I am in a similar position, I have a Norton 4/8 that I am happy with the shave from, however the 4K side is nearing the end of its service life. So I too would like to hear from people that have multiple synthetic mid range hones and their impression of how they perform. However I have Naniwa 10 & 12K hones that fall afterwards, in sometimesnaturals on the finish instead. So from my perspective I am wondering more about performance that the feel of the blade. I think I am posed ready for Naniwa hones but could easily be convinced otherwise.