Yeah, same here. The shapton 8k cuts faster and seems to leave just as smooth of an edge as the Chinese 12k.
It's been a while since I watched those... good idea.
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My recommendation for smiling blades is to use a 45 degree angle (in lieu of the usual 90 degrees) as you push and pull the blade across the stone in your X pattern. I have found that this is a very successful method of getting the entire edge across the stone consistently. Works well for wedges too.
Have fun,
Lynn