I had been a bench stone kind of guy for ages, and still use one on occassion, but a friend talked me into the Spiderco Sticks.
The secret is to hold the knife straight up and down with no tilt and pull it towards you as you press down.
If I have a really nasty edge or a very hard edge I sometimes reshape the edge with a fine file first before setting up the ceramic sticks.
ALWAYS use the wire wrist guards.
ALways use the grey/black sticks first and finish with the white. DOn't use the fish hook grooved face of the grey/black sticks on a blade.
I will say that resharpening single edge razors is more trouble than it is worth, but fun to do just to mess with folks.
I use Bon Amee non scratch cleaner on the sticks when the steel begins to cover the faces of the sticks
One of my best buddies liked knives but simply could not sharpen a knife. He bought just about every sharpening aid you can think of that was available through the 1980's (died in 91 of the big C). It used to urk him that I made every one of them work and his best bet was to just hand me the knife and watch me sharpen it. The day he watched me sharpen an Old Grandpa pocket knife on an old red brick I found in the yard and finish it on the bottom of the toilet tank lid he decided that obviously knife sharpening was magic and simply gave up even trying.
I even tried standing behind him and guiding his hands so he could feel the importance of a rock steady angle and a smooth draw. He just didn't get it.
I always thought it odd tht he could not have a steady hand at sharpening yet had no difficulty striking a strike anywhere match at 50 to 75 feet frome the prone, unsuported, every time with a decent .22lr rifle and in sitting or kneeling most of the time.
Different folks different skills. That said I found in Cub Scouts that sharpening knives and making them work better was fun and rewarding. Then my Grand PaPa noticed and I got taught to use a stone by a working butcher and found my self sharping numerous Chicago Cutlery and old Hickory type butcher knives and fileting knives and Mom's and both Granmpm's kitchen knives and, well you get the picture.
Check out some yard sales and buy some old used butcher knives and sharpen away. FOlks don't just pick up a bow and drop shots in the gold all day on their first day, week or month, but everyone seems to expect to buy a sharpening system that will turn out a perfect edge on the first try. Once you get the hang of it folks will be asking you to "touch up" their blades. WHile overseas withthe army I bought a two sided synthetic stone tha paid for itself within two months and provided me with the occassional "free" candy bar, beer or pocket change for the next two years. Hey I touched up bayonets and e-tools and the occassional camp axe off a vehicle for free (also had a nice file I picked up), but personally owned folders and the occassional sheath knife were not platoon equipment so I felt no shame in being offered and taking exchange of goods for services to individuals out side my fire team.
Have fun with the spyderco gear.
-kBob
