Spyderco Bench Stones

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ricklee4570

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Aug 12, 2010
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To those with experience with the Spyderco Bench Stones (2x8) medium, fine and ultra fine.

What's your thoughts? Likes, dislikes?
 
Good stones when they are flat. If they are not flat, they can be a real bear to lap. That is part of what makes them good, nearly impossible to wear out.
 
Is complete flatness really that important?

I would think one would be hard pressed to find any stone perfectly flat. If you do, wouldn't that change as soon as you start using it?
 
ricklee4570 said:
Is complete flatness really that important?

I would think one would be hard pressed to find any stone perfectly flat. If you do, wouldn't that change as soon as you start using it?
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The Spyderco bench stones are ceramic. If they're not flat to start, simply using it won't change that. They're much too hard for steel to alter their shape at all. In order to lap them flat, something like diamond would be needed. And it'd still take a while to get it done by hand.

I have a couple of small Spyderco 'Doublestuff' ceramic pocket stones. Both of them came slightly dished (concave). When these stones aren't flat, this is usually how they're found (dished). This means that oftentimes, when sharpening, the knife edge only contacts the very edges of the stone. Even if you're able to use the central portions of the surface, you still have to be careful that you're not scrubbing too hard across the 'raised' edges. That can be very tough on an edge, if much pressure is applied at all. Not to mention, a lot of the stone's surface simply goes unused this way. Stones always work more efficiently when more of their surface area is in contact with the knife edge. I know that sounds obvious, but it's a real problem (apparently) for manufacturers to get 'em perfectly flat from the start.
 
This topic has been discussed recently . My fine stone came within .001" of level . Which is within tolerance of the machine . I had no problems lapping one side of the stone using a fine diamond stone . Now its finer and within .0005" of flat or less . The stones work well on any steel . DM
 
David Martin said:
This topic has been discussed recently . My fine stone came within .001" of level . Which is within tolerance of the machine . I had no problems lapping one side of the stone using a fine diamond stone . Now its finer and within .0005" of flat or less . The stones work well on any steel . DM
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Hello David.

I'm curious, how new/old is your stone? I'm wondering (hoping) if maybe some of the 'un-flatness' bugs might've been worked out in more recent versions. I bought both of my DoubleStuff stones probably 10-15 years ago. Both were dished from the start.

Thanks.

Dave
 
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