This block is just great once you get the hang of it. It's not like any other block. It took a minute to get used to because it's different, but I liked it. You have to soak the bar in water for 10 minutes to sharpen your knives but oh my god your knives get super sharp that fast. I tried it with scissors, which I also have, and the scissors worked great too. I am in love with my new sharpening block. Needless to say I will be recommending this device to all my friends and family. Gone are the days of struggling to sharpen my knives. I suffer from carpal tunnel so this is very important to me. i love this block That is very cool.