Unloading the SPYDERCO

[newt]

Rob (woodbloke) and I have been using the 10000 grit Spyderco ceramic stone with a lot of success. However one side of mine was very slightly convex across the width, and I decided to flatten with my diamond plate (which is dead flat), this was successful. I next decided to hone a plane iron on the same side that I had flattened and WOW nice dark swarf after just a few strokes. I spoke with Rob he did the same and we both got the same result. It seems that the 10000 stones loads up (this is the term of friends across the pond use) with debris and this reduces the cutting action, we call it glazing. Anyway a few strokes with the diamond stone not only ensures flatness but brings back the cutting action as if new. By the way the others over the pond clean theirs with Ajax and scouring pads, have not tried but I will stick with the diamonds.

 

[woodbloke]

Pete is absolutely right. In discussion a while back Pete said that he noticed that the 10000g Spyderco didn't appear to be cutting too well, the blade was just skidding across the surface and he then lightly dressed it with a fine DMT (not the one with 'holes' in) where the metal plate is dead flat...result was that the saffire matrix was cleaned and started to cut again. It's very apparent that even after a short time (and I've only had my stone for about 6 weeks) the cutting performance drops off, so I now as a matter of course just wipe it with my fine DMT a few times to give it a bit of a clean and instantly lots of luvvery swarf on the stone. It's the same process as cleaning a high speed grinding wheel when it gets glazed and won't cut - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Do you use any lubricant on the stones when honing or use them dry?

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

Paul - I use paraffin and Pete uses WD40 same as you - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

There'll be no holding you two back now :shock: :shock:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[OPJ]

I've just bought one of these for myself from Tilgear and I'm also in awe of the finish it can leave on your chisels and irons. Sewing machine oil is my choice of lubricant though.

Thanks for the tip on using a diamond stone - can I ask specifically which one you use and how much you payed for it?

Thanks.

 

[newt]

OPJ, its the DMT solid diamond plate, coarse one side fine the other. I think it was about £30 but that is a bit of a guess.

 

[woodbloke]

I've just bought one of these for myself from Tilgear and I'm also in awe of the finish it can leave on your chisels and irons. Sewing machine oil is my choice of lubricant though.

Thanks for the tip on using a diamond stone - can I ask specifically which one you use and how much you payed for it?

Thanks.

Olly - mine is similar to Pete's, the solid plate one 'cept mine is fine only, nowt on the other side - Rob

 

[Argus]

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For what it's worth, I've had a fine Spyderco stone for about 10 years and was never impressed with the flatness - it did a passable job, but it was not my favourite stone.

About a year ago, I dressed it with a cheapo medium diamond plate (with the holes) and got a very good flat surface as demonstrated by the even distribution of deposit from the blade - so the re-dressing issue with this type of stone is important. More importantly why was the thing not flat in the first place? At what it cost it should be. Anyway, 10 years is a long time to complain - so that's down to me.

Next, I have always used a small Nagura stone with water that I got with a Japanese extra fine stone for getting the krud off the Spyderco - it works very well. I did try Vim and a 3M scrubber - that is OK but not so good. The little stone is better. I guess a pumice stone might also work, but I've not tried it.

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