Cleaning Ceramic Sharpening Rods/Stones

This question was submitted through our blog, but I believe there are lots of owners of ceramic abrasive sharpeners out there with the same question.  Therefore, I am making it the blog post for this week.  I hope you find it helpful.

How do I clean the ceramic rods?

Ceramic Rods in Smith's 3-N-1 Sharpening System

Smith's 9" Oval Ceramic Sharpening Rod

Answer:

The best way to clean ceramic abrasives (whether its ceramic rods or stones) is to use a common kitchen cleansing powder.  Just scrub the ceramic material with a wet, mild brush (I like to use an old toothbrush) that has a little kitchen cleansing powder on the bristles, then rinse the surface in warm water.  The black coloring on the rod/stone should come right off!  If not, repeat process until the ceramic surface is clean and restored to its original color.

Always remember to dry your sharpener when finished and store in a safe place to protect the abrasive surface from damage.

Keep it Sharp!