Just got in my ZDP DF2, couple questions!

[btron]

First off, I wanna say wow. This thing is stupid sharp. I've heard the term "laser sharp" before and never experienced it before but with this...wow. I opened up some mail earlier with it and I could barely hear the paper slicing.

Anyway, I love it and it will take over as my EDC. I've read ZDP is a pain to sharpen. I have waterstones and use those primarily for sharpening when I have to. I have Shapton Glass in 500, 1k, 4k, 8k, Bester 1200, Suehiro Rika 5k and another high grit stone that I can't for the life of me remember haha. Are these stones enough to work with ZDP or would I need a lower grit to work with it? Normally for my uses, I never need to sharpen on-the-go so taking my time is no problem. I usually do sharpen on the weekend when I have nothing to do. :P

Also, I noticed with this particular knife, it seems as if the blade overtravels a bit to fully catch the lock. I have to push down on the blade for it to "seat". Has anyone else ever had this? I don't normally complain and if it works and is safe, I'd rather not send it in for warranty unless it gets worse. Just wondering if anyone has had this happen with their knives. :)

[paladin]

Treat ZDP like any other beloved steel...that is, maintain it well and don't let it get too dull...

If you follow that protocol your present selection of hones will more than suffice, I'd say...

Heck, AUS-8 can be a "pain" to reprofile if it gets buggered up...

It's fun for me to touch up my ZDP Manbug on the Med, Fine, & UF Sharpmaker TriAngles...

As for your lock issue...I'm not sure I understand the problem fully, but every Spyderco I've bought new have had solid, positive lockup... no issues whatsoever

[3rdGenRigger]

Not sure I can answer on the lockup, especially not without pictures of how it sits when locked (A little bit of up and down play isn't uncommon in lockback knives due to the way the lockbar surface matches up to the tang of the blade, and it's likely to decrease with use as you break it in). If you're getting a lot of movement and can't adjust it out by messing with the tightness of the pivot or lockbar screws it might be worth sending to Spyderco for evaluation, but I'm running with little information regarding the specific knife so take that with a grain of salt (I seem to be lucky about buying lockbacks that have zero play, but a few of mine have slight vertical blade if I put a good deal of vertical force on the blade, but none of them to an extent that would worry me in the slightest). As to ZDP being a pain to sharpen, it is a bit of a pain to sharpen, but that's offset in my eyes by the fact that it doesn't need to be sharpened as often. Don't let it get really dull before you touch it up, and use light pressure when you do touch it up. It will take you longer than sharpening VG-10 or S30V, but it will sharpen, and hold an edge longer than either.

[Sparki]

I touch up and re-sharpen my ZDP caly 3.5 on my sharpmaker using only the medium and fine stones. As long as you don't let it dull too much to the point where you might need a reprofile, you should be fine. :)

[btron]

Thanks for the replies guys! Appreciate it!

To better explain the "overtravel"...

-blade opens and locks (normal click)
-blade play only pushing blade down, and when I do push blade down, locks more? (faint click)
-after this, no blade play at all

[tlo14290]

I think Mr. 3rdgenrigger has the right of it on the lockup thing. Normal manufacturing tolerances will add up, and especially on the physically smaller knives like the ladybug, Dfly, etc, the lockbar won't quite drop all the way into the recess in the tang at first without a little wiggle of some kind. It should wear in pretty quick, and you'll end up with a tighter lockup for it. I've had a couple of the smaller knives with the same condition, and it just gradually disappeared. Congrats on your new Dfly! I have the SB and the one with the g10 grip, am currently jonesing for one just like yours!

[Holland]

Thanks for the replies guys! Appreciate it!

To better explain the "overtravel"...

-blade opens and locks (normal click)
-blade play only pushing blade down, and when I do push blade down, locks more? (faint click)
-after this, no blade play at all

Try loosening the lockbar screw. It should also move in and adjust as it wears

[araneae]

I would let it wear in a few weeks, I bet the lockbar will seat in with a little use.

I use the sharpmaker to keep my ZDP dfly sharp. Just maintain it and you don't have to worry about major work later.

[Cliff Stamp]

I have Shapton Glass in 500, 1k, 4k, 8k, Bester 1200, Suehiro Rika 5k and another high grit stone that I can't for the life of me remember haha. Are these stones enough to work with ZDP or would I need a lower grit to work with it?

Unless you are actually damaging the edge (visible dents, chips, etc.) then it is unlikely you need to go under the Bester 1200, and you certainly don't want to apex with something like the Shapton 500 unless you moderate the slurry/finish. I have blades in ZDP-189 which are full ground and a 700/Bester can apex them in 100-200 passes from very dull (<5% of optimal, clearly see light reflecting from the edge). If you are just working on a secondary bevel it will be a small fraction of that.

[btron]

Thanks guys!

Cliff, what stone that I have would you recommend for maintaining?

[Jazz]

A few of my knives sort of do that with the lock, but I just ignore it. It is still locked. I love ZDP, by the way. I reprofiled a few with ZDP, and never found them any harder than VG 10. S30V seems harder to sharpen, to me. I dislike sharpening AUS8. Feels like you're spreading the steel around or something.

[Cliff Stamp]

Cliff, what stone that I have would you recommend for maintaining?

I think the 1000/1200's would be a bit too coarse and the 4-5k's a bit to fine, but it depends on how much you use them. I would try the two of them and see, but I would bet that a 2k would be more suitable. I use a similar grit SPS-II and it does very well for that.