Cleaning ceramic hones

Uncle Rukus

Uncle Rukus

Joined
Mar 13, 2007
Messages
133
I have all three spyderco benchstones and I am having a hard time cleaning them completely. I normally use a scratchpad and comet but it never completely removes all the particles. I've tried soaking them in comet overnight as well as scrubbing them with a Mr. Clean magic eraser, but nothing seems to work. What else can I try?
 
I've tried "Bon Ami" and "Barkeeper's Friend" and all the other powders. Also abrasive pads and eraser-type cleaners. By far, the easiest way is to put them in the dishwasher. Just make sure nothing will bang against them as they are brittle. I lay them out on the top rack. They come out clean as a whistle.
 
RobbW said:
By far, the easiest way is to put them in the dishwasher. Just make sure nothing will bang against them as they are brittle. I lay them out on the top rack. They come out clean as a whistle.
Click to expand...

Maybe Martha Stewart has some advice on this topic :) .
 
I use a steel wool pad charged with detergent, like Brillo or SOS. It works better than the plastic scrubbies people use. Cleans your stones in seconds. I've never tried the dishwasher, I'll have to give it a try.


Joe
 
I get my best results using Kresto hand cleaner with a hard backed scotch brite pad. I imagine any hand cleaner with pumice or grit will work.
 
I would bet that the hand cleaner would be great to soak them in before cleaning them.

What I have done in the past to give all of my benchstones a thorough cleaning is a 3 step process>> first of all I soak them in scalding hot water. Then I scrub them with either Comet or Ajax. After I have cleaned them with the Comet or Ajax I then do the final stage with a different type of cleanser known as Bar Keeper's Friend. You can find it usually in the same place in the store where you find the Comet & Ajax.

I then take the Bar Keeper's Friend and either use a toothbrush or scotchbrite pad and scrub them with the BKF and they usually end up looking like brand new. However I don't clean them that thoroughly but about once every 2 to 3 months. But when I want them completely clean that's the regimen I have used for the last 3 years and I get very satisfactory results. The pencil erasers do a decent job I won't deny that. But if you want them as clean as they were when they were new then try that 3 step process and you will be amazed.

The next time I clean them though I am going to soak them in that hand cleaner that Smeg was talking about. Good Luck and let us know how you do. JD
 
RobbW said:
I've tried "Bon Ami" and "Barkeeper's Friend" and all the other powders. Also abrasive pads and eraser-type cleaners. By far, the easiest way is to put them in the dishwasher. Just make sure nothing will bang against them as they are brittle. I lay them out on the top rack. They come out clean as a whistle.
Click to expand...


Say RobbW when you put the ceramic benchstones in the dishwasher could you tell us which brand of automatic dishwashing soap you use? I have heard that method mentioned before but I have also heard that not all dishwashing powders work on them. I tried Cascade once and I didn't have very good luck with it. But maybe my dishwasher wasn't the best you could get.
 
I use Cascade 2in1 Action Packs:

http://www.cascadeclean.com/sites/en_US/cascade/products/action.shtml

I buy it at Costco by the tub so it's pretty cheap--but I don't think brand should matter. There seems to be some chemical reaction in dishwashing detergent, just like there is in Barkeeper's Friend, that is great at getting metal out of ceramic. If you've ever put anodized aluminum pots/pans in the dishwasher and seen them come out faded and whitish, you know what I mean.

The Spyderco ceramics come out clean, I mean the brilliant white rods that are absolutely clean--no metal left behind. They cut like new afterwards, so it's a no-brainer for me because of the low effort.
 
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