How often do you clean your sharpmaker?

S

Smegmalicious

Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
191
I just got one and sharpened up like 8 knives on it before using it on my nice Sebenza. Basically all the knives were super sharp except the Sebenza, which I did last. I was wondering if I need to clean the stones. What do you guys think?
 
I generally clean mine after each knife.

However, I think you really only need to clean them when the area the blades contact become discolored with blade particulate (looks silverish/grey to me with the white stones).

Clean stones sharpen faster, so I take a break and clean them.
 
When my dark colored rods look shiny or my white rods get more than a little dark it is time to clean. I also clean anytime if feel grit or bumps on the rods. I mostly clean using sink scouring cleanser and hot water. I use a terry cloth rag or a Scotch Brite pad for scrubbing. I particularly like to use stainless steel sink cleanser like Barkeeper's Friend, but Comet or Ajax work OK.
 
I clean them whenever I put the Sharpmaker away or whenever the I run out of clean sides on the white stones….cleaning is no big deal really, only takes a minute or so to clean the four stones.
 
ront said:
I also use comet and a Scotch Brite pad. Fast and easy.

Ron
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What Ron said.

I don't clean my stones anywhere near enough, but when I do, my knives get freakishly sharp.
 
orthogonal1 said:
Green meany scouring pad and scouring powder (BarKeepers Friend for me)
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Hey Brother! I hear you on that Bar Keeper's Friend. It is the best abrasive type cleanser I have ever used on these sharpening stones. It actually has more of a chemical action than it does an abrasive action. But that BKF seems to pull out the metal from the ceramic much better than anything I have tried up to date. If anyone knows of anything better I would sure like to know about it.
 
Are the ceramic resistant to acid? Submerging into weak hydrocloric acid would dissolve any iron remains. Hmm
 
Lenny_Goofoff said:
Are the ceramic resistant to acid? Submerging into weak hydrocloric acid would dissolve any iron remains. Hmm
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That's a good question Lenny>. I have even wondered if stuff like Bar Keeper's Friend had any chemicals in it that would change the grit of fineness/texture of the stone? Maybe the General himself might be able to give us some insight on this one?

IF these stones are totally chemically resistant then I don't see why you couldn't use something like CLR or some commercial rust remover. Just a thought. :)
 
Bar Keepers friend has acid in it that helps break down stainless steel residue. Ceramic is pretty acid resistant. Even if the surface was etched slightly by acid that would only make the hone cut better.
 
Jeff Clark said:
Bar Keepers friend has acid in it that helps break down stainless steel residue. Ceramic is pretty acid resistant. Even if the surface was etched slightly by acid that would only make the hone cut better.
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Except it would ruin the properties of a fine stone. Sure etching it would make it cut better, but you'd be destroying your gradient.
 
I usually clean my sharpmaker after 2 or 3 knives, I use brillo pads and comet scouring powder.
 
Smegmalicious you're confused about how hones work. With the exception of diamond hones, it is critical for the surface of hones to break down in order for them to present fresh, sharp grit for honing. Waterstones are designed to break down relatively fast when wet with water. Oil stones break down a bit slower than waterstones, but using oil rather than water. Ceramic hones are used dry and wear down slowly, hence they cut slowly. When you clean them with abrasives, which is the normal way, you not only remove debris from the surface you also loosen up and slightly roughen the surface. This just restores the surface to closer to its state when it came from the factory. The ceramic is so hard and resistant to acids and abrasives that you are lucky if you can knock the shiny glaze off the surface of the stones. You don't threaten the overall strength or contours of the rods. You just make the rods work better. That includes the ultra-fine grit rods.
 
I tend to keep a rubber with the sharpmaker for cleaning if I don't have the green pad and water handy
 
Andy_L said:
I tend to keep a rubber with the sharpmaker for cleaning if I don't have the green pad and water handy
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HAHAHAHA! translation please?!?

I use soft scrub, not nearly often enough.
 
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