Shapton full thickness glass stones

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Do you guys think having Shapton make full thickness glass stones would be popular?

Do you think getting rid of the glass to lower the price would be better or keep the glass?

I’m interested in if you think this would be worthwhile.

[RamenMonster69]

The advantage of the glass is its always flat I imagine. I know my dad though, whose a serious woodworker was suspicious of having less material to cut with. For the home user I can't imagine you're going to run through a glass stone very often. For a professional it may be valid, though I also talked to my local Japanese style knife sharpener and he said the glass wears much slower than the pro.

Functionally, if you did get rid of the glass part of it, I would want functionally the color scheme brought back like on the pro line. The glass back guarantees you always know what grit it is easily, whereas if they're all white and someone not thinking works on the wrong side it sucks. I also though own a near full progression so I'm probably not buying anymore shaptons for a while.

[J david]

I like SG stones. I don't like how thin they are. If the glass were replaced with usable stone, I would be more likely to replace them with SG. I've warn out 2 SG stones and replaced them with something else because of the life / cost ratio.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I think they could easily stamp the side of the stone with the grit to show people what stone it was.

Also I’ve had multiple customers try and sharpen on the glass side when they first tried one of these stones.

[jbart65]

The glass adds cost? Seems like a waste to me. I’d like bigger stones that more easily fit a holder.

[Jeff B]

Do you guys think having Shapton make full thickness glass stones would be popular?

Yes...depending on the price increase.

Do you think getting rid of the glass to lower the price would be better or keep the glass?

Yes...again, depending on the amount of savings. If you're only talking about a few bucks per stone keep the glass.

[gladius]

• Keep the glass as it allows one to use ALL the stone to the very bottom without fear of breakage.
• Add 10mm more stone or at least 5mm like the 500 Extra.
• I have found the Pro stones to be slower wearing (and harder) compared to the glass stones.
• Beware the glass bottom is not always flat!... viewtopic.php?p=39215#p39215

[nakneker]

I like the SG glass stones as they are. They are the easiest stones to transport and to store. There are lots of options for standard sized stones and next to no options for this slimmer sized. I like the idea of adding a little bit but if you wear out a SG stone and I know there are people who do, you used that stone a lot and probably got your money’s worth. Seems I’m in the minority on this one. In a perfect world you could choose Shapton Glass stones as they are now OR in a standard, thicker size.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

This wouldn’t be a substitution. It would be an additional line in my mind.

I don’t know how much glass adds to the cost but I agree it’s a nice feature if it’s cheap.

[Bensbites]

• Keep the glass as it allows one to use ALL the stone to the very bottom without fear of breakage.
• Add 10mm more stone or at least 5mm like the 500 Extra.
• I have found the Pro stones to be slower wearing (and harder) compared to the glass stones.
• Beware the glass bottom is not always flat!... viewtopic.php?p=39215#p39215

I couldn’t have said this better myself.

[PaulME]

So I have several pros part of my thought was I liked the thicker stone. Glass is an extremely cheap material, if the glass material is an adder to the cost of the stone we are paying way to much for the stones. The cost of bonding the stone to the glass is likly the real addition.

All said I’m not a compulsive buyer of stones and would not be likely to add a glass version to any grit I already have.
Paul

[Barashka]

I like that I can bring all my stones with me in a relatively small and light package. I'd appreciate extra 5mm like on 500 thick, maybe even full 10mm, but as often as I use them (not much) .. I don't feel I need that much thicker.
Also, really like the glass back, both for making sure I don't crack the stone and 'cause it gorgeous, please don't take those away.

[ken123]

My bias woild be thicker without the glass and able to fit in a plastic case like the pro stones.

---
Ken

[nakneker]

This wouldn’t be a substitution. It would be an additional line in my mind.

I don’t know how much glass adds to the cost but I agree it’s a nice feature if it’s cheap.

I like those first two sentances

[old onion]

I wanted SG stones from the start but when I seen how thin they were,I looked the other way.They didn't appear to be that cost effective.I should talk,I have plenty stones that I am not even using.Catch 22. I like the glass base though.That makes the stones unique.

[lsboogy]

I think it would be a great idea, especially for lower grit stones. My 1K-2K stones (red and green bricks, Nubatama etc) are all about 2” thick when new. So was my kikuichi 1K.
I view stones, knives, pans etc as lifetime things - able to leave them to the next generation like my mom and dad did for me. I understand the difference between a pro kitchen and a home kitchen, but even so a big stone will last longer. My Kikuichi 1K was 30 years young when the cats decided I needed a new one, and my current 1K stones will be used and loved 30 years from now in someone else’s hands

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I think it would be easiest for Shapton to simply build on the extra thick 500 and expand that stone into a line one at a time. Maybe do the 1K extra thick next followed by the 4K. The high grits wear more slowly so I would concentrate on the lower grits first.

[nakneker]

I think it would be easiest for Shapton to simply build on the extra thick 500 and expand that stone into a line one at a time. Maybe do the 1K extra thick next followed by the 4K. The high grits wear more slowly so I would concentrate on the lower grits first.

I like this!

[Jeff B]

I think it would be easiest for Shapton to simply build on the extra thick 500 and expand that stone into a line one at a time. Maybe do the 1K extra thick next followed by the 4K. The high grits wear more slowly so I would concentrate on the lower grits first.

I like this!

Me too.

[Carter]

Those would be great....per our conversation yesterday, thanks for looking ahead Mark!