Super disappointing in the moment -- but it's particularly good that it's a Mac. Customer service and warranty and all. That's who you most want to be behind the product.
A thread with the standard "best-of" beginners stones is here: http://www.cheftalk.com/t/67134/first-set-of-waterstones
I don't think those are your only options, but others in that class get more pricey. The...
stainless vs carbon steel...
The idea in general is that the carbon is easier to sharpen and may have better edge retention; it also requires more care and feeding, and doesn't stay super shiny.
A patina is...
Saving money on the knife to buy stones (or a good cutting board) makes all kinds of sense.
The Mac will come relatively sharp out of the box. Surprisingly sharp, though it can get sharper. The Fujiwara...
I'm not the person to let you know from the perspective of years of experience...! But you don't sound off-base at all. My French carbon knives had the bevels set by a professional, and though the edges he set were not at all...
6 months between sharpening seems like it's holding an edge for a long time, actually!
Learning whetstones is not hard, but you don't do a great job until you put in some hours. That or... there's another thread here...
If you're inexperienced with sharpening, or particularly with reprofiling, having someone -- someone else -- who is very good open the knife might give a bevel to "click in" -- makes setting initial angles easier. Even if you...
I'd suggest looking at this thread: http://www.cheftalk.com/t/52218/mac-rollsharp#post_363498
Especially post 3 then more especially post 9. If you still have questions about reasonable sharpening options after looking...
