Get the Naniwa. I wish they'd been around, or I'd been aware of them, when I got my norton. Much better stones. Though I only have a nawina 1k, its really impressed me. I think that the Nawina combo should dethrone the norton as the recommended newbie stone. They're higher grit, you'll never "grow out of them" and feel a need to get better stones in that grit range, and they have a great feel to them.