Spyderco Sharpmaker rod progression -CBN, Diamond, Ceramic?

[Humint]

Quick question someone asked me and I figured I would turn to some who may have more experience with the Sharpmaker. A friend wants to know about utilizing the Sharpmaker with all of the triangle rods available. I read somewhere that the New CBN rods are more course than the diamonds. If someone really wanted to make a good progression (for reprofiling and getting out major chips) through the rods would it be better to do the CBNs first followed by the diamonds and then the brown and white ceramics? Or is it okay to just go CBN and brown ceramic or diamond then brown ceramic. I guess the questions they are getting is:

-are the CBN rods more course than the diamonds?
-is the jump too big to go from CBN to medium brown ceramic.
-is it worth it to get the CBN and Diamonds?

 

[sir_mike]

The CBN's and Diamonds are coarse for reprofiling, you dont need both. Then go to the mediums, fines and then if you want go to the ultra fines.

I have been trying to find out which is better CBN or Diamond since they came out and no luck. It is just another option other than getting the diamond ones I am told! No one can tell me if they which is better or worse. I also asked if the CBN's will replace the diamonds but yet again no direct answer given.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

There's a a pretty thorough review of the CBN rods on Spyderco's own forum (link below). The initial impression seems to be they're (maybe) more aggressive* than the diamond, in terms of metal removal. You might not need both the CBN and the diamond, if simple bevel-setting is the goal; either would work. But if you choose to use them in sequence, then use the CBN before the diamond. The reviewer (Cliff Stamp) says the diamond could be useful in cleaning up the coarse scratches from the CBN rods, before moving to the medium ceramic; otherwise, he says the medium ceramics will take quite a while removing those scratches by themselves.

Edit: * = It's a LONG multi-page thread, but I'd advise reading all of it. Early on, he speculates the CBN is more aggressive; but after testing directly against the diamond, they seem a little more similar in performance:
http://www.spyderco.com/forumII/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=63254&


David