How to clean a Spyderco Stone - Really

Z

Zip7

Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
426
Ok, so I've had a Spyderco medium benchstone for a pretty good while and I use it probably more than any stone I have. It's made of the same stuff as a medium sharpmaker rod I'm guessing.

Recently it's been retaining more and more metal and has been harder and harder to clean. So I set out to clean it thoroughly, because it just hasn't been working as well as it did when new. I did get it quite clean, even it it operates more like a medium/fine stone now. Here's what I did roughly in order. This process took a couple of weeks, so it's hard to remember exactly...

1: Read all the threads I could find on the subject here.

2: Scrubbed with scotchbrite and dishwashing liquid.

3: Scrubbed with scotchbrite and Babo abrasive cleaner.

4: Scrubbed with SOS pad

5: Threw in dishwasher

6: Scrub with SOS pad again.

7: Dishwasher again

8: Scrubbed with Scotchbrite and Walgreens brand comet.

9: Soaked in dishwater for a day.

10: Scrubbed with 400 grit sandpaper + Comet

11: Scrubbed with 100 grit sandpaper + comet

12: Dishwasher again

13: Scrubbed it with a D8C DMT diamond hone.

14: Read all these threads again

15: Tried to remember who I know that would have a sandblaster

16: Went to town, found a place that has Barkeepers Friend. Bought some.

17: Scrubbed with BKF + Scotchbrite

18: Scrubbed with BKF + Nylon brush

19: Microwaved for 1 minute

20: Scrubbed with BKF + PUMICE STONE

CLEAN!
 
What's BFK?
Do you think it would have worked if you started on step 20? or 19?:D
Some of us don't have dishwashers!
 
In all seriousness, does microwaving help? I did a search and ran my sharpmaker stones through the dishwasher, but I'm not sure it did much.
 
I presume you could resurface one with a DMT diamond plate. I suppose that might alter the grit though.
 
If there is residual moisture in the stone, microwaving could break it.
Scrubbing with SOS pads likely imbeds more steel than it removes.
Stones can be resurfaced with diamond stones or sandpaper if the final grit of the resurfacer is finer than the grit of the stone.
You can clean stones with WD 40, and wiping. I use an ultrasonic cleaner for really dirty stones. You can also spray them with brake parts cleaner-it works well.
Bill
 
DAMN!! I bet you can see your reflection in that thing by now. Nice to see I'm not the only one who takes his knife and accessory maintenance so seriously.
 
Sounds like a day at the mill ((( :D )))

I bet you could eat off those stone now...or at least eat off the knives sharpened on them!
 
Truthfully, nothing worked very well at all except for the pumice stone w/ Barkeepers friend under running water.. The SOS pads did make it worse. Sandpaper and the diamond plate made it smoother - like a fine grit for a while, Dishwasher didn't do anything. But the pumice stone did work very well indeed. I just saw it when I was at the hardware store and tried it out.

It's called a Pumie Scouring Stick - by US Pumice, and it does clean that thing up. I think because it's very abrasive, but very much softer than the ceramic, so it doesn't sand it down so to speak. If you rub it on the stone the wrong way it makes a sound that makes fingernails on a chalkboard sound like Beethoven
 
Try Hoppes #9 gun cleaning solvent. Put some on a coarse rag and scrub. I use it after every ten strokes. You can get it at any gun store, Dicks, Walmart, etc.
Scott
 
Ok. After neglecting my v-grinds for awhile in favor of convex BRKTs, I had to brush up the edges on a couple of new Moras.... and touched up some 154CM at the same time. Well, I needed to clean the stones before and during. I used a Magic Eraser and found out why I didn;t use them much. They work. They removes bits of steel. But they just don;t get them as clean as we want them.

So...it was back to hot tap water, Comet, and a grey nylon pad. During the sharpening, I'd reach over and scrub a little with the Magic Eraser, but I'm convinced now, hot water, COmet and a nylon pad does the trick.
 
Tanguay Custom Knives said:
Try Hoppes #9 gun cleaning solvent. Put some on a coarse rag and scrub. I use it after every ten strokes. You can get it at any gun store, Dicks, Walmart, etc.
Scott
Click to expand...

I have plenty of that, and would use if I had to, but when I was younger, I roughnecked on an offshore drilling rig for a couple years, and I have been doused with diesel fuel, and every kind of nasty solvent imaginable, and I just don't like to smell 'em now.
 
I think if you put the WD-40, brake cleaner, or gun solvent at the top of your list, you will find the stone will come cleaner a whole lot quicker. You need a solvent/breaker to break up the grease and metal dust cake build up. I haven't seen PB blaster mentioned, but it will probably be more effective than WD-40. I would follow this with the brake cleaner. I don't know how the gun solvent works compared to the brake cleaner, I'm just saying use the brake cleaner as it is designed specifically to do what you are trying to do. After you have used this solvent combination, the abrasive type powder cleaners will be much more effective at a final cleaning.

Edit to add: I was typing before I saw your last post.
 
Nosetotail said:
Edit to add: I was typing before I saw your last post.
Click to expand...

No prob. Once you've had to wash your hair with GoJo a few times, or tried to get the taste of Diesel out of your mouth, you kinda go sour on solvent stuff.

BUT - brake cleaner is pretty good stuff. You know, electric motor & contact cleaner is much the same. I use that in drying out guns that get wet.

I use this stone all the time, and it stays in my kitchen in the dish drainer, so I would as soon it not be smelly. And the truth is, the pumice stone is very effective.
 
Why all the solvent talk? Isn't this stone being used W/O oil?

And are you committed to the Spyderco medium? It sounds like, if your time is worth even minimum wage, you've spent enough time and money to buy a bunch of DMTs and Nortons, both of which are very good in the medium grit ranges and won't cause you so much headache.

Maybe you should stick with the Spyderco fine (less pourous, easier to clean) and scrap the medium?

John
 
I know its not a ceramic, but I always "wash" my arkansas stone under hot water (no soap) and "scrub" it with my thumb after sharpening. Seems to do a ood job of preventin any build up a grindings in the stone.
 
gunslinger said:
I use soft scrub and rub it in with my fingers. It works like a dream every time!
Click to expand...
Exactly! I've recommended this before (tho' without a forums search handy....) FWIW Naval Jelly and other acidic cleaners also work, but Scrub Free is the best I've found, the sulfamic acid works extremely well on the metal build-up on the rods/hones. Soak 'em overnight if they're really bad.
 
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