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King relative to Shapton pro

I have a "New Style King KDS 1000k/6000k stone for sharpening harder steels". I just ordered Shapton pro 8K and 12k stones, and a sink length stone holder. Does anyone know what the King 1k/6k stones are comparable to in the Shapton pro line? I have read that the King stones are old technology and not as fine as current 1k/6k stones. I guess that might work to my advantage in this case. If the King 6k is closer to a Shapton 5k then my gap between the 1k and 8k stones isn't so big. Do I need a Shapton pro stone between 1k and 6k, or is my King good enough?

I have everything I need to make balsa/diamond strops as per slash, and a Tony Miller leather strop. I think the 4 "vintage" SR that I have only need the strops. However, I just bought a Genco 6/8" that is covered in gray patina, and has some chipping on the edge that's only visible under 5 power lens. How it got the chips I don't know because it looks like it's never been sharpened. So I'll be beveling that, with hopes that the 1k King is up to the task. Thanks
 
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Need is a funny word here..
I'm sure the King combo will 'work'.
I'd also say that swapping it out for the Shatpon Pro 1.5k and 5k would be serious upgrade.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
Shaptons tend not to be as versatile per stone. A King of a particular grit generally will cut finer as the slurry will break down more. The Shaptons tend to cut at rated grit and no finer so you may want/need more shaptons in a progression than the Kings. Also Kings are going to need flattening more frequently.

The type of steels razors are made of, Kings will do just as nice of a job until you get past 8k where king doesn't make any stones of higher grit.

That said, I'd rather play around with natural stones and lapping film if I need something a natural stone can't do.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I have a "New Style King KDS 1000k/6000k stone for sharpening harder steels". I just ordered Shapton pro 8K and 12k stones, and a sink length stone holder. Does anyone know what the King 1k/6k stones are comparable to in the Shapton pro line? I have read that the King stones are old technology and not as fine as current 1k/6k stones. I guess that might work to my advantage in this case. If the King 6k is closer to a Shapton 5k then my gap between the 1k and 8k stones isn't so big. Do I need a Shapton pro stone between 1k and 6k, or is my King good enough?

I have everything I need to make balsa/diamond strops as per slash, and a Tony Miller leather strop. I think the 4 "vintage" SR that I have only need the strops. However, I just bought a Genco 6/8" that is covered in gray patina, and has some chipping on the edge that's only visible under 5 power lens. How it got the chips I don't know because it looks like it's never been sharpened. So I'll be beveling that, with hopes that the 1k King is up to the task. Thanks
Plenty of razors have been honed successfully with the King combo and a finisher. I don't like them and IMHO an upgrade would be nice but not essential. Its all about your budget, really. I will interject that IMHO you are better off honing in hand, at least for a while. After a few minutes to adjust it will seem obvious and elegantly natural to let razor and hone align themselves. One of the worst things you can do on your first few razors is to use two hands on the razor as you hone. Save that for later, if you must do it.
 
Ok, I'll use one hand. I bought a 8k nagura with the King. I intended to used the 6k alone, and then with the nagura thinking that it would give me a finer combo. Then I read that only a 6k nagura should be used with a 6k stone. What's the reality? IMHO, with almost everything there is one actual reality, but a bunch of opinions regarding that reality.

I just received the 2 stones, and have all the stuff for the balsa strops, so should be a fun weekend. Sorry about tripling up on the questions, BUT I have one SR that is covered in a gray patina. Do I buff parallel with or perpendicular to the blade? Thanks
 
I'm not familiar with the new-style Kings that you are referencing, but my sense is that most folks' comments pertain to the traditional King stones of old. Can you post a link with a description (as to composition) of the King stones you are talking about?
 
I'm not familiar with the new-style Kings that you are referencing, but my sense is that most folks' comments pertain to the traditional King stones of old. Can you post a link with a description (as to composition) of the King stones you are talking about?

I'm working on it. It's bigger and there's a rubber spacer between the two stones. Regarding the composition of the stone I don't know yet. I've tried to find a technical answer but all I'm getting is opinion and hearsay. "It's better", "it's clearly better", "it's harder", "it's better for harder steels", "it doesn't dish as fast". I've tried to find the King homepage, but couldn't. I went there when I was 1st researching the stone and I seem to remember the same vague stuff. I'm not sure why I can't find their homepage. I'll get back to you once I know something.
 
Curious too. I had the King 1k/6k with the rubber spacer but that was years ago and it had been around for a long while then.
 
Curious too. I had the King 1k/6k with the rubber spacer but that was years ago and it had been around for a long while then.

Hummm, maybe old started in 1940 and "New" started in 1965. "Harder" and "for harder steels" might be B.S. too. Apparently they put the rubber spacer because the stones were cracking. Maybe that's why they made it thicker too. I have the king and it was inexpensive, so I'll use it until I get the shapton pro 1.5k and 5k. At my stage, it could't hurt to have an extra stone or two to see if I can even feel or hear any difference between the stones. The next step up to 30k is a whopping price difference in line with coticules and jnats. I'm not sure I see the point if the balsa/diamond strops create nirvana.
 
I liked the 1K side of the King stone, was less keen on the 6K for razors but was fun to play with. My 6k side even with the rubber spacer cracked. I later read somewhere, I think from King, that the 1K side should be soaked but not the 6K.

If the bevel needs a lot of work you may need to lap the stone as you go.

The 1K>6K jump on the King is fine, the 8k rubbing stone's best feature is really just refreshing/unclogging the surface.

I used the King 1k/6k for a few years as an all round sharpening workhorse and it done the job. I upgraded to the Shapton Pro 1.5k & 5k in 2014 and haven't looked back....well maybe I do miss the feedback on the 1k and the slim form factor.

*still not sure we are discussing the same stone though.
 

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So you shaved off of a 6k edge, hat's off to you. I tried that and it about pulled the whiskers out of my face. That's when I sent it out to be sharpened, and it came back better, but not what I'd call shave ready. It was an old WB 5/8" that I inherited and I didn't use tape. Maybe it would have gone better if I had. I just texted the guy who sharpened it to find out if he did.
 
I like using the Pros for cutlery too actually.

I was thinking I would use a specific set of stones for razors and a different set for knives. I don't know why, greater weight of knife blades, more stone dishing? Does that make any sense?
 
I was thinking I would use a specific set of stones for razors and a different set for knives. I don't know why, greater weight of knife blades, more stone dishing? Does that make any sense?

Depends on how you want to work with your stones. Whatever makes you feel good is fine.
When I reprofile a knife, I do tend to beat up on the stone a lot; I can wind up with a rut in a stone sometimes and it's a pita to lap that out.
The thing is - I don't fuss over flatness so much for sharpening knives, like I do for razors. So uneven wear in a knife stone is less of a concern. A notable rut has to go though. But a slight concave might be ok.
My plan was to 'try' to keep the low grit Glass Stones for knives, and the low grit Pros for razors, but then sometimes I switch it up. I don't like using both sides of a stone, but some people do. Just depends on how you want to operate - there are no rules, set it up how you want to.
 
Kings work. You'll never know you're missing out if that's all you've used.

If you try a Shapton (or any other high quality hone) and then switch back, you'd hate the King though.
 
King uses a different scale. The 6k king has a 2 microns grain. A norton 8k is only 3 microns for example. Shapton is yet a different scale in between.
 
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