# Quick comparison: Nanohone 200, Bester 220, Shapton Glass 220 and Shapton Pro 120



## Matus (Nov 30, 2019)

_Edit: I have added comparison of Pro 120, Bester 220 and Nanohone 200 in the post #23_

Since I somehow managed to hoard several very coarse stones I though that a quick comparison could be of interest. To show how the stones actually work I made a video (sorry, it is 13 minutes long - brevity is not my forte, but most know that already). I also say a few words about the narrow dark grey Suehiro 100 (80?) stone towards the end.

So, here you go:



I have few more stones in 300 - 400 grit range, but none of them offers the same speed (not a surprise), so I did not try to compare them to these 3 stones.

I know that it would be great to also have stones like Sigma 240 or Shapton Pro 120 and 220, but hey, I have too many stones already 

If you have any questions just ask.


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## SeattleBen (Nov 30, 2019)

Thanks for taking the time to do this write up.


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## KingShapton (Dec 1, 2019)

Very interesting, thank you.


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## Carl Kotte (Dec 1, 2019)

So you bought the sg 220? Like it? (You might say whether you do in the video, but I can’t watch it with the sound on because.... kidz).


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## Matus (Dec 1, 2019)

I do not see any problem with the SG220. Not quite as fast as the other two, but will get the job done.


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## M1k3 (Dec 1, 2019)

I enjoyed this very much!

With the nanahone, try removing the scratches, then ease up on pressure and let the stone load up. If it's like the higher grits, it'll give a shinier finish.


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## kayman67 (Dec 1, 2019)

The 200 feels grainier and doesn't do as good of a job as 400 does for polishing, in respect to "being" like a higher grit stone.


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## M1k3 (Dec 1, 2019)

Dang! Wishful thinking.


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## kayman67 (Dec 1, 2019)

I think 400 might be just too good.


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## Carl Kotte (Dec 1, 2019)

Matus said:


> I do not see any problem with the SG220. Not quite as fast as the other two, but will get the job done.



Glad to hear it!


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## big D (Dec 1, 2019)

Thank you for the comparison.
Appreciated.
D.


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## inferno (Dec 3, 2019)

I have the gs220 and i feel it works faster with slurry buildup. i have not noticed that its faster just after flattening it. and i have only flattened it once on diamonds.

all low grit stones wear so fast you can flatten them by just wearing them. i'm halfway through my 220 gs now. but i also have the pro 220. and its a little slower and wears faster but you get twice as much stone.


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## GeneH (Dec 5, 2019)

Thanks for the videos. Good commentary.


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## Matus (Dec 5, 2019)

I am so not good in bringing things to a point without going astray - I should better write a script next time. This was very much an ad-hoc production.


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## captaincaed (Dec 6, 2019)

Is there a TLR for those in grad school who are very curious but are scared to go down the rabbit hole for fear of spending too much time?


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## captaincaed (Dec 6, 2019)

tl:dr


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## inferno (Dec 6, 2019)

matus have you tried rubbing the stones together for a minute or 2 and then try the speed? 
or a few passes on a Dplate and then try the speed.

for the SiC i would definitely try rubbing it on either diamond or one of the other stones and see if it gets more bite. I heard SiC grit easily gets rounded off and needs to be refreshed often.

Btw have you tried any of the norton SiC stones and can compare it to the one you have?
(anyone else have any opinions on norton crystolons??)

i will probably be forced to try the nanohone too (and the shappro 120/glass120/crystolon) i mean why buy 1 when you can buy 4 right.


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## inferno (Dec 6, 2019)

i also employed a new technique with my 220 glass a few days ago. seeing that we are doing the same thing (grinding blades).

I lapped it with diamond. then when grinding i did 50-60mm circles all over. with quite low pressure. this was surprisingly efficient. dripped on some water every minute or so trying to keep all slurry on there.
and i felt the stone did not wear unevenly by doing this.


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## M1k3 (Dec 6, 2019)

inferno said:


> matus have you tried rubbing the stones together for a minute or 2 and then try the speed?
> or a few passes on a Dplate and then try the speed.
> 
> for the SiC i would definitely try rubbing it on either diamond or one of the other stones and see if it gets more bite. I heard SiC grit easily gets rounded off and needs to be refreshed often.
> ...



I've used both coarse and medium Crystolon stones. They work pretty good. Dish really slow. Nothing wrong with them. I still prefer Shapton's though.


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## inferno (Dec 6, 2019)

are they slower than shaptons?? i want speed. since i'm doing wide bevel/single bevel monosteel blades at high hardness (my own ones).


