how often should you clean your spyderco sharpmaker rods?

I'd recommend scrubbing with dish detergent, like Dawn/Ivory/etc, or powdered cleanser & water (Comet/Ajax) after each extended sharpening session. OR, even wiping the rods with a paper towel moistened with Windex after each light (touch-up) use will keep them in pretty good shape. That's what I do with mine, most of the time.

If they get real loaded up, you'll likely notice they're not working so well or very fast. In that Case, Bar Keepers Friend powder works very well, used with a little water to make a paste/slurry. Scrub it in with a Scotch-Brite pad, and rinse thoroughly. Leaves the rods almost like new again. Bar Keepers Friend uses oxalic acid, which dissolves the metal swarf, so use it with caution and read the warnings on the container.

The rods will always work much better if they're kept clean, so it's best to stay ahead of it, before they get too dirty/clogged.


David
 
Magic erasers work in a pinch as well. Quick, easy, and nothing to dry or clean up (which is a major plus if you're lazy like me.)
 
The absolute best stuff to clean the sharpmaker stones is a cleaning powder called "Barkeeper's Friend". You can find it in most grocery stores. It has a touch of oxalic acid in it and it gets the stones clean and swarf free with a couple of quick scrubs. I've stopped using anything else it is so good.

And to answer your original question, I clean them whenever I notice that the swarf buildup is causing the stone to lose the "bite" on the blade.

TedP
 
I also use Barkeeper's Friend with a Scotch-Brite pad to clean my ceramic rods & stones. It's cheap and versatile. I find it works better to clean stainless and ceramic kitchen surfaces than specialty cleaners.
 
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