Thread: spyderco small pocket hone combo...

I am thinking of buying this:
:: Spyderco Product Details ::
It IS small but not smaller than most vintage hones. I cut out the piece of paper(to get the feel of the size) and don't seem to find any problems that would come up while honing.
I wouldn't use it frequently, just to hone a blade if I bang it or something. I already have a coticule for the next step and touch ups.
Question is: can I lap it using a coticule or better a few hours on the sandpaper?


PS. Dont tell me to add 20-30 dollars and just buy a norton cause the shipping would be 20 more and I can buy a spyderco 5 min away from my house for 35 dollars.

Hello there, my friend...
I just wanted to tell you that I have been also looking around for Spyderco hones...
I found that grit of Medium side is approx 4k and Fine side is approx 8k... So, something like Norton...
But the good thing is that they are very hard and they come lapped from factory...
I ordered their Ultra Fine bench stone which is approx 13-14k for 480 kn or 85$...
From what I have read, they are worth the investment...

I spent a long time using a small narrow hone and for finishing it was just great.

For setting a bevel, I find a 3" wide strip of 1000 grit wet and dry to be a cheap option. The wider honing surface allows the whole blade to rest on the hone and I prefer this to iron out any irregularities and know the bevel has been set evenly full length. I find it helpful but not essential. In fact on a warped hone, I prefer the narrower hone.

So, if you feel confident to use it, go for it, its great value for money, neat, takes up little space and I owned the super fine hone and although not my favorite at that grit, it was a well made hone and a quality product.

If you get it, give it a review, we would I am sure all be interested to know how you get on.

One more thing, mine worked just great out of the box but it does clog with the metal swarf very quickly. You can wash the surface with liquid soap or the powdery kitchen cleaning creams. Use a brush, it takes two seconds and the hone is brand new again. If you want a light touch, put liquid soap on the surface before you hone.

Are they already lapped as Robert says or do I need to lap them (which is fairly hard, as I read)?

I was thinking what to do in case that the stone wouldn't come properly lapped...
I have a family friend who is in stonemason business, he works in a memorial mason company...
So, I would take my stone to him to lap it on their polishing machine...
But, from all the things I've read, that shouldn't be necessary...

I have one of these. Can't really tell you much about it as am still learning how to hone, and have put this one on the back burner while I learn how to use my Norton. But I will say, the fine side of that hone gave me the sharpest edge I have got so far on my Wapi. Mine had a bit of a lump on the fine side so I lapped it on my DMT8C. Hard as a whoores heart!!! Took about 2 hours. I lapped the medium side when I was at it. That took about half an hour. Size wise, I found it not too bad to use, although you will need to have a decent bevel set before going to this hone as any real sharpening would take forever on this short and narrow hone. Along with a decent 1-2k stone, I reckon you could use this to hone most razors, but like I said, I know nothing.

Connor

Originally Posted by napoleon

Are they already lapped as Robert says or do I need to lap them (which is fairly hard, as I read)?

spyderco advertises their hones as flat to a degree great for knifes some report success using them stock, you wont be able to lap a spydie creamic home with your couticle dont even attempt it , it took me many hours of lapping with a dmt 1200 to get mine flat as it could be, then i noticed that it took a whole lot more passes to finish a razor since i smoothed out the valleys left by the machine finishing they do at spyderco, they do produce a very fine edge if you are patient about honing, for a finisher i would use the ultrafine if it isnt flat send it back or return it and try another one with a good straight edge like a machinests rule, most use a dmt 320 to lap them but render the dmt almost useless n the process

Originally Posted by jwoods

...
most use a dmt 320 to lap them but render the dmt almost useless n the process

I have a DMT D8C 325 with more than 85 hours of lapping time on the 2" x 8" Spyderco F's and UF's. Mine still works fine.

If you use too much pressure while lapping, you can tear diamonds from the nickel (most noticeably on the edges). As DMT says, "You need not exert extra pressure, let the diamonds do the work!".

I have one of those single grit. I wouldn't want to use a smaller one, that's for sure. I found one side to be flatter than the other the hard way. I lapped and lapped and lapped on one side. (they're not marked) Then checked the other which was much closer than what i had achieved with diamond plate on the other side.with some abrasive films cut to fit and leather topped strop box, i got a pocket razor factory, that's of course I doi like it because it is thin and small. My cot. is only 3/8 wider and 3/4 longer but makes a huge difference in utility imho

If you "bang up" a razor then your best bet is the 1000 grit sandpaper, not a hone unless it is a DMT. But I prefer sandpaper over a diamond hone to remove nicks and start a bevel. The spyderco hones simply are not good for that. I have all 3 grits but no longer use them. The Norton is much better for razors IMHO.

Lapping a Spyderco might be benifical but is not , usually, necessary.
A coticule would be completely inadequate for that job. Either use sandpaper or a DMT.

Just my $.02,