I'd like a set of good glass stones but haven't found any in the Seattle area stores that are of very good quality in terms of consistent size, thickness and shoulders and without chips.

Even some shopkeepers recommended buying a set online. I'm willing to pay a premium price if I can be sure of a set with really good uniformity. Say in the 8.0 - 10.5mm thickness range.

I already have a good set of shell and slate stones (this is what probably spoiled me) and hope to find an everyday set of glass/ceramic.

Is there any hope??

Thanks,

Charles

Yes. But it depends on how you plan to use the glass stones:
if they're strictly for home use, you can buy high quality Japanese glass stones online (try Kiseido).
But if you will regularly bring the stones to a bookstore or coffee shop -- with a hard floor --
people will inevitably drop them and they'll get chipped one by one. I know because that continually
happens to my 10mm Japanese glass stones: I bring them to a coffee shop for our club's weekly Go evening.
I'm seriously considering downgrading to the Chinese flat clay stones for public use.
(My nice Kuroki shell stones stay home! )

For good glass stones in Seattle area, you will pretty much have to order online from Kiseido, Yutopian, etc..

If you want some cheaper stones for every day use, you can get some at H Mart (Korean Supermarket) in Federal Way.

In my experience the Japanese glass stones are the most consistent as far as shape and thickness are concerned. I have a set of 8mm Japanese glass stones that I use for taking somewhere away from home. But I have to say I've never seen any glass stones that can match the slate-and-shell stones for consistency. I think the glass used to make the Japanese stones is a higher quality, too, and less likely to chip in ordinary use.

These look the most promising so far:

Korean stones, 22.0mm $80 ($75 on sale) I don't know anything about the store though.
http://www.thegamesupply.com/product/22810K

Japanese, Kiseido states, "21.2mm white and 21.8mm" black, which suggests rigorous attention to uniformity. $100 plus Shipping from japan hmmmm.
(see S225 Glass Go Stones 10.0 mm $100)
http://www.kiseido.com/go_equipment.htm

Right now I'm inclined toward Kiseido -- I guess it's an aura thing. If I'm gonna fork out this much I don't want any regrets later, after the sting to my wallet is forgotten.

Any insights or experience with these suppliers or others?

Charles, I have the Kiseido set, exactly.
May I ask why you want a high quality glass set when you already have a nice shell set?

Seems awfully expensive for glass stones.

I seem to remember paying only $35-40 for Korean glass stones. Maybe less than that, but it was a number of years ago. (and Samarkand is no more).

Yutopian has them for $20 (that's the price range I really remember paying, but was to long ago to be sure)
https://www.yutopian.com/yutop/cat?prod ... ategory=Sg

Ed Lee,

Thanks for the question, it's a good one. Thinking it over I feel even more like getting the good Japanese set and I may still get another $20 set for your reason above. Here are some answers that percolate up, I may have more too.

I have a set of glass stones which are now missing several of each color and chipped too. These were vintage 2002 Yutopian stones and I'd buy them again (just may)

I can make two 13x13 gift sets using these. 2x (85b + 84w)

I play 95% of my games using the glass set and I'd honestly enjoy the aesthetics of a set of stones that match.

I can see what the fuss is about over fat stones (10mm), I've always been an 8.4mm kinda guy.

Pocketbook sting will only hurt once, I'll get over it eventually. Most of my regrets are for the things I haven't done.

If they are nice, I'll have a small source of enjoyment each time I use them. (although if they suck, I'll slap my forehead each time, "Doh! whatta dope!")

Thanks again.

Wow, I just noticed these. Anyone know how they compare with Kiseido's? Same manufacturer?

https://www.yutopian.com/yutop/cat?product=SJ030&category=Sg

It's possible they're from the same manufacturer. I think there are not too many Japanese manufacturers that make glass stones.
(Most likely Mr. Kuroki, John, Mr. Bozulich would know.)

If you prefer 8.4 mm over 10 mm, I'd suggest rethinking about
(another?) set of Kuroki Standard grade shell stones, especially
if it's intended for home use anyway. As xed_over mentioned,
$100 (or $80/$90 with some discount) for high quality glass stones
still seems expensive, relative to what you get for 8.4 mm shell stones.

Thanks all,

I've been researching the choices to a degree that is approaching neither sane nor balanced -- but educational for sure!

Kiseido and Yutopian have a close business relationship and there are stories about Yutopian fulfilling USA book orders for Kiseido, in fact they answer their phone "Kiseido/Yutopian..." So, possibly my Kiseido order to Japan would be fullfiled by Yutopian stock. I don't know..

Yutopian's description of Japanese glass stones also cites the traditional stone sizes for white and black stones -- which originally endeared Kiseido to me. So, what with good prices and USA shipping it's looking more like Yutopian now.

The upshot -- when you can't choose immediately between A or B -- tenuki! I think I'll wait a little.

Ed, I appreciate your input. I already have a set of 8.4 snow grade Japanese stones, I bought them from Yutopian several years ago, however I recently saw their silver and white checked box on display in a video of KGT's shop on youtube somewhere. So -- I don't know, maybe I already have a set of Kuroki's stones.

If you post some small photos of your shell stones box(es), we can probably ID them for you.

Right on! Thanks

So far I have puzzled out this much:

in the top blue half from left to right:
[two unknown ideograms] "real clam Igo stones"

Then the white bottom half, on the left, above each other:
[two unknown ideograms] "clam white stones"
"Real Nachi black stones"

31
[two unknown ideographs one above the other]
"snow grade"



The top is embossed in large gold letters,"Clam Igo Stones"
there is a label in English pasted on the top which says,"SHELL AND SLATE STONES YUKI NO. 31 (8.4mm) MADE IN JAPAN"
there is also handwritten in the corner "SM5C" or (SMSC)

Any insights?

Charles, you got mostly everything right. I may have mis-translated the
meanings of 日向 特製 vs. 日向 特産 -- others more proficient in Japanese can enlighten us:

日向 特製 (manufactured in Japan, but the source of the clams can be elsewhere, e.g. Mexico)
日向 特産 (manufactured in Japan, and the clams are also from Japan)
特製　蛤 白石
本　那智 黒石
31 号 (size 31)
Kuroki includes a little "warranty certificate" and their logo appears on various
places in the packaging; so I suspect yours is not Kuroki,
but certainly Mr. Kuroki himself can tell you.

Hey thanks a lot!

Now that you mention it, others have mentioned a certificate too. I'm pretty sure none was included with these.

Thanks again for the translation.