Well this is going to surprise some and make others down right mad but I ONLY use Washita stones to set a bevel. I have sold all of my synthetic bevel setting (800/1000) hones years ago. I hone 3-5 razors a week on average. What does that tell ya? I’ve gone mad? No, I am afraid not. Setting a bevel on a Washita has many advantages and speed is actually one of them. I rough the surface lightly with a coarse crystolon stone which is WAY too coarse to hone a razor on but the Washita surface is then perfect for the job. It cuts amazingly fast. The swarf turns black within a few strokes and I have even done light restoration work with them. BUT the speed comes not in setting a bevel fast, although I find it comparable to 800/1000 grit, but in the fact that once my bevel is set I am at around a 6000 edge. That is because the surface quickly returns to normal Washita level. If it has not returned then I will flip it over and I am guaranteed a nice smooth surface but generally I can make the surface return to normal cutting at the time I am done setting the bevel but I have been doing this for a while. The secret is in that they cut wide shallow grooves instead of thin deep ones.
It is not hard but takes some practice. No, I haven’t been drinking or smoking anything. This is not a theory. I have set literally hundreds of bevels with them. They are amazing stones. Here is a link where it explains it much better than I can.
https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum...l-hone.297432/