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Shapton System Maintenance


Using Diamond Glass
Lapping
Plate

Shapton Stones are flattened using one of two diamond reference plates:

  • The Diamond Reference Lapping Plate (DRLP), and,
  • The Diamond on Glass Reference Lapping Plate (DGLP)

The DRLP is a two sided reference lapping system designed to produce exceedingly flat surfaces in steel and sharpening stones.

Tested by outside Japanese government laboratories the DRLP is optically flat. The Stone Truing Side falls within a plus or minus 8 micron tolerance.

The steel referencing side falls within an incredible, plus or minus 3.5 micron tolerance. Bringing a flat piece of steel to an exceedingly flat sharpening stone speeds the sharpening process enormously.

To flatten Shapton® Sharpening Stones use the Stone Truing side. This side is referred as the A-side

To flatten and reference blades use the Reference side. This side is referred to as the B-side.

Never use Lapping Powders with the DRLP. Use plenty of water while lapping Shapton® Stones and referencing blades on the DRLP.

The DRLP is used to flatten 1000 grit to 30000 grit Shapton® stones. Never use the DRLP to lap stones coarser than 1000 grit.

Lapping should be done in an X pattern by moving the stone from corner to corner on the A-side, overlapping the plate with the stone by one inch and applying light downward pressure. Every so often, rotate the stone 180 degrees and continue to lap. USE LIBERAL AMOUNTS OF WATER. Keep the slurry flushed away. When lapping is done rinse the stone off thoroughly. Look at the flattened surface. If you see any dark areas, the stone still has hollows. Repeat the process until the flattened surface (rinsed off) has no dark discoloration on it. The stone is now flat. The whole process should take 40-50 seconds.

Flattening and Referencing blades is done on the B-side rinsing with water often. Using the sharpening technique described in the DVD "Chisel Sharpening with Harrelson Stanley", observe the scratch pattern on the blade left by the DRLP. Go to your flat Shapton® sharpening stone to remove the majority of metal to true the blade. Repeat referencing technique on DRLP to check the flat, accurate surface of the blade and if needed repeat process of shaping the blade on the Shapton® sharpening stone until blade is flat and sharp.


Holder

The Shapton® new Glass Stone™ sharpening system

Shapton® has utilized a great deal of input from our customers from all over the world to create this system. Clean, uniform and fast, the Glass Stone™ system will save you time and dramatically improve your results.

The foundation of this completely new technology is our Glass Diamond Lapping Plate

Dimensions; W 3", L 10", H 15/16"

Weight: 800 grams

Shapton® has pioneered a totally new concept for diamond abrasive technology. Marrying microchip production methods with diamond abrasive technology, Shapton® has built the worlds first diamond on glass lapping plate.

The substrate for these plates is created from specially prepared float glass. Each substrate is tested for flatness and microscopically small defects before it's surface is embedded with diamonds.

The result is a flattening plate with a production deviation of ± 5 microns!

What does this mean for the user? Uniformity across the surface of every sharpening stone. Sharpening can progress without concern for uniformity because every stone flattened with this plate will be extraordinarily flat.

Even the walls of the groves on these plates are embedded with diamonds, this creates a very durable edge.