Thread: Is the Spyderco UF really that bad?

Originally Posted by jigane

I have not lapped mine. I simply took a white sharpmaker rod and ran it over the surface to knock the high riding particles off and it seems smooth enough to me now. I also chamfered to corners, but thats it.

That's about all you really need to do. You don't want to over-lap it or it'll become too slow to be useful. It'll produce a good edge, comparable in sharpness to a coticule but not as smooth. Like all hard hones you have to be careful of swarf buildup that can damage the edge, so only take a few swipes before cleaning it. Strop the edge thoroughly on linen or newspaper to soften the edge before using it.

There was quite a bit of experimenting done using this hone trying to settle it in for SR use and lessen the harshness back in 2007 IIRC

I seem to remember people going so far as to use CrOx powder, Coticule dust, and even Diamond paste to make these work and produce a smoother feel on the face.

I would not recommend it for a SR if you asked if you should buy one, but since you already own it then you might as well mess with it and have some fun


Good Luck

Originally Posted by gssixgun

There was quite a bit of experimenting done using this hone trying to settle it in for SR use and lessen the harshness back in 2007 IIRC

I seem to remember people going so far as to use CrOx powder, Coticule dust, and even Diamond paste to make these work and produce a smoother feel on the face.

I would not recommend it for a SR if you asked if you should buy one, but since you already own it then you might as well mess with it and have some fun


Good Luck

I just wonder if its worth it using it? I mean I can get a SS 12k or a glass 16k and know it will be good.

I have noticed one thing about the UF though. It likes pressure. With pressure it workes faster (what a surprise..). I have an engraving knife made from ats34, max useful hardness I'd guess, they probably went for a low temp tempering since it seems quite stainless still. And while my particular UF stone is incredibly slow usually. And totally overkill for all my kitchen knives, with this little engraving knife (the cutting edge is a straight line about 12mm long, and it looks like a pencil, cutting edge is slanted) I can really put some weight into the stone and it only takes me about 30 seconds to get it to a mirror finish.

Of course you could never use this kind of pressure with a razor.

Originally Posted by eKretz

The Norbit stick is an interesting idea - are you a machinist? I have a few of those in my toolbox but have never used them for much other than touching up a bench grinder wheel.

Ex machinist actually I can still program a few languages though.

I was given this little norbide stone at work, nobody knew what it was, neither did I until I looked it up. I like that you can really hog into things with it since its a solid piece and not a fragile coating, so I have no problems putting it to use for the very thing it was designed for, grinding other abrasives.

Also I like that this is the only really ultra hard material that comes in solids. (must be cheaper then the rest). I feel like I have some real science in my hands

Yep, good stuff. Boron carbide is IIRC the 3rd hardest substance, behind diamond and CBN. I recently got a BC bench stone but haven't messed with it much yet.

A BENCH STONE??? tell me more... do you have pics? That much have been expensive?!

The mother of all carbides. Or overlord lol.

I have an expensive watch made out of tungsten carbide, weighs a ton, still it gets minor scratched about once a year. I wish they'd made it out of boron carbide instead.

Originally Posted by eKretz

I recently got a BC bench stone but haven't messed with it much yet.

Where did you get it? What is the grit? I keep a 3" wide HandAmerican roughout strop loaded with 2 micron BC for touchups.

I got it from a friend. It's not solid BC, but BC grit in some other binder. I think they are sold on eBay too. The one I have is a combo - 400/1000. I'm not sure how high a grit they offer.

I wonder how that will wear if at all?