Review on Arkansas Sharpening Stone Set Mounted: Optimal Edge Sharpening Solution by Moe Gilbert

Maybe it's just this set but I don't like it because - the black stone should be almost smooth, like glass to the touch - it's a whetstone but not surgical black - it's should be used for sharpening after the blade is already sharp - it's nowhere near anything like some of the true black or translucent stones from Smith or Dan - soft and medium are almost identical - different colors yes but the actual grain difference is not detectable. That's why they're so cheap. If you want softness, they're fine, but don't expect black to be the finishing touch it should have. I have much better, this is a real black surgeon. The middle stone should be hard, but in color it is more gray, softer, more pink, it should be white as in the photos, and black is about the same. They just have a similar grain size.