Originally Posted by
Alucard73
the way i see it the only way to compare stones properly whether they're natural or synthetic is by cutting speed and edge finish,in a lot of instances grit rating isn't relative because of different materials and manufacturers but that's only my opinion,as for oil i've never used it even my silicone carbide stones are non oil because i worked with food it made it easier to clean after sharpening with no chance of oil gunk contamination and it seems to work great for me,how much difference do you guys think oil makes and what are the benefits as i've seen a lot of stones gunked up badly by oil,also what sort of difference is there between the surgical black and translucent as aside from reading it's one of the finest sharpening stones there is i've never heard of a comparison that states the difference in edge finishes,is it like the difference between the hard and black?? how much extra polish does it give the edge?? and will it create an even finer edge without feathering??