Im not sure how the best way to clean them is without having the superaser any tips?

Get the super eraser..


Actually I have never used one... the super eraser, though I keep meaning to buy one...

I have several different Ceramic hones. I have always used some sort of abrasive cleanser and a fine scotchbrite pad to clean mine. I use a generic kithen cleanser. Not sure where you are, but something like (often recommended on discussion groups) BonAmi, or Comet Kitchen Cleanser, or a similar generic (I have the Comet product in my kitchen now...It was on sale). I have used the 3M abrasive pads... or just an old tooth brush to apply the above and do a bit of scrubbing. It works fine...but you don't need to clean the hones until they look NEW !!

BTW, unless you have done many, many knives, the bit of black from the sharpening process that builds up over time, can be ignored. It looks nasty, (all of that black crap on a nice white stone) but until you can feel that you aren't really getting the material removal/ polishing that you need, can really be ignored.

Phil

PhilipPasteur wrote:


Thanks for the advice I probably dont need to clean them yet then. They look dirty but I probably havent done more that 10 - 15 knives with them yet.

Hi again,
Just received mine.
Should I keep water away from them?
Do they absorb moisture?
Apologies if my "blondeness" shows here.

I can't speak yet to why it works so well to use water with the ceramics, but I can attest to Mark's results; I get tremendous results by keeping the ceramic stones wet. I use a spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish soap and get great results -

From Clay
www.wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=c...4&Itemid=63#3001

I do remember you mentioning a while ago when you were doing grit progression images, that you did a test with the wetting down the ceramics. It was interesting to see that the manufacturer recommends wetting them down...
Denis Hibar

www.wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=c...4&Itemid=63#3283

They should not absorb much water, at least the ceramics that I have used do not. I have not seen anyone say to soak them, just a pritz.
Just let them dry well before you put them away.

Phil

Once again, thanks Phil.

I'm feeling very special with all my diamonds and ceramic.

edit - The ceramics feel more like gold after paying $33.95 postage from Howes.
Said $16.95 on the envelope.

Probably similar to what I get sharpening plane blades on the Shapton Glass Stones. The water doesn't soak in but helps keep the swarf from glazing over the stone. On the Shapton GS stones, the more you spritz, the better they cut and polish.

I also wet the stones. I take a cup of water and use a small paint brush to wet the stones before I put them on the rods. It takes quite a few swipes of the paint brush before the stones get saturated, they are like sponges as they soak up the water. Finally the water will sit on the surface of the stones and that's when I start to use them. After that point you can rewet them with the brush while on the rods if needed.

After use I just stand the stones on end on my workbench and let them air dry before I put them away.

Rgds,

I've been using the spray bottle method with a few drops of dish soap for a long time but lately have also started enjoying keeping a flat bowl with a little water in the bottom and a sponge in there on the far side of my base. I just lay the stone onto the sponge for a moment to refresh the soapy water on it and keep going. The set up takes just a minute more but the workflow is much smoother.