Shapton Pro 1000 or 1500

ncrockclimb · Jun 9, 2016

I am considering trying waterstones. After a ton of research, I think I will start with one stone and see how I like it. I will be using the stone on my bushcraft blades (O1, A2, 52100). I like toothy edges on my blades, and at this point, I am seriously considering either the Shapton Pro 1000 or 1500.

What do you think?

Jason B. · Jun 9, 2016

Hands down the 1000.

Probably one of the top 3 fastest 1k's I have used, better with a wider range of steels, slooooooow to dish, and will yield a very aggressive edge. The Shapton Pro 2k follows it very well too, actually, the Atoma 140, SP1k, and SP2k would make for a very good intro to waterstones.

If you don't have a diamond plate for lapping please note you will need one for the Shapton stones.

sir_mike · Jun 9, 2016

Yeah I would go with the 1k also. I think the 1500 is more Ultra Fine and will polish the edge more.

Remember the DMT's Ultra Fine stone is rated at 1200 grit and I personally wouldn't go any higher than that on any knife edge, if even that high!

Spartan00 · Jun 9, 2016

sir_mike said:
Yeah I would go with the 1k also. I think the 1500 is more Ultra Fine and will polish the edge more.

Remember the DMT's Ultra Fine stone is rated at 1200 grit and I personally wouldn't go any higher than that on any knife edge, if even that high!

+1 I have shapton 320 , 1k, 4k. 320 is all I need if I'm going the water stone route .

Thing with diamonds that I like so much is even the EEF 8000 (grit ,mesh whatever) it's still toothy .

Spartan00 · Jun 9, 2016

Matter of fact PP I'd say neither , I'd go with the 320. I love mine .Especially if you like a toothy edge . The 320 shapton gives a little more refinement than a day 325. I'd say the 320 is between a dmt coarse and fine but closer to the fine grit depending on how broken in the stone is .

sir_mike · Jun 9, 2016

Spartan00 said:
+1 I have shapton 320 , 1k, 4k. 320 is all I need if I'm going the water stone route .

Thing with diamonds that I like so much is even the EEF 8000 (grit ,mesh whatever) it's still toothy .

Never tried one that high before!

Spartan00 said:
Matter of fact PP I'd say neither , I'd go with the 320. I love mine .Especially if you like a toothy edge . The 320 shapton gives a little more refinement than a day 325. I'd say the 320 is between a dmt coarse and fine but closer to the fine grit depending on how broken in the stone is .

For the most part, I use the Norton Combo stone from Home Depot.

ncrockclimb · Jun 9, 2016

So would 320 and 1000 make sense? What is an economic lapping stone?

jc57 · Jun 9, 2016

CKTG sells a 140 grit diamond flattening plate for about $30. i don't have one but it gets generally good reviews on the web site.

Shapton 320 - 1000 progression is good. The 320 stone works up a little bit of a slurry. The 1000 doesn't. My water stone set is Shapton 320 - 1K - 2K - 5K.

Spartan00 · Jun 10, 2016

320 pro then 1k is a excellent combo . My 320 is a whipping boy so to speak , it's been used probably abused but man that thing still cuts . It's hardly even worn either . I prefer the pros to the glass stones too , to me it's probably personal and the value issue (you get a lot more stone with the pros vs the glass)

@sir_Mike - the 8k diamond is not like a 8k Waterstone at all, if I want to go through the grits I use the EEF then jump to spyderco medium stone . That's just for the Polish 9/10 I'll microbevel with the EEF in the right hands it makes a ridiculous edge , it may not be pretty but man it cuts .

sir_mike · Jun 10, 2016

Spartan00 said:
320 pro then 1k is a excellent combo . My 320 is a whipping boy so to speak , it's been used probably abused but man that thing still cuts . It's hardly even worn either . I prefer the pros to the glass stones too , to me it's probably personal and the value issue (you get a lot more stone with the pros vs the glass)

@sir_Mike - the 8k diamond is not like a 8k Waterstone at all, if I want to go through the grits I use the EEF then jump to spyderco medium stone . That's just for the Polish 9/10 I'll microbevel with the EEF in the right hands it makes a ridiculous edge , it may not be pretty but man it cuts .

Yeah I know!

If I am using my Sharpmaker to touch up, most of the time I will just stop after the mediums and not go to the fines!