When to lube the pivot area? And a CTS-XHP question

[yesyes]

Hello all,

I just received my new favorite knife, the Techno. Everything about it is amazing and I absolutely love it! I was wondering though, when should I lube the pivot area and how often? Also, what are the recommended products to use? It already opens lightning fast out of the box. I just want to keep it in tip top shape.

Also, I had a question about sharpening CTS-XHP. It is scary sharp already but I'd like to maintain it. I tried searching for sharpening CTS-XHP but didn't find much about using the Sharpmaker. I have never sharpened a knife before, but I'm thinking about getting the Sharpmaker. Is the Sharpmaker sufficient enough for CTS-XHP? I also have some leather belts I can use to strop (which I've never done as well). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys and sorry for being a steel noob!

[chuck_roxas45]

Welcome to the forums! I don't have a techno but I have 2 XHP millies. XHP is among my favorite steels. I sharpen it just like any other knife.

What tools do you have to sharpen with? If you're still looking around for one, I recommend the sharpmaker.

[GTPowers]

Is the Sharpmaker sufficient enough for CTS-XHP?

Short answer is yes! I can get a great working edge on my Techno that I don't bother touching up for a couple weeks. Hair nipping edges are lost on me, most of my knives get put through too much for that kind of sharpness to last very long. XTS seems to hold a sharpness like that fairly well. The Techno is a bit of a pain for a newb like me on the Sharpmaker. Watch your tip doesn't round the corners and try to avoid nicking that thick stock on the rods, it'll take the stonewash off pretty easy. With that in mind, you should get a fantastic longstanding working edge off the Sharpmaker without much effort!
Cheers,
GT

[yesyes]

Thanks guys!

So I don't need any special stones or anything like the diamond stone? Also for stropping, can I just any leather belt and just angel the blade on it?

[nozh2002]

Hello all,

I just received my new favorite knife, the Techno. Everything about it is amazing and I absolutely love it! I was wondering though, when should I lube the pivot area and how often? Also, what are the recommended products to use? It already opens lightning fast out of the box. I just want to keep it in tip top shape.

Also, I had a question about sharpening CTS-XHP. It is scary sharp already but I'd like to maintain it. I tried searching for sharpening CTS-XHP but didn't find much about using the Sharpmaker. I have never sharpened a knife before, but I'm thinking about getting the Sharpmaker. Is the Sharpmaker sufficient enough for CTS-XHP? I also have some leather belts I can use to strop (which I've never done as well). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys and sorry for being a steel noob!

Lubing pivot area depends on how dirty it gets, which depends on use.

However if you disassemble you knife - Spyderco cancel automatically warranty, even if you did not
damage your knife. For this reason Spyderco warranty is kind of fiction for me - I do clean and lube
my knives myself.

There is no anything special for sharpening CTS-XHP - it is not high abrasive steel, it just has very good
edge holding ability (and those is very different things even many mistake them as same property, highly
abrasive resistand steel as CPM S90V do not hold edge as well as CTS XHP) and it is easy to sharpen.

Sharpmaker I would recommend you to have - this is good way to introduce yourself to sharpening if you
are not experienced in that at all and let you keep you blade sharp with light use. For ultimate sharpening - if
you want shave not just your arm but very hair itself you may read this:

http://nozh2002.blogspot.com/2011/08/blog-post_02.html

[kbuzbee]

Thanks guys!

So I don't need any special stones or anything like the diamond stone? Also for stropping, can I just any leather belt and just angel the blade on it?

Nope, just the base kit will get you going. You may want the ultra fine and diamond rods eventually, but they are not required for a sharp edge.

If you've never sharpened a knife... Get yourself a cheap knife. Sharpen it. Run it over a brick to dull it and sharpen it again.

Do that until you feel comfortable sharpening your Techno.

Most people make a few mistakes, even seasoned sharpeners, on new gear. So get to know the gear before you put a nice knife on it.

And watch the included DVD. It's very helpful.

Stropping is a whole 'nother topic. Some do, some don't. Some use a belt. Others use dedicated strops with diamond (or whatever) paste. It's whatever you like.

I used to strop a lot. Now I rarely do. For whatever that's worth.

Ken

[nozh2002]

Sharpmaker will not be able to remove a lot of steel. If your edge is 30 degree or less already, then
it will work fine. However if edge is like 32 degree - you will never bring it to 30 degree with sharpmaker.
Amount of steel it takes off is too small, even with diamond rods which are low quality diamond and get
bold too fast if you compare it with DMT. It may take a week to fix edge with over 30 degree angle to
standard 30 degree edge.

There is 40 degree settings, but this is just for someone desperate. Even for axes recommended edge
angle is 30 degree (you may gogle for it if you want). I do not consider 40 degree as good edge angle.
It is for low quality steels and unexperienced sharpener - i consider it as disrespect to quality knife.

So Sharpmaker works in cases limited to little used edges which are already 30 degree or less. It is ok
for Spyderco knives you bought and use casually (most of the Spyderco customers will be covered by that),
but if you follow some advises here and pick cheap knife to practice - you may end rather up with
frustration then learning experience.

Sharpmaker will introduce you, as it did for many including myself to experience of getting your knife
sharp by your own hands following simple procedure, but it will be just beginning, just entry to the
world of sharpening.