I started out with a 4k,8k,10k on new razors (One pro honed the other by me, followed by one more) I invested in a king 1/k 6/k combo stone so I had a bevel setter. After trying repeatedly to get the Dovo 6/8 correct and shaveable, then this Klaas 11/16 over the last 3 days, I get a good bevel off the 1k. ( I sort of feel I should be going straight to the 10k to finish it, but the rules say otherwise).

The samurai delux 4k naniwa, seems a harsh stone and you need heaps of slurry to get it smooth, so I tried the 6k King (Needed soaking for 15 mins). Bearing in mind I started with the 1k bevel setter and achieved a bevel, I've jumped over the naniwa 4k, and gave it a few strokes on the 6k side of this waterstone. I have to say, that against convention, this 6K felt great, in 10 minutes I had it cutting tree tops. Now here is the conundrum. I take it to the naniwa 8K to polish. (This is a clean lapped stone, and after seven or eight feather strokes, I checked it and It was no where near as good as it was after the King 6K. I went back to the king and got it to pass the HHT, then with a fair bit of slurry got it through the 8k stone. I put it straight on the 10k, no slurry, no pressure, and it was nice. 8 passes on a crox balsa strop and we are shave ready. I am comfortable from the 1k/6/k combo stone to the 8K 10k, the 4k is either my poor techniques or the imaginary shaves I've had.