Review on Whetstone Sharpening MAP-13AL FAP-13AL BAP-13AL by Brett Morrison

Novaculite is an excellent sharpening stone. This is due to quartz's dense microcrystalline structure inherent in the material. I've used both water and oil, but honestly I prefer oil: you don't need much and you're not tied to the sink. Even wd40 seems to work well, but in fact almost any oil will do. If it seems clogged (looks like it has graphite stuck to it), just rinse it under water and grab a cleaning brush! It is so easy. My guess is that with moderate to heavy use these stones will probably last 10-20 years or more without the need for leveling. You are so heavy. especially Hard Arkansas and Black Hard Arkansas - just use them, don't worry about them ever going flat. Serious. They fit perfectly between the thumb and forefinger or on the outstretched palm. Just hold the stone and get to work, increasing the hardness until it shaves your arm. belt and you have an incredible advantage. Some people complain that these stones are slow to cut. If your knife is very dull and appears rounded, start with a carbide or diamond sharpener to get started. Then work on the progression to your liking! However, these are not tilt installers. If you're willing to put in all that time, there's no doubt you can go from rounded edges to sharp edges with just these. Just expect it to take a lot of extra time. HOWEVER, these stones are NOT slow on normal edges. Figure maybe ten minutes to sharpness. Since you don't have to straighten regularly or mess around with lots of water, this isn't a problem! I'll add this as well if you like razors: Black Hardstone is a great post 8k and stripping or post Coticule finishing stone. You can't ask for a sharper edge unless you like thinner synthetic material or Japanese natural stone, which will cost more than your rent. For the price, these stones don't get the attention they deserve. This is a world class stone. You will not be disappointed.