+1. I too have used Arkies to touch up my razor for a long time without any issues at all. In fact the barber who taught me to hone(and gave me my surgical black) used Arkies exclusively for touching up his razors for the 40-50 years he was a barber. The thing with Arkie's, or all natural stones, is that you need to commit and learn the stone. The more you use it and the more you understand the hone, the more consistant your results will be. Just my opinion.:)