Shapton Kuromaku Professional
Purchasing as a gift?
Shapton is a reputable manufacturer of sharpening stones based in Tochigi, Japan. They specialize in producing stylish and non-soaking type stones, making them a leader in the industry.
Shapton Kuromaku Professional stones rival Naniwa Gouken Arata stones, making them an excellent alternative for achieving great results. These non-soaking stones are known for their fast-cutting and slow-wearing abilities, making them ideal for extended use without needing to flaten so often. They are one of the highly sought after Japanese synthetic whetstones in both Japan and abroad.
Unless you are a heavy user, the stones' thickness is sufficient to withstand decades of use.
It comes in a plastic case that can be used as a stone base allowing a sufficient knuckle clearance from the bench while sharpening.
Popular Shapton Professional #1000 grit stones come and go very quickly.
Their #1000 are probably the most popular and selling stones in the Japanase whetstones market because it cuts really fast for #1000 grit. In fact, we feel it is actually coarser than the average #1000 stones and the look of the finish on the blades appears to be coarser to us as well. There are a few youtube videos, blogs, and groups out there reporting the similar opinions. If their #1000 grit stones are out of stock and you are after something equivalent, you may want to try their rival Naniwa Gouken Arata #600, which we believe is very similar feel, finish, and performance!
Water Requirement:
It is manufactured in magnesia method, so is a non-soaking stone aka splash and go. The Shapton Pro stones are always ready when you need sharpening. Please read Care and Use.
Choosing Whestone Grits
- Coarse (~#400)
Use a coarse grit stone/s for fast steel removal, repairing defects such as chips and broken tips, and reshaping the bladeline and geometry. It can also be used to form an initical cutting edge quickly if the edge was already very blunt, but this will result in a very toothy edge, so we recommend progressing to a medium grit stone for generally accepted edge. - Medium (#600~#2000)
Use a medium grit stone/s for forming a basic and decent cutting edge that is not too toothy or too polished. You will be suprised how sharp it can get just from a medium grit stone if done properly. For many customers who are reasonably new to sharpening, we recommend simply using a medium grit stone. - Fine (#3000~)
Use a fine grit stone/s for forming a polished edge that enables smooth cuts and reduces damage to food cells.
Specification
- Non-Soaking Type (Slash and Go)
- Manufacturing Method: Magnesia
- Abrasives: Aluminium Oxide
- Stone Size: 210 x 70 x 15 mm
- Stone Weight: 0.6 kg
- Plastic case and base
Care and Use
Soaking before use
- No need to soak, but depending on the grits and weather, it may need only a couple of minutes of soaking. If the stone doen't suck puddles of water and don't get dry as quickly as a few seconds, it is ready for sharpening.
- Do not soak it for a long time. We recommend not to soak this type for longer than 30 minutes.
Flattening:
- One of the primary reasons why beginners fail in sharpening is using worn and dished stones from use. A dip that is as thick as hair or even smaller is good enough to slow down your process and end in poor outcomes. Flatten the stone regularly for an efficient and successful sharpening. We recommend flattening every 10 to 20 min of good use by using a Atoma #140 grit Diamond plate.
Use
- Add water by either spraying or splashing by hand. Add water to your liking while sharpening.
Cleaning
- Rinse with water.
Storing
- Allow it to air dry in shade.
- Do not soak in water longer than 30 min. Soaking for a long time will disintegrate the stone.
Choose options
Gift Wrapping and Card
We offer gift wrapping for your purchase. You can also purchase a Hazuki Gift Card to let your recipient choose their own gift.
