I've been trying for ages to get my hands on a Washita, they go for stupid money here in the UK.
I have to agree that after 30 plus years of sharpening tools in different workshops, I've yet to find a better, easier sharpening set up than my Norton stones. I've worked with guys who've used water stones and to be honest, I just couldn't be arsed with the faff of it. It's messy to start off with. And then you've got the flattening. I don't think it's at all practical in a working enviroment. By the way, I use paraffin on my stones, it's very light & keeps them clean.
About 10 years ago I started including Arkansas stones in my sharpening & whilst not really necessary, they definitely take an edge to another level.
I use them all the time now. Here's what I do every time I sharpen up- Norton course to raise the burr, Norton fine to polish, hard Arkansas to polish & then I strop on leather with Aluminium Oxide(not chromium). If I'm really in a hurry I won't always strop. It depends on what I'm working with. If you're using carbon steel then the Norton/Arkansas stones are perfect. Although I've sharpened A2 steel on my oilstones, they may be better suited to water stones only because the stones cut so fast. When I started honing my own razors I bought the Naniwa stones up to 12k but I've recently started going from the 12k & then to a surgical black Ark. I think it gives the edge a little something. I find the edge on my Koraat is very smooth after the Ark.
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This is my work set up - course, fine hard Ark.
The stones are all 1/2 inch & with this arrangement, sharpening is very quick - 2 minutes maybe.
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My two very old Nortons, a 6 inch & an 8 inch. Made in the USA. IMO, the best you can get!
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My soft & hard 6 inch Arks. The soft is a waste of time if you've got a Norton.
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Surgical black Ark -6 inch. Only used for my razors.