Spyderco UF Stone: How do I use this thing?

[THG]

I just got this stone recently and just got around to testing it out. The stone is so bright that I can't use light to make a shadow and see if I'm at the right angle, and it gives no feedback during passes (I no touch feedback from the stone.)

This is not at all like diamond. How do you use this thing at a consistent angle?

 

[trimcut123]

Huh, are you talking about the UF rods on the sharpmaker...
Use a marker on your edge to see the angle and work from there.
Matt B.

 

[Jason B.]

Use medium pressure, say the weight of the blade plus a little pressure from your guide fingers. More than you would use with diamonds. Feedback is less but still there, it will take some time to learn the stone so give yourself at least a week of use.

Performance will excell with low alloy stainless like AUS8 and VG-10 but tends to burr CPM stainless. High Rc carbon steels and ZDP can show edge chipping but that rule is broken with CPMD2 and M4, for whatever reason those two take incredible edges off the UF.

The stone is very hard and dense so be mindful of the pressure you are applying throughout the blade length. Finish with ultra light strokes and you should be about hair splitting sharp with most edges. If too much pressure is applied and too much angle is used you will heavily deform and roll the apex of the edge. This will make the edge appear very dull.

What stone are you using prior?

 

[THG]

Huh, are you talking about the UF rods on the sharpmaker...
Use a marker on your edge to see the angle and work from there.
Matt B.

Nope, benchstone. Sharpie isn't as helpful since there is no feedback on this stone, so I'm afraid of accidentally gong at too high of an angle.

Performance will excell with low alloy stainless like AUS8 and VG-10 but tends to burr CPM stainless.

Well it seems to work very well on my VG-10. I got a really sharp edge, but again, my gripe is that since I'm not getting any feedback from the stone, I'm actually sharpening at a higher angle to get to the edge…

What stone are you using prior?

DMT EF (very well-broken in).

 

[Jason B.]

Though it might work with some steels I would add a stone between. The EF is 1200 mesh/grit while the UF is more like 8-10k, add in the way the stones cut and that gap seem even bigger. The feedback issue is something you will find to be the same with most all stones of such a high grit, your touch needs to become softer and your movements very precise and fluid. The apex of the edge is getting very small at this point so it's much easier to mess up.

All stones will have their own feel too and when trying a new style of stone you must give yourself time to learn the stone and adjust to its feel.