The Naniwa Super Stones are exciting Japanese Waterstones for sharpening knives and tools. Like all waterstones, these stones require water, but unlike traditional Japanese Waterstones, they don't require soaking ahead of time. To use these stones, just apply a bit of water to the surface and you're ready to sharpen.These stones sharpen very quickly. With many of the modern steel alloys, speed of sharpening can be an important factor when considering a sharpening stone. These work well on tough tool steels such as A2 or D2 and very hard stainless alloys popular in Japanese and western cutlery.These stones are made with a resin bond, which allows for a higher level of abrasive particles compared with less expensive methods of stone bonding. The higher abrasive levels contribute to the speed of sharpening.If you are just learning how to hone your own straight razors or if you are already experienced in honing straight razors, you will find these stones are easy to work with and give fantastic results. The Naniwa Super Stones work well for everything from restoring an edge or repairing chips to simply touching up the edge. Thousands of people have learned to hone with these stones and continue to enjoy the results they give. They are one of the easiest stones to learn to hone on and should provide you with years of productive use.The Light Blue Super Stone S5000 measures 8 1/4' long, 2 3/4' wide and 3/8' thick, and is 5000 grit.