Shapton 220 Grit (Moss) Professional Series Waterstone

Good rough stone. Removes scratch marks from the 120 quickly. The literature with the stone says it is formulated for stainless steel. I am curious as to why that was never revealed in any of the descriptions I found on the internet??? Since none of the finer grits are specially formulated for stainless steel, why this grit? It does appear different than any of the other stones, and I have them ranging from 120 to 15000. It seems to work on carbon steels, too. I use it as a step between 120 and 320. It is not absolutely necessary, but by using the 220, I spend less time on 320. I like the Shapton stones because I don't have to soak them in water; just spritz with a spray bottle and go to work. I had considered some diamond stones; some tests showed they were faster than the water stones, but the diamonds seemed to wear quickly. I do have one highly regarded diamond plate used to lap the water stones. I tried to flatten a carborundum stone with it and it about ruined the diamonds. Shapton stones are expensive, but they will last if used properly, so over the long haul, they are a good value.

Case holds the stone well during use. Creates a slurry with only slight application of water and does not dry too quickly. Excellent for putting an edge on really beat up blades.

I have set of five stones 220 - 8000. I love these stones. Cut very quickly and lap without problem. They are a joy to use whether I'm sharpening kitchen knives, plane blades or chisels.