Cleaning & Maintenance of Spyderco Ceramic Sharpening Stones?

[JD Spydo]

All right I'm aware that we've discussed this in the past but it has been a while since I've seen it talked about at length. Speaking of cleaning and maintaining the ceramic Spyderco stones>> and I'm not only talking about the stones in the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker but the 302 Benchstones, Slipstone, GOLDENSTONE and/or the older 701 Profile stones. Or you can talk about how you clean and maintain your Spyderco diamond or CBN stones too if you've got something interesting to contribute. Or any other ceramic sharpening stone on the market as well. Because there are a lot more ceramic type stones on the market in the past 4 years especially

Now for a long time I've mainly used Bar Keeper's Friend cleanser which seems like the best product I've found for really getting the stones factory clean. But in the past 2 to 3 years I've seen several other new cleaning products on the market so I just thought I would run this again to see if any of you have found anything that might even work better than Bar Keeper's Friend. One good friend of mine recently told me that he switched to the BKF's "Cookware & Polish" cleanser type product that has hit the store shelves in the past year. He told me that you don't have to scrub them nearly as hard with that product made by the Bar Keeper's Friend company. Now BKF has also introduced some new liquid cleaning/polishing products in the past 2 to 3 years as well. Personally I've tried one of the liquid BKF products but I didn't see it work any better myself. But I recently had a good friend swear that it works much better and he swears by it.

Also we might discuss the different types of scrubbing pads ( like Scotch Brite) or types of sponges that you use as well. I've heard a lot of bragging about those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers but personally I haven't had that great of luck with them myself but again I've talked to some folks that swear by those Mr. Clear Erasers as well. In the past year I got ahold of another type of Scotch Brite pad that is used on industrial floor cleaners that seems to work much better and quicker than the regular Scotch Brite pads. But there are so many scrubbing pads out there now and it would be interesting to hear what you all are now using. Or any other new or different cleaning products you might have stumbled onto recently that you've had good results with that would be nice to discuss as well. Also I've been soaking my stones overnight in the DAWN PLatinum, Overnight dish soap before I scrub them with BKF and it's really made the scrubbing a lot easier and the final results better. I would be interested to know what you all might soak your ceramic sharpening stones in if you use that method. OK let's talk stone cleaning and maintaining.

[flasharry]

I use BKF and a Scotch scrubbing pad. I also have a "metal eraser" cleaner block, sort of a rubber and grit material that I used to use on my Lansky rods. It works, but seems slower than the BKF and a wet scrub.

[JD Spydo]

I use BKF and a Scotch scrubbing pad. I also have a "metal eraser" cleaner block, sort of a rubber and grit material that I used to use on my Lansky rods. It works, but seems slower than the BKF and a wet scrub.

What's the name of that "metal eraser/cleaning block? Who manufactures it? Also where do you find it at?? Grocery Store, Dollar Store, Harware ect??

Someone told me recently that Lansky now has a type of cleaning eraser type pad they sell?

[Jazz]

I used a white pencil eraser, and it worked fast and well.

[JD Spydo]

I used a white pencil eraser, and it worked fast and well.

Who makes that White Pencil Eraser that you use? Because my overall problem I've had with most of those erasers ( ink or pencil) is that the material of the eraser itself tends to interfere and clog up the grit on the stone. Whereas when I clean them with Bar Keeper's Friend they are just factory clean.

Also one other trick I've been using is after I use the BKF for the main cleaning I use a cleaner like 409 or "Awesome" spray cleaner to eliminate all the remaining residue to give the grit of the stone a really uniform, consistent surface to work with.

Also lately instead of using Scotch Brite pads along with BKF for cleaning my stones for the 204 Sharpmaker I've been using a really hard/stiff bristle toothbrush instead and have had great results. A stiff bristle toothbrush has a really decent overall scrubbing effect.

[flasharry]

I use BKF and a Scotch scrubbing pad. I also have a "metal eraser" cleaner block, sort of a rubber and grit material that I used to use on my Lansky rods. It works, but seems slower than the BKF and a wet scrub.

What's the name of that "metal eraser/cleaning block? Who manufactures it? Also where do you find it at?? Grocery Store, Dollar Store, Harware ect??

Someone told me recently that Lansky now has a type of cleaning eraser type pad they sell?

Cant remember who made it, but it sure looks like that same thing that Lansky now has... If I use it at all, its for a quick going over before I use the BKF and scrubbie...

[DBCOOPER]

On ceramic stones I've just used an eraser, and it's made them good as new, but on my diamond stones I've ran a powerful magnet over them and it's seemed to keep them clean, tho my diamonds are still pretty new, so I'll be looking into other methods in the future, maybe using my stones dry helps also, not sure

[Woodpuppy]

Just BKF in a wet dish cloth, makes a paste and it takes less than a minute per stone. I don’t obsess about it; unlike Mick Jagger I’m satisfied without my whites getting as white as they could be

[Wartstein]

For cleaning my sharpmaker rods (have just the fine and medium ones) ceran stove cleaner works perfectly. I use a regular sponge for cleaning dishes (don't know if this is the correct term in english)

[anagarika]

I used a white pencil eraser, and it worked fast and well.

