+1n with Jimmy. I've heard people not liking the Coticule. This I understand because it is a natural hone, and you can have variances from hone to hone. Some are better than others. This is the first I'm hearing of anyone not liking the Shapton 16k. I've always heard good things about it. Since they're synthetic, there should be consistency, right. I have one, but have not used it enough to impart any ground breaking results. I have had good and bad with it. Normally, if I have blade that just won't do it for me. 9x out of 10, I have to reset the bevel. You said you looked under a 30x loupe. I use a ten, and can tell if the bevel has to be reset. I'm not sure how it would look under the 30x, but that's what I would do.