Shapton Glass Stone HC grain 8000 fine 1.84 micron sharpening stone, 50803

This Shapton Glass Stone HC, grit 8000 is perfect for smooth, even sharpening. Which is exactly what we're looking for from a high-quality sharpening stone. The HC sharpening stone is mainly made for sharpening and polishing (kitchen) knives, straight razors and tools with carbon steel blades. This includes Japanese tool steels such as blue paper steel. This 8000 grit sharpening stone is the finest of the three Shapton HC Glass Stones.

Contrary to what you might expect from the name, the glass doesn't do the sharpening. You sharpen on a high-quality Japanese water stone. A layer of tempered glass is attached to this to prevent bending.

Difference between HC and HR Glass Stones

There are two versions of the Shapton Glass Stones collection: the HC series and the HR series. HC stands for High Carbon, and HR stands for High Rockwell. There are noticeable differences in several areas. For example, the HC series is somewhat softer compared to the hard HR sharpening stones. The HC series is more intended for high carbon steel, while the HR series excels with harder steels and powder steels. In terms of appearance, there is a visible difference in the colour of the stones. The HC stones are a bit greyer, whereas the HR stones are white. Other than that, the stones are virtually identical to each other.

How to use the Shapton Glass Stone HC

This sharpening stone really is splash & go. That means you don't have to submerge it in water before use. Simply sprinkle some water onto it and the sharpening can begin. It removes material quickly, so the sharpening process is quick and easy. This also means the stone doesn't wear out as fast. The glass plate ensures you can use the stone right to its limit, further increasing the lifespan of your sharpening stone. Even as the stone gets thinner after years of use,

the sharpening result remains very even. The sharpening particles, made from white aluminium oxide, are very uniform in their shape and size. The minuscule "scratches" you add to your edge with this stone are therefore very even. You won't find it causing larger scratches that are difficult to file away with a finer grit. Sharpening enthusiasts truly appreciate this. This Shapton Glass Stone is quite simply one of the best sharpening stones on the market.