Lynn, I know that you soak your Norton stones, but I have heard from several dealers that soaking is not necessary on the 8000 grit, and some have even said that a splash of water is all that is needed on the 4000 grit as well. If that were true, I would be more inclined to purchase and use the Norton, as I hate to soak stones! Have you tried using them without soaking, and what were the results? Since I know you soak them, I am expecting the worst here, but would still like to know what your experiences were. Also, once you have used them both long enough to get the information, it would be helpful to know if Norton will outlast the Belgian, or visa versa...and by how much.

Bob