# Shapton HC/HR



## Nick112 (Oct 26, 2019)

Hello, anyone have feedback on the HC series 4000 grit. It says the HC series is particular effective on high carbon, which I assume they mean white/blue steel. If I only going to sharpen white/blue, should I get the HC 4000 instead of the HR series?


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## KingShapton (Oct 26, 2019)

For me, a comparison between 4000 HC and 4000 HR would be interesting. Does one of the two stones sharper than the other, or gives more bite on the edge?

the comparison between the two stones would be interesting both on stainless and on carbon steel.


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## kayman67 (Oct 26, 2019)

I'm not sure about that "particularly effective" part. It's more like skin and pores and shine. I've sharpened carbon gyutos on HR just fine, but won't get the same amount of polish and finesse.


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## Nick112 (Oct 27, 2019)

Anyone with experience from both hr and hc, is the difference only in polishing aestetically, and not sharpening the edge? Anyone can make this clearer? Thanks


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## Nick112 (Oct 27, 2019)

What I was asking, is there any difference in the result of how they sharpen the edge? 
Normally if a manufacturer recommends one line for high carbon, I would assume its better to buy that


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## kayman67 (Oct 27, 2019)

Carbons should benefit from that extra polish and finesse HC are capable of.


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## M1k3 (Oct 27, 2019)

The difference in sharpening would really only show up with high hardness, wear resistant steels. For 99+% of the steels used in a kitchen, either one will work fine. The HC is slightly softer and a better polisher compared to HR. But not as soft and as good of polishers as Naniwa SS.


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## Nick112 (Oct 31, 2019)

Hi thanks for your reply, I probably agree with that statement, but in the op I asked about w and b steels only. What steels are you referring to as ”high hardness wear resistant steels”? Do you know this by own experience and which hc/hr stones do you have?


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## Nick112 (Oct 31, 2019)

The particular effective part come from Shapton theirselves. They might be wrong though.


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## Nick112 (Oct 31, 2019)

kayman67 said:


> I'm not sure about that "particularly effective" part. It's more like skin and pores and shine. I've sharpened carbon gyutos on HR just fine, but won't get the same amount of polish and finesse.


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## M1k3 (Oct 31, 2019)

Nick112 said:


> Hi thanks for your reply, I probably agree with that statement, but in the op I asked about w and b steels only. What steels are you referring to as ”high hardness wear resistant steels”? Do you know this by own experience and which hc/hr stones do you have?



Like some of those 68+ HRC highly alloyed tool steels that aren't really used in kitchen knives, much.


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## inferno (Oct 31, 2019)

from my experience (i have not used the 4k) the HC is a tiny bit slower than the HR on all steels. maybe 25% or more.

It polishes above its rated grit. the 6k gives you a shine like an 8 or 10k or similar, and the same with the 8k HC it polishes above its stated grit, at the cost of speed.

Then they feel kinda weird in use compared to the regular HR and shapton pro. those 2 feels very consistent, but the HC stones feels like grabby yet at the same time slippery, its like someone took a sandpaper then embedded small 1mm particles of teflon randomly all over the stone. and you can really feel this effect when doing them back to back. 

wear seems very low just as the HR. does not release any abrasive, or very very little. just as hard as the HR.

I did not notice that they did carbon or any other steel for that matter better or worse than the regular ones. theyre just a bit slower.

so why even get these? well you can have a 6k thats just a little slower than the regular 6k and but it polishes like an 8k or higher.


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## Nick112 (Oct 31, 2019)

Shapton themselves just mention that the HC series is for high carbon steels and doesnt mention anything about super high hrc.


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## Nick112 (Oct 31, 2019)

Thanks inferno. Its just when the manufacturer them selv say its more effective at polishing high carbon knifes, one is curious if this is echoed by the experience from users.


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## kayman67 (Oct 31, 2019)

Shapton stones in general are on the aggressive side and not really polishers. 
HC takes care of this, getting more polish and finesse. I think that "particularly effective" might be misleading somehow. Polishing is particularly effective with some alloys and not others. Most people would think that HCs are "particularly effective" as in really eating steel fast.


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## inferno (Oct 31, 2019)

they just polish above its stated grit at the cost of speed imo. thats the only real difference.
its like a superstone, but good.


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