I also have a combo stone about 12 in long and course and fine India. I had trouble with it on most everything. I went to the naniwa stones. I then began to hone. My advice is to watch Lynn Abrams videos on honing. Lynn and others here on the place have excellent instructions on honing and they show it well in the video's. My problem with the india stones was keeping them clean. The Naniwa stones I use are water stones and work quite well anyway learning is part of the fun.