Spyderco Ceramic Benchstones

J

jcmv4792

Joined
Mar 11, 2014
Messages
60
Are these not a popular stone? I don't see as many reviews, forum discussions, or youtube videos on these stones as I do with water stones, diamond stones...etc.

I have just bought a set of medium, fine, and ultra-fine 8x2 stones and I can't say enough good things about these. I like how they wear slowly and don't require any lubricant.

Here's a picture of my manix 2 after touching it up on the medium

10313524_1460877237483385_4887587354557756435_n.jpg
 
I've got them, but I bought them for bench plane blades and chisels rather than sharpening knives. The big beef seems to be that they are not flat. My medium stone has a dip in the center from end-to-end and the other side the center is high.

Despite that, I'd use them for knives if I ever decide to freehand sharpen knives instead of using the Wicked Edge or WSKO. I'm not sure the average knife nut could wear one out.
 
Don't have the bench stones but there double stuff stone get's used more than any other stones I have.
 
LEGION 12 said:
Don't have the bench stones but there double stuff stone get's used more than any other stones I have.
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That's the next on my list, in case I ever need a portable stone to take with me for a few days.

Bimjo said:
I've got them, but I bought them for bench plane blades and chisels rather than sharpening knives. The big beef seems to be that they are not flat. My medium stone has a dip in the center from end-to-end and the other side the center is high.

Despite that, I'd use them for knives if I ever decide to freehand sharpen knives instead of using the Wicked Edge or WSKO. I'm not sure the average knife nut could wear one out.
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Is that a common problem? I heard it's from the kiln/heating process but my stones seem to be pretty even throughout the whole surface. I've also read that Spyderco will replace stones that are out of flat.
 
I bought a complete set of 8x2" and had them cut for the EP into a 2x6" size with little Naguras. They aren't here yet but I cant wait to try em out.
 
jcmv4792 said:
Is that a common problem? I heard it's from the kiln/heating process but my stones seem to be pretty even throughout the whole surface. I've also read that Spyderco will replace stones that are out of flat.
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No idea, I've only ever seen my set of stones. I have read about the issue online though. No idea if Spyderco will replace a stone for not being flat and I'm really not worried about it.
 
jc, you need to keep searching as much has been written on these ceramic stones on this Forum. Taking the fine to ultra fine; we recently finished a lengthy discussion on this. They are good stones, wear slow and will cut any steel. Offering a good, long, useful life. Still, some need leveling. Which is not impossible just difficult. DM
 
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I don't own the bench stones, but I do have the sharpmaker rods and I love them. I use the rods to free hand a micro bevel, without the sharpmaker itself(actually find it easier) and always have been happy with the edge I can get from these stones. If I could free hand a little better, and had the money I would like the bench stones. I agree you don't see nearly as many posts or reviews on these stones, as some others. I would love to have some of these cut to fit my DMT Alinger stone holder, were can you get stones like this cut?
 
I dont have the spyderco stones but i have the fallkniven full sized diamond/ceramic benchstone and i am in love with it. As a comparison i have a king 1200/8000 waterstone and epa with my finest stone being shapton glass 8000. The fallkniven ceramic puts a finer finish on my bevels than either the 8k king or shapton. The real advantage though is ease of use. For light touch up work it makes life so much easier because i dont have to soak or find the exact angle. It makes edge maintenence a breeze. Instead of letting a knife get dull and going through the entire stone progression on either the epa or waterstones, just a few (6 to 12 pps) once a week and i can keep basic steels such as 8cr, Aus 8, and even 440a hair whittling sharp for several months. I also use it in replacement of a steel on kitchen knives because it is so fast and easy. As i said, i dont own own the spyderco stones but as long as flatness is not an issue i could see them being used the same way i use my fallkniven. It literally gets used EVERY DAY! No need for supersteels with a little regular tlc.
 
