Thanks, Jimmy. I will try it out when I get it.

I guess one other problem is that I don't have as much confidence in my own ability to discern what is a really super stone without relying on the label as a kind of crutch. Actually, I've gotten past the "name brand" obsession when it comes to razors, but I just don't feel like I know enough to make the same judgments about stones.

So just between us, what exactly am I going to be looking for when I get the stone? I know how to use a stone for polishing, and I'm currently using a really nice Japanese natural stone that I got from Alex Gilmore. But what would you look for if you were in the kitchen with me and making this decision in my place? Thanks.

Also, I use a small, coarse Naniwa diamond flattening stone to make a slurry on my Japanese stone. Does this mean that I am "wasting" this stone when I do this? Thanks.