# Shapton GlassStone



## JesseM (9 Jun 2006)

I bought the 220 grit GlassStone since it seemed relatively cheap ($29) and was wondering if anybody knows anything about these. I was a little confused about it at first as I thought the diamonds were on the glass side. It took me a minute or so to figure that wasn't right. It seems to cut really well (but not on the glass side), but I am curious if it will dish out eventually. Different people seem to have different results with the traditional diamond stones. Mine always seem to wear out to soon #-o. But this one seems different.


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## deirdre (9 Jun 2006)

JesseM":2roqlo8b said:


> I bought the 220 grit GlassStone since it seemed relatively cheap ($29) and was wondering if anybody knows anything about these. I was a little confused about it at first as I thought the diamonds were on the glass side. It took me a minute or so to figure that wasn't right. It seems to cut really well (but not on the glass side), but I am curious if it will dish out eventually. Different people seem to have different results with the traditional diamond stones. Mine always seem to wear out to soon #-o. But this one seems different.



There aren't diamonds on a GlassStone -- they're ceramic and have a VERY expensive flattening stone as a part of the system.

http://www.shaptonstones.com/stones/glass.php


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## JesseM (9 Jun 2006)

deirdre":1v9kiix8 said:


> There aren't diamonds on a GlassStone -- they're ceramic and have a VERY expensive flattening stone as a part of the system.
> 
> http://www.shaptonstones.com/stones/glass.php



Ahh. So why did they choose to mount the ceramic on glass? I do have an old DMT diamond stone that I use for flattening my waterstones. I wonder if that would work.


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## Jake (9 Jun 2006)

Erm,on that link it says:



> Shapton has pioneered a totally new concept for diamond abrasive technology. Marrying microchip production methods with diamond abrasive technology, Shapton has built the worlds first diamond on glass lapping plate.
> 
> The substrate for these plates is created from specially prepared float glass. Each substrate is tested for flatness and microscopically small defects before it's surface is embedded with diamonds.


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## deirdre (9 Jun 2006)

Jake":wyatc16x said:


> Erm,on that link it says:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah, that's the $289 lapping plate, not the sharpening stones themselves.


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## Jake (9 Jun 2006)

deirdre":1p7ihgbd said:


> Yeah, that's the $289 lapping plate, not the sharpening stones themselves.



Ahh, well that's made me look daft.


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## deirdre (9 Jun 2006)

JesseM":aa80upo0 said:


> deirdre":aa80upo0 said:
> 
> 
> > There aren't diamonds on a GlassStone -- they're ceramic and have a VERY expensive flattening stone as a part of the system.
> ...



In a normal stone, there is no backing, thus the stone as a whole can start dishing, creating a bump on the rear. Their theory was that by putting something known flat behind the abrasive surface, that wouldn't happen and the top of the stone would stay flatter longer.

FYI, here's two recent threads on WoodNet about the GlassStones.

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthread ... er=2432618
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthread ... er=2434558


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## JesseM (9 Jun 2006)

Jake":gr71py3n said:


> deirdre":gr71py3n said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, that's the $289 lapping plate, not the sharpening stones themselves.
> ...



Yeah thats what confused me too. But $289 for a lapping plate seems a bit excessive.


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## nonidentity (10 Jun 2006)

Hi there, 

excuse me for being thick here. 

So I take it that the GlassStones are a range of stones that are analogous to ordinary stones and the Glass Diamond Lapping Plate is required in addition to the GlassStones. 

I amongst others was under the impression the two items are for two different purposes meaning: 

The GlassStones were similar to DMT or similar and therefore you do not need to flatten. 

Can someone confirm this understanding? 

If it is so, then it is a bit of a rip-off as this is not clear! 

Cheers.


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## Frank D. (10 Jun 2006)

As I understand it, the glassstones are simply thin shapton stones with a glass substrate, which makes them cheaper (and less likely to break than if they had no substrate). You don't need the glass lapping plate to flatten them any more than you need it (the lapping plate) to flatten regular shapton stones. I can't see how the glass stones would stay flatter than regular shaptons, since any backing has no influence on how they wear.


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## deirdre (10 Jun 2006)

nonidentity":1i0v7cg0 said:


> The GlassStones were similar to DMT or similar and therefore you do not need to flatten.
> 
> Can someone confirm this understanding?
> 
> If it is so, then it is a bit of a rip-off as this is not clear!



The GlassStones are synthetic waterstones and do need to be flattened. You probably could use other methods, but they went with something that was super-flat -- their lapping plate.

Note that these are only half the thickness of the regular Shaptons.

Not having any GlassStones (but half-coveting them), I really can't say how well they'd wear if you used another method. Some people have reported that they do cut faster than the regular Shapton pro line.


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## JesseM (11 Jun 2006)

deirdre":31b8dhnq said:


> Some people have reported that they do cut faster than the regular Shapton pro line.


I have never owned a shapton before, but I have to say I am pretty impressed with the cutting of the 220 so far. And have not noticed any hollowing yet. It cuts like a waterstone but doesn't wear like one.


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## nonidentity (11 Jun 2006)

Hi all,

maybe I am just thick here :?: , but the previous post just confuses a newbie.

So if I just bought the GlassStones the I would be fine and not need the expensive lapping plate?

As I read what you stated that should be it. You do not need to or expect to flatten these.

Then why the lapping plate? 

:?:


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## JesseM (11 Jun 2006)

nonidentity":2dl1yszc said:


> Hi all,
> 
> maybe I am just thick here :?: , but the previous post just confuses a newbie.
> 
> ...


Sorry, no I guess I would expect to flatten these at some point, just not as frequently as a waterstone. I have an old DMT duo which I have been flattening my waterstones with, and will probably use that when it comes time to flatten it.


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## Frank D. (11 Jun 2006)

Like Jesse said, Shaptons need regular flattening like any waterstone, just not as frequent. I flatten my shaptons with sandpaper on glass and lapping grit and it works fine. I use my DMT plate to lap my Nortons and other waterstones but I'm afraid I'll wear it out prematurely if I use it for my Shaptons. I'd guess that my Shaptons last 4 or 5 times longer than my Nortons between lappings, but it's hard to say exactly since I don't have equivalent grits in both brands.


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