Here's some more info. on these stones. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...and-ultra-fine-stone?highlight=ceramic+stones
Just 5mins. searching will give you a lot of info. on these stones. There is a accurate grit chart in the thread above in cwb post. Read down thru that link to find the chart and click on it.
These stones are Not as high as some say. The ultra fine is 2K American and 4K Japanese. A good chart to save for future references. DM
 
The 2nd link up I posted #13 is one started by cereal killer. Read that first as I thought he did a good job but wore some diamond stones. In the other threads I found on these stones other gents give the method they used. Mine is in one as well as Obsessed With Edges
(OWE). You might can pick up tips from both. So, they're worth reading. You'll ruin a diamond plate in the process. After doing this and I were going to do it the second time. I'd start by marking it and working it on a flat smooth area of concrete using lots of H2o. Then move on to working it on a fine SiC crystalline and finish it off on a fine diamond. Don't work it long on this last plate as it will glaze. Perhaps 5-10mins.. So, when you move to the diamond plate it needs to be close. Use a straight edge to skate it down the stone checking for level in bright light. Use a bucket of water to dunk the stones in during this process. Then after ward don't pour out the bucket. Instead allow it to set over night and the next day slowly pour off the water and retain the sediment at the bottom. Then allow this water to evaporate leaving the powder slurry. Once dried sweep it into a zip-lock bag with a paint brush and use this to strop your knife on later. Read about stropping. DM
 
David Martin said:
The 2nd link up I posted #13 is one started by cereal killer. Read that first as I thought he did a good job but wore some diamond stones. In the other threads I found on these stones other gents give the method they used. Mine is in one as well as Obsessed With Edges
(OWE). You might can pick up tips from both. So, they're worth reading. You'll ruin a diamond plate in the process. After doing this and I were going to do it the second time. I'd start by marking it and working it on a flat smooth area of concrete using lots of H2o. Then move on to working it on a fine SiC crystalline and finish it off on a fine diamond. Don't work it long on this last plate as it will glaze. Perhaps 5-10mins.. So, when you move to the diamond plate it needs to be close. Use a straight edge to skate it down the stone checking for level in bright light. Use a bucket of water to dunk the stones in during this process. Then after ward don't pour out the bucket. Instead allow it to set over night and the next day slowly pour off the water and retain the sediment at the bottom. Then allow this water to evaporate leaving the powder slurry. Once dried sweep it into a zip-lock bag with a paint brush and use this to strop your knife on later. Read about stropping. DM
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I have read that thread by cerealkiller before but I thought that all the lapping he did made the stone finer. I didn't realize that he chose to make it finer. I have a concrete paver, or maybe I should call it a stepping stone, that I do lapping on. I use it with sand for alum oxide and other regular benchstones. I tried that with the Spyderco and it cut really slowly. To slowly for me to feel like it was worth my time. Also left a coarser finish, which is contrary to my purpose of keeping the grit about the same. Though, a combo stone of coarse and medium ceramic would be awesome.
 
Squash, Leveling and removing material off this stone will be slow with any material you use. As there are very good quality stones (hard). Thus, they will last many lifetimes. I've not seen a coarse ceramic stone. Spyderco does offer a medium. The original poster shows a photo of it. During leveling you can attempt to make it more coarse but the normal progression is toward creating a finer sided stone. That tends to be what happens. The majority of us do it to create a ultra fine sided stone. Thus, giving us a combination fine and ultra fine stone. Hence, we don't have to spend 70$ to purchase the ultra fine stone.
Then we spend this savings toward the purchase of the medium stone. Now, we end up with three grits all ceramic stones for a 1/3 less cost. DM
 
Mr. Martin, thanks for the answers. I guess I could just work along on it over a couple of weeks.
Well, I have all three stones already, I didn't know this when I made the purchase. The only thing I would be looking for in lapping is a flatter stone. The stone I tried lapping was a medium. I will pull it back out and check it vs the stock medium side to see which is coarser.
 
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