Why can't I find Spyderco Medium Benchstone?

[MightyquinnTLF]

As the title suggests, I am in the market for a new Spyderco Bench Stone as I want to try to start sharpening free hand. It seems like every single retailer that offers them is out of stock. I was just wondering if it was due to the whole pandemic that's going on right now? Thank You in advance!

Just to let you know I was a member here many years ago when I first got into collecting knives and learning to sharpen them, this was a great resource of information. But as life got in the way I sold off most of my collection and only kept the ones I really loved and would use often. For some reason I can't access my old account(probably because it was inactive for so long). Thanks again and maybe I'll poke my head in here a little more often :)

[Wartstein]

As the title suggests, I am in the market for a new Spyderco Bench Stone as I want to try to start sharpening free hand. It seems like every single retailer that offers them is out of stock. I was just wondering if it was due to the whole pandemic that's going on right now? Thank You in advance!

Just to let you know I was a member here many years ago when I first got into collecting knives and learning to sharpen them, this was a great resource of information. But as life got in the way I sold off most of my collection and only kept the ones I really loved and would use often. For some reason I can't access my old account(probably because it was inactive for so long). Thanks again and maybe I'll poke my head in here a little more often :)

Welcome to the forum! :)

Can´t help you on the stone, sorry, but would be interested which particular models you "really loved" and kept?

[fixall]

Someone on BladeForums was just having this same problem the other day. They ended up finding some in stock at Brownells (they had to call though). When he called Spyderco the employee said they didn't know when they were making more, but that it was their most popular stone (alluding towards more being made soon?) and said Covid-19 was causing the slowdown.

*edit
New Graham Knives have them in stock right now.

[Mike Slayer]

I want to get all three of the Spyderco bench stones myself. I don’t need them but would like to have them. I am not trying to talk you out of them just tell you what I use that works well. When I started to learn how to sharpen knives I was 8 or 9 years old. Back then I didn’t have the internet or any other resources to learn from. I found what actual stones I could then over time I found catalogs with Arkansas stones in them. I had decent success over time but even in failure due to not having proper equipment or knowledge I still put in plenty of timing perfecting my angles and form. Then when I bought better equipment and learned from people that had the knowledge my knives got sharp fairly quickly. After that locally I was known for being able to put crazy sharp edge. Family and Friends asked me to sharpen their hunting, filet and kitchen knives. Wasn’t long before people they knew asked the same. After that I was looking for a faster way to sharpen things. That is when I went to a 1x30” belt grinder. I used that for year’s until it finally stopped working not to long ago. A lot had changed since I last free hand sharpened a knife on stone’s. Again I was in need of someone with more knowledge than myself. This time I was looking for water stones. Long before this I found Big Brown Bears youtube channel. I started picking his brain some and he recommended 3 things to me. The King Neo 800 grit water stone and 1 micron diamond spray on a smooth leather strop. I acquired them and watched his video on technique and other things then I was off. First knife I put to that stone was my Spydiechef. After getting back in the grove and working on my technique and putting the time in I had a polished edge that had an aggressive bite to it.You wouldn’t dare lay three fingers on the edge and more them along the edge.I would say with that simple set up you can produce a edge most people would be happy with. Also if you want you can add stones or more diamond sprays to the mix to do what ever you need with any steel on the market. Up front cost might seem pricey to some or cheap to other’s but the stones will last ALONG time as long as you take care of your stones and equipment. Myself I do want to add a 400 grit and 2000-3000 grit water stone’s to the mix but that is my choice. Others might have different ideas or needs which is why the King Neo 800 grit and 1 micron diamond spray is a good foundation to sharpen from. I can’t thank Big Brown Bear enough for his no BS advice on sharpening and on other thing’s. Check out his IG and Youtube accounts because he has a lot knowledge and advice on blades.

[wrdwrght]

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/detail ... -Medium/82, if you get impatient.

[MightyquinnTLF]

Wartstein Thank you for the warm welcome! From the top of my head, I have kept the following

Spyderco Para Military OD Green in D2
Spyderco Para Military Digital Cammo in S30V
Spyderco Endura British Racing Green in ZDP-189(Combo Edge)
Spyderco Delica British Racing Green in ZDP-189(Combo Edge)
Spyderco Delica British Racing Green in ZDP-189(Flat Grind)
Spyderco Delica Grey in VG-10(Flat Grind)
Spyderco Jumpmaster in H1
Spyderco Sage in S30V
Benchmade Auto Mini Presidio in 154CM
Surefire EW-04 Delta in S30V

I also have a Spyderco Assist in Orange and Yellow which is in each of my cars

fixall THANK YOU!!! I think I just got the last one, keeping my fingers crossed!! Hopefully New Graham Knives comes through :)

Mike Slayer I appreciate the advice but I was trying to stay away from whetstones, I've heard nothing but great things about them but don't really want to deal with the mess of getting water out and all that. Who knows, in the future I might!!

wrdwright Yeah, that is my last ditch option but not really wanting to pay MSRP :)


Thank you all for the responses and I forgot what a great group you have over here!!

[Mike Slayer]

I can understand that for sure. I use a plastic tupperware container as a tube to hold the water and place the base in that and the stone on top. I just make sure it’s a shallow container so I can work on the stone with out the sides getting in the way. Also I keep rags handy to clean up as mess. After establishing an edge on them and work your way up in grit I rarely have to go back to the stone’s since the leather strop with 1 micron diamond spray is what I use most to maintain my edges after getting them established on whetstones. Probably the main reason I went to whetstones is I don’t like the factor edges or angles. On my Spydiechef I brought the edge back to 16 or 17 degrees per side. Either way if you ever decide to take that route send me a message and I will help any way I can and point you in the right direction to people that have been using whetstones a lot longer than I have.

[fixall]

fixall THANK YOU!!! I think I just got the last one, keeping my fingers crossed!! Hopefully New Graham Knives comes through :)

Any time buddy, good luck. :)