Well, I tend to find with some things they get bad reviews just because people don't understand how the item in question works. I've seen noodler's pens get bad reviews because they don't write well until they're properly adjusted - 'a good writing pen should come ready to write!' They're artist's pens designed so the artist can adjust them to the level of nib flex and ink flow they desire. Planes - even a $200 Stanley #4 should be checked and set up properly, so it's no surprise to me a $30 one would require the same. Hones I tend to think can fall into that category too. So I take bad reviews with a grain of salt.

I have a few vintage Arks, Dan's Arks, Best and Gatco stones too. All of them work, but they're all also verifiably Arkansas stones.

That thing on the other hand, looks like a synthetic stone more so than any grade of Arkie I'm familiar with. Almost looks more like granite.

We require pics of that 10 x 3 translucent when it comes in by the way.