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## M1k3 (Dec 6, 2019)

I would say pretty similar. Benefit of Crystolon is you can push really hard. But sucks onces it's time to be resurfaced whereas the Shapton 120 Pro keeps working, but slows down without a little refreshing.


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## kayman67 (Dec 29, 2019)

I got to play for a few days with thinning some stainless clad knives, unknown maker to me of the owner.

I've used in any way imaginable the Shapton Pro 120, Shapton Glass 220 and Nanohone 200.

For me, under this scenario, the 120 made the best impression and sense really. Reasonable flat even after pushing it. Second fastest. Bigger and much cheaper. Very nice to work on (could be as subjective as possible though).
Nanohone was the fastest and the most consistent in performance from start to finish, but it would dish accordingly and just a bit too much for most people still. Getting this flat again with Atoma 140 was easy (if the plate is new-ish). And I could almost get both 120 and 220 for the price (close enough). 
Glass 220 was not as nice as 120, way too slow and if pushed hard, it lost the flatness advantage as well. With 120 on the table, SG 220 made very little sense for me here. Now, 120 is bigger and heavier (SP 600g versus SG 400g - glass part included), but also maybe at least twice cheaper (since it's cheaper to start with).


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## Matus (Dec 29, 2019)

I have worked on a new kiridashi yesterday (1.2442 steel at 63/64 hrc) and decided to make another comparison as I got the Shapton Pro 120 on loan from a friend. The video has 2 parts:


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## kayman67 (Dec 30, 2019)

From what people told me, most Glass users have a 325 DMT for this trick. And they use it up to 16k.
On the long run I had this tendency to go more with dressing stones if I think of it.


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## da_mich* (Dec 30, 2019)

Matus said:


> I have worked on a new kiridashi yesterday (1.2442 steel at 63/64 hrc) and decided to make another comparison as I got the Shapton Pro 120 on loan from a friend. The video has 2 parts:
> 
> Great videos thx. Do you also have problems with the shapton pr0 stones? I have a Shapton #120 and #320 but i don´t like them. The surface quickly becomes glassy. I never buy Shapton Pro stones again. Now i use a King #240 and its a very very fast stone.


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## Matus (Dec 30, 2019)

I find that the Pro 120 could become glassy depending what kind of sharpening is taking place. But the 320 is a whole lot different - not super fast, nut dishing quickly - I can not imagine that one to become glassy feeling. Try to add more pressure


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## M1k3 (Dec 30, 2019)

Especially soft mono stainless steel...


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## adam92 (Jan 2, 2020)

Thinking of getting new coarse stone.

Suehiro Cerax 280 vs Shapton pro 220 & nanohone 200.

Suehiro is the cheapest one, what should i get?


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## da_mich* (Jan 2, 2020)

adam92 said:


> Thinking of getting new coarse stone.
> 
> Suehiro Cerax 280 vs Shapton pro 220 & nanohone 200.
> 
> Suehiro is the cheapest one, what should i get?



Do you like a splash and go or soaking stone?


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## Yet-Another-Dave (Jan 2, 2020)

adam92 said:


> Thinking of getting new coarse stone.
> 
> Suehiro Cerax 280 vs Shapton pro 220 & nanohone 200.
> 
> Suehiro is the cheapest one, what should i get?



I have a Cerax 280 (as 1/2 of a combo stone, I assume it's the same as the single stone 280) and didn't like it. It was soft & "crumbly" and made a mess without a single advantage I perceive when compared to the Cerax 320 (which I like a lot.)


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## adam92 (Jan 3, 2020)

da_mich* said:


> Do you like a splash and go or soaking stone?


Actually I'm fine with both, i like Suehiro cerax 1000 also like shapton pro 2000 feel.

just wanting some coarse stone not too soft .


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## adam92 (Jan 3, 2020)

Looks like 120 shapton pro out perfomance others stone.


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## gman (Jan 3, 2020)

comparing course stones is like asking if you'd rather be punched in the face or the stomach.

and then you realize that diamonds are a thing...


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## kayman67 (Jan 3, 2020)

Anyone tried thinning anything with Venev 80?


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## M1k3 (Jan 3, 2020)

gman said:


> comparing course stones is like asking if you'd rather be punched in the face or the stomach.
> 
> and then you realize that diamonds are a thing...



But they also tend to leave deep scratches and slowly, or fast depending on how well made it is, diamonds pull out from the plate. But they can be quite fast. Trade-offs.


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