Spyderco Ceramic Stone, Flattening?

[Jim Stewart]

I have an 8x3 Spyderco Ceramic stone, and an 8x2 brown medium stone. I read a thread not long ago and George Wilson commented that the newer Spyderco stones have swirl marks in them. Bingo! That is what I have. These stones seem to be very good, but I was wondering about flattening them. Is it possible? I don't want to ruin a diamond stone by trying to do it. I mainly use these stones on hollows and rounds and gouges. That being the case I don't really need them to be dead flat..right?

[Steve Friedman]

Yup. Just did it on all three (medium. fine, and ultra) with my Atoma diamond plates. In all fairness, I have both the #140 and #400 Atoma plates which made it possible. I also did it under running water (per George's suggestion). The medium was easy, the other two not so much. I went at them alternating between the #140 and #400 diamond plates. It was work, but I did finally get all of the stones flat on both sides. I finished the medium with the #140, but finished the other two with the #400.

Tested the diamond plates on my waterstones after I was done and they still cut fine. No difference noted.

If you don't already have diamond stones, it's an expensive way to flatten the Spyderco stones, which are guaranteed to arrive flat. If I didn't already have the Atoma plates, I would have returned the Spyderco stones for flat ones.

Steve

[Chris Griggs]

I'm guessing coarse loose diamonds or coarse SiC would also work, but don't know for sure (especially about the SiC). Anyone have thoughts on this?

[Shaun Mahood]

Here is a previous thread with a few details on flattening the spyderco stones

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ceramic-stones

[george wilson]

At least my stones did not have those swirl marks on them. The brown stone was o.k.. The white Spyderco had some PERMANENT ceramic "fuzz" on it which I got rid of. Had I not,the fuzz would never have gotten worn off.

It would be nice if Spyderco would make progress in the right direction,rather than making their stones even worse. I had better not ever drop mine and have to replace them!!

[Steve Friedman]

I don't know if my stones would have had the marks on them. Never got that far. I read the old thread before ordering them, so I expected the stones not to be flat (sad, I know). So, I unpacked them, checked with a straight edge just to confirm that they weren't flat (they weren't) and went at them with the diamond plates for a few hours.

Were it not for wanting something harder than waterstones to use on carving gouges, I don't think I would have bought the Spyderco stones.

Seve

[David Weaver]

I used a 400 grit atoma dry on a spyderco UF. Dry, as in bone dry (important if it's not going to be wet) and the stone was dry.

The reason bone dry is important is because you need to be able to brush the dusty stone swarf (don't breathe, it's probably not good for you) off of the atoma periodically.

It worked well, but it wasn't super quick. Under water would work OK, but it was harder for me to check progress that way. Either totally bone dry or under water both work.

[Jim Stewart]

Thanks guys, Jim

[Robert McNaull]

I just ordered a 1200 and 8000 sigma stones from Stu's store and was having the same questions about how to flatten them. I didn't spring for a diamond plate as I couldn't currently justify the cost, I think. I have a coarse silicon carbide flattening stone that I use on my cheap water stone. Could this work for the ceramic stone flattening as well? I dropped the link to the stone I have, I can't remember board rules on these so I aplogize if I'm not supposed to link it, just say so and I'll remove it.

http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/1016/water-stones

[David Weaver]

The 1200 is a hard stone. It'll eat up the norton flattening stone and just cause the surface of the flattening stone to be graded.

If diamond is out of the budget, you want to order a pound of silicon carbide grit in about 220 for your 1200 and rub the stone on loose grit on a flat surface and rinse it off.

Never used the 1000 stone, so couldn't really tell you what it requires. Stu can.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Hasn't anyone ever tried using a belt grinder on these Spydercos? Seems like it would take a lot of the drudgery out of getting these flat. I've got a brown banana-shaped Spyderco and a belt grinder. If no one can speak to this, maybe I should become the first "expert" on the subject. I've already flattened an UF and it took a very long time. Very happy with it now, but a v e r y l o n g t i m e. Worth sacrificing a HF belt or two to get it over with.

[David Weaver]

Give it a rip. Getting the belt moving and taking a light cut is the only way that it won't be instant death to the abrasive.

[Steve Friedman]

Jonathan,

If you've already done the UF, the brown will be a cinch. Must faster going. I can't imagine holding the stone steady enough to get it flat on a belt grinder, but would think it might work to take down the real high spots and get close. I am not sure that aluminum oxide will work, since the ceramic is (I believe) harder that that. If you try it, please report results. I agree with David's suggestion about loose using silicon carbide grit to flatten it. For the brown stone, I think you can start with 90 grit since it breaks down pretty quickly.

Steve

[Robert McNaull]

Thanks David, I almost ordered an atoms but didn't. I might pick up a dmt diamond plate. Is there a recommendation on grit? I know stu sells a 400 atoma with with the discount kits.

[Harry Rosal]

Lurker here,


...well, say i'll get a 2"X8" medium and a 2"X8" UF, can't i just rub the two together? Maybe i won't get perfection but i'm bound to end up flatter than i started right?

If it's slow going, or glazing, or whatever the issue could be, I'm thinking sprinkling loose grits (as suggested) between the spyderco sandwich should then make it work?

I only have the pocketable, spyderco "double stuff" so i have no means of trying out what i just said unfortunately, and i might be getting the big stones further down the road.