say I have learned so much about sharpening from this forum. My tools are now all much sharper thanks to what I have learned. An added benefit is that I can now sharpen kitchen knives for friends and family. I have discovered that almost all kitchen and chefs knives that I am handed are incredibly dull and have never been properly sharpened. Thanks again, David

[Barney Markunas]

I would vote for you already being at the point of diminishing returns. If I were shopping, some interesting lumber or some other tool I want but don't really need would come way before a stone that fine and expensive. I absolutely cannot fathom using something like that on a neighbor's kitchen knives. Honestly, for many kitchen tasks I think I'd rather have a little bit of tooth than something polished on a 30K grit stone. Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough.

[Robert Engel]

I would also say there is a point of diminishing returns, and I think 16K is probably it, for me at least.

That said, I don't notice an appreciable difference past 8K.

For the money, the Norton waterstones are hard to beat.

[Jens Hoffmann]

What are you hoping to get out of the 30k stone that your 16k stone doesn't do for you?

[David Silverson]

For kitchen knives I use a 1 inch power belt sharpener from Lee Valley with a fine grit belt. It is very quick and leaves a fine tooth which works best for kitchen knives. It takes me about 40 seconds a knife. The belts last seemingly forever. I love that sharpener and use it for many tasks where perfect is not the aim.

[Jim Matthews]

Suehiro Cerax 20000 has the same allure to me.

It's a pointless vanity that I desperately want.
https://www.mtckitchen.com/suehiro-g...rpening-stone/