After being a naniwa only hone user I felt that my finisher the 10k was a hard stone. I've conferred on this site with Onimaru55, who kindly offered me his personal assessment, but I'm a stubborn bloke and I made a change from the resin 10k naniwa, to what most say is a duplication, by getting myself an Ice Bear (King), clay based 10k stone, that came with the nagura stone. I found it to be a softer stone with a lovely glide, especially after creating a slurry with the nagura stone. Am I right or nuts? The way I see it is if I get a good result then I'm happy. The Ice Bear is 205 x 75 x 25, an ample size for our razors and is very expensive. I rarely see it appear on the forums, except one video of Gssixgun who when doing a VIDEO of naniwa progression set his bevel with a King, by-passing, the naniwa.. Anyway, if you try a king..clay based stone you may find it a good stone, when you aren't a pro. It's less hardness is good for when you are learning. I accept the advice given and I am thankful for it. But me being me I felt the clay based stone was worth a go. I already had a king 1k/6k clay stone, and always ended up in good shape before I manage to dull it on a very hard 10k. The big lesson I have now learned is that, ,the stone (Ice Bear) is luxurious, large and smooth to use. But, my problem has always been too much pressure. Using a slick slurry created by the nagura, has allowed me to comfortably touch up, and believe me I've shaved off the G & F !!! This whole sport/hobby is so rewarding when you get it totally right. Keep reading, one day I will have done it! The ice bear stone is mounted on a wooden base, it is a really lovely bit of kit.