Replies

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jul 01, 2008 03:51am | #1

   I have used ceramic stones (4"x2" pocket stones) for sharpening some tools like knives and such.  Not the Spyderco stones, however.  I use them dry.  The 8000x grit stone I own is white.  When I drag a steel blade across it, it leaves a gray trail behind, showing where the blade is contacting the stone.  I did notice that it did dish after moderate use.  A little work with a diamond stone fixed that.  From my experience with this stone, I'd stick with my water stones for planes and chisels, but I like the ceramic for knives.

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

2. 
   MKenney | Jul 02, 2008 02:29am | #2

   We have Spyderco stones in the shop (along with many other types and brands). I have used the ultra fine one to put a polish on the back of my irons in between true honings. I have this crazy belief that polishing them like this will spruce up their edges. At any rate, I like the Spyderco stones for that particular purpose, but still use my waterstones for regular honing.

   This is my personal signature.
3. 
   USANigel | Jul 02, 2008 06:04am | #3

   They work well but clog with pieces of metal as you use them. Most lubes on stones are to float away the tiny bits of metal keeping them out of the stone.

4. 
   dkellernc | Jul 02, 2008 05:40pm | #4

   Funniest thing about their ad in the latest magazines is that they state that they don't wear.  That's rubbish, of course.  No matter how hard the stone's surface is in relation to the thing being rubbed on it, the laws of physics demand that there will be some surface abrasion of the stone, and eventually, the stone will need flattening.

   Still, the idea of a harder substrate that's less brittle than diamond seems like a good idea.  I've used the equivalent abrasive on plastic film before (from Lee Valley, BTW), and it works very well.  In the end, though, aluminum oxide paper was much much cheaper and performed almost as well.