I was unsure but hopeful about how these were going to perform since I've had to spend gobs of money to get quality stones in the past. I was extremely pleasantly surprised. I have worked with Vinevs, KDTU, PDT, Jende to name a few and these hold their own against their resin bonded stones as far as cutting ability, feedback and consistency. I even experienced less loading at the higher grits than I have with Vinev. The scratch pattern is excellent and I was able to get dull knives just as sharp as is possible. The grit progression is consistent and well spaced.
I will point out that they have a rather small working layer and the material doesn't reach the ends of the 6 inch base BUT they had to do something to make these affordable and I'm sure glad they did. 1mm of working material will last you a decade with regular sharpenings and I don't notice the shorter length of material when sharpening on a guided angle system at all. I would love to see a super low grit profiling stone in one of the lines like an 80 or 120 but the 200 is definitely fully capable of reprofiling, It's just nice to have extra oomph sometimes.
I have tried both this pro version as well as the premium version and I do like them both but I actually prefer the pro. It may be the feedback that I like more with the flat surface but the raised pattern on the premiums is extremely efficient and that might be your jam. It's an interesting innovation. I also appreciate the slightly thicker working layer of the pro. I hope to try all of their offerings eventually.
I also have to mention their customer service which is top notch. I don't just mean it was good at the basic level but they went above and beyond to help me with my first order, answering any questions, and even followed up after our initial chat. I was worried I wouldn't get the case, spray bottle and conditioning stone since I was mixing and matching from 3 different lines but they assured me they'd include them, adding to the value.
We don't all have $400 to drop on a set of stones even If it will last a lifetime. There was a huge hole in the market for a quality budget resin bonded diamond stone and I'm glad to see someone filling it. Maybe we'll see them expand into CBN next! I would love to see that, or perhaps hybrid bonds. I expect good things whatever direction they go. I will be spreading the word, including in the extensive yet close nit online world of sharpening, and I see that I'm not alone in that (shoutout to Lacey). I only hope we don't start seeing the stock issues we've seen with Vinev and KDTU! If you're considering these, don't hesitate. (I am unaffiliated with the brand, I just appreciate the product and the value)
Review was written after sharpening a dozen knives of varyings angles and steels, soft to super hard. I will try to post another review with some photos and updates after I use it a while longer.
These stones brigge the gap between diamond stones/lapping films and strops. Good aluminium bases, performing well but not used long enough to say anything about lifespan.
Very practical hard plastic, good quality. Also the little spray bottle is a nice extra. Will buy another one in the future.
2 plus weeks in transit with multiple day delays at several locations, I won't be a returning customer and will recommend other look elsewhere for sharpening products
The reason for the initial one star review was. I received an automated email 14 days after purchase and I had not received the order. This could have easily been avoided had they implemented a simple script to check delivery status before requesting a review.
Why only 4 stars, the stone material really needs to go all the way to the edge on at least on one side. Otherwise this stone is difficult to use on blades with a tight choil.
Also the 'stone' is visibly discolored, this has not decreased with use or dressing.
We sincerely apologize for the delayed delivery of your order.🙏 This was caused by unforeseen issues with our shipping partner, which we take very seriously. We have addressed the problem directly with them and we are implementing enhanced logistics measures to improve future delivery reliability. Thank you for bringing this to our attention — your experience helps us serve you better. Your case has been escalated to our senior support team, who will personally connect with you to ensure proper resolution.
Let me start by saying I love these stones. And I love this company how they are always trying to make improvements by listening to their customers. These stones work great for the price. You get great results. My only 2 complaints were I wanted the stones to go all the way way across the blank so that it can hit the heel of any knife. And I wanted lower grits which they have already addressed. If your thinking about these stones get them you’ll be more then happy. They perform just like the more expensive stones they won’t last as long but you will still gets tons of life from them and from the price you can’t beat it
