Bar Keepers Friend: Cleanser vs. Soft Cleanser

[Papilio]

Bar Keepers Friend is often mentioned as a well working scouring agent for cleaning ceramic stones. I have not been aware that BKF is available as a powder (Cleanser) and a cream (Soft Cleanser) until I watched two videos on YouTube (from Northwest_Knife_Guy and Ink&Iron).
Is there any difference? Is one more effective, a more abrasive cleanser?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I've tried both of them. The powdered version is my preference by a long shot. The 'soft' liquid version seems just that, in terms of how it works much more subtly than if the powder is used as a paste, mixed with water. For some needs requiring a gentler touch, I'm sure the soft cleanser has its uses. But for the tasks we knife nuts use it for, like scrubbing stones, I think the powder is much more useful.

BTW, I ended up throwing out my bottle of the soft cleanser. I'd used it so infrequently, the liquid eventually dried up in the bottle and became solidified and undispensable. That's another advantage of the powder version - it'll never go bad, so far as I can tell.

 

[flylock]

Yes the powder works well for cleaning stones and knives also.

 

[Papilio]

Thanks. Good to know. I will go with the powder then.

 

[Triple_D]

I've had pretty good luck cleaning a ceramic stone with a plain, Magic Eraser, sponge. No cleaners or hard scrubbing required.

 

[Papilio]

I have not tried a Magic Eraser yet, but a pencil eraser. Works, but from time to time the stones need some scrubbing