A lot of people call it like they see it. I call it like I see it, but I'm just a guy with a lot of experience with different stones in a variety of settings, and by no means an expert and I wouldn't let anyone use my opinion to sell anything (well, I did give alex permission to say that he provided me a good experience buying my stones - but Alex - you put someone else's comment with my name by mistake!!).
Here's why, and we have this problem in woodworking, too. Even if you're not getting paid, you have the urge to say everything is good and not point out anything bad, because if you do that, you start getting fewer things to test, and if you get fewer things to test, it's hard to keep up with the people who only have positive opinions about everything. Of course, nobody has all positive opinions about everything so this bias doesn't keep people from saying anything bad, it just keeps them from doing it as often as they would if they were sending you a PM and were sure you wouldn't tell anyone what you really thought.
It also creates a situation where the person who is the expert is unwilling to admit what they really know about things. I've seen it in woodworking (I don't read razor blogs if there are any), someone who likes things and has questions instantly has no questions for anyone once they have a blog, because people who want to look like they know everything aren't supposed to have questions.
When the guy you're referring to argued about the surgical black labeling of arkansas stones with me, It suggested a little bit of that. That makes me wary. It could've been a one off with the guy.
I could be unnecessarily wary about all of these new stones that for some reason weren't marketed for razors when there was a thriving market for stones.
But I wish there were more people who objectively question things like I do, people with experience who do it and without worry about whether they're seen as an expert or will remain friends with those who supply stuff.
I saw the page you're referring to, there's something that strikes me as odd. It's a great finisher but there's a big danger of beginners ruining a hone and having to go back. And the comments above about a stone being pressure sensitive for results. Have we ever heard that about a vintage japanese hone from a barber shop or about a y/g thuri? I haven't.
I don't know any of the parties involved here, I just have a little bit of reservation and feel it for the beginners who come into this hobby who just want to sharpen a few razors and shave.