At first they will feel very coarse and leave a rather rough edge, the surface will show marks where you have sharpened and the finish will look hazed. The first few sharpenings they will also feel like you are passing over loose abrasive but once they start breaking in they cut and feel much better and more appropriate for the rated grit.
I don't know how much I can stress the use of light pressure. Not only will it save the stone from becoming damaged it also helps with the finish and sharpness of the edge. The less pressure you apply the less the diamond can dig into the steel, this results in a finer scratch making a brighter surface finish and a sharper edge. Diamonds also "cut" the steel, what I mean by this is instead of rubbing the steel away like other abrasives the diamonds cut into the steel like a hot knife in butter.
The advantage to this is that with the use of light pressure you not only get a better looking finish and a sharper edge but you also cause less plastic deformation, AKA the burr. After your stones breaks in and smooth out the feedback you can get from them is like no other stone I have used, you can feel the imperfections and even when you remove the burr.
Above all take your time and let the stone do the work, even when it feels as though nothing is happening the diamonds are still working. Also remember how fast they are working, it become
easy to do more than is needed.