Lacking supply of BKF, I use this too.
For DMT, I use both baby oil and eraser.

[JD Spydo]

For cleaning my sharpmaker rods (have just the fine and medium ones) ceran stove cleaner works perfectly. I use a regular sponge for cleaning dishes (don't know if this is the correct term in english)

What kind of chemical cleaner is this product you mentioned ( Ceran?)?? IS it a regular oven cleaner? I'm just a bit apprehensive of harsh chemical oven cleaners because of the extremely caustic chemicals in them. And I'm not aware of this product or what is in it. But I would like to know more about it. I'm always looking for other stuff that actually works.

I was talking to a friend on the phone last night about this subject and he was telling me that a company called "ZEP" who makes a lot of commercial grade cleaning products has a cleaner that works well. I was also told recently that a mixture of borax and white vinegar has incredible cleaning properties to it.

[Wartstein]

For cleaning my sharpmaker rods (have just the fine and medium ones) ceran stove cleaner works perfectly. I use a regular sponge for cleaning dishes (don't know if this is the correct term in english)

What kind of chemical cleaner is this product you mentioned ( Ceran?)?? IS it a regular oven cleaner? I'm just a bit apprehensive of harsh chemical oven cleaners because of the extremely caustic chemicals in them. And I'm not aware of this product or what is in it. But I would like to know more about it. I'm always looking for other stuff that actually works.

I was talking to a friend on the phone last night about this subject and he was telling me that a company called "ZEP" who makes a lot of commercial grade cleaning products has a cleaner that works well. I was also told recently that a mixture of borax and white vinegar has incredible cleaning properties to it.

Ok, I´ll give all I´ve got and try to explain in english (not my native tongue

I mean a cleaner for ceran/glass cooktop/hotplates. You know, the glasslike hotplates modern stoves feature instead of metal ones, in Europe the material they´re made of (looks like glass) is called "ceran", maybe not in the US?
There is a special cleaner for that. The product I use ("CeraClean" by the company "reckit benkster") is NOT available in the US, I checked that right now for you
The probably closest US-product I found is called "Weiman Ceramic & Glass Cooktop Cleaner - Heavy Duty Cleaner and Polish" ( I am not sure if it is the same as the product I use,but I´d assume so).

Some of these Ceran cleaners are labeled as cleaners for also metal and Ceramic anyway.

Hope that helps, as I said, it´s no problem at all to clean my sharpmaker rods with that Ceran cleaner; It is NOT a cleaner for the oven itself (where you bake stuff like muffins in), but for the hotplates, as mentioned.

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Try these Sandflex they are rubber based with silicone carbide impregnated throughout.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G ... UTF8&psc=1

[JD Spydo]

Try these Sandflex they are rubber based with silicone carbide impregnated throughout.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G ... UTF8&psc=1

I've never used the Sandflex but I just might give them a try. There was one item on that link page that I have heard one guy tell me that he used to clean his stones. I'm speaking of "CLR">> it is normally used for really dirty toilet bowls and rust on different types of surfaces. I've also used CLR to do an excellent job on really dirty shower floors with tons of soap scum, mold and mineral deposits. And I'm here to tell you that CLR is a great overall cleaner for specialized jobs and I might just give it a try on Spyderco ceramic stones.

[blues]

Try these Sandflex they are rubber based with silicone carbide impregnated throughout.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G ... UTF8&psc=1

I've been using those for several years. Good products.

[VashHash]

I use the HI-Polymer eraser by pentel for my ceramics and diamond sharpeners. If I'm doing a lot of reprofiling I'll use water to keep the diamond stone cutting. That's the extent of my cleaning regimen.

[fanglekai]

I use BKF and a sponge or rag. Make a paste, scrub lightly, wash it off.

[JD Spydo]

I use BKF and a sponge or rag. Make a paste, scrub lightly, wash it off.

Bar Keeper's Friend is an amazing product for cleaning a polishing metal. If they ever come up with a product that beats BKF I will switch to it immediately. I'm always looking for something better. But it's been well over 15 years when I discovered how good BKF is for cleaning all kinds of sharpening stones.

BKF has some new liquid products I haven't tried yet but I plan on it. If anyone has tried them please let us know how they do.

[Robert Ptacek]

The Rust Eraser blocks from A.G. Russell seem to leave less residue behind than the Lansky blocks. That is what I use between scouring powder and Scotchbrite scrubbings>

[Evil D]

I've been using SOS pads and they work very well and the soap rinses without leaving a residue. The all-in-one nature of steel wool and soap make them really convenient. They work as well or better than BKF/Scotchbrite pads.