For people who demand unquestionable quality in kitchen work – always perfectly sharp knives and proven tools – the Japanese ceramic stones from the Shapton brand were created. Two extremely valued series, namely Shapton Kuromaku and Glass HR, include very fast stones that do not require frequent flattening. With Shapton stones, every professional kitchen user, as well as cooking enthusiast, can handle sharpening kitchen knives, restoring the cutting edge, and repairing chips.
Shapton – ceramic stones for sharpening knives and chisels
Recognized as some of the hardest sharpening stones, Shapton also perfectly handles very hard powdered steels, even above 66 HRC, which is the hardness of ZDP-189 or R2 (Super Gold #2) steel. They provide fast sharpening, extraordinary ease of use, and, considering the wide range of grits from #120 to #12000, comprehensive application. The excellent Shapton ceramic stones from the Kuromaku and Glass HR series will be appreciated by the most advanced and demanding users, both when sharpening knives, woodworking chisels, or razors.
Shapton Kuromaku ceramic whetstones
The first series of Shapton ceramic stones is Kuromaku, which undoubtedly includes some of the best products of this type currently available on the world market. Above all, it is worth emphasizing what contributes to the much greater comfort of using Shapton Kuromaku stones compared to sharpeners from other brands – the fact that they maintain a flat, even surface for a long time. Because they wear down slowly, they do not require such frequent flattening, which firstly affects their lifespan and secondly, their ease of use. The abrasive used in this series is “white aluminum oxide”.
Due to the high hardness of Shapton Kuromaku whetstones, they can be confidently used to sharpen modern powdered steels hardened even above 66 HRC. In our offer, they are available in a wide range of grits – from #120 to #320, used to repair damaged knives, their broken tips, or chips, through stones for regular sharpening in the range of #1000 to #2000, and up to finishing stones from #5000 to #12000, enabling finishing and final polishing of the cutting edge to a so-called mirror finish.
“Splash and Go,” or Kuromaku stones ready to work right away
Unlike many of their competitive counterparts, Shapton Kuromaku sharpening stones do not require soaking in water before use. What does this mean? Due to their unique “Splash and Go” properties, thanks to which they do not absorb water, they are practically ready for action right away – you just need to moisten them and you can start sharpening kitchen knives or chisels. The manufacturer only recommends a short soaking in water (approx. 5 minutes) before the first use. Each subsequent time, it is enough to just moisten the stone to enjoy both fast and convenient sharpening.
Remember not to leave Shapton Kuromaku stones in water for longer than a few hours.
Shapton Glass HR ceramic whetstones
Glass HR ceramic stones are an example of the most advanced stones from the Shapton brand, which easily handle even the hardest steel and knives from modern alloys. Their excellent quality is particularly evident in comparison to sharpening stones from other companies – they are much harder and wear down much less, which means there is no need for such frequent flattening.
In our offer, they are available in grits from #320 to #8000. These ceramic stones are so-called “Splash and Go”. They are ready to work right away because they do not absorb water – to start sharpening with a Shapton Glass HR stone, you just need to moisten it.
Glass HR ceramic sharpening stones with a glass base
Shapton Glass HR sharpening stones are made from strictly selected components. Each stone has a properly marked grit on the bottom, as well as the size of the abrasive particles expressed in microns. The abrasive used in this case is “white aluminum oxide”. Shapton Glass HR is a series in which the manufacturer has taken care of every, literally every, smallest detail.
A characteristic feature of Shapton Glass HR stones is also the 5-millimeter layer of glass that is bonded to the white ceramic part of the stone. Thanks to this, it works as a base, allowing the stone to be used on its entire thickness – without fear of breaking. Moreover, despite their small thickness, these stones will last much longer than other stones on the market.
An equally important advantage of Glass HR whetstones, which is impossible not to mention, is their speed, i.e., the exceptionally efficient removal of steel, which allows for very quick sharpening of kitchen knives or woodworking chisels. Advanced users will appreciate this advantage, especially since the Shapton Glass HR series meets even the most demanding expectations of customers.
Read also: Everything you need to know about ceramic knives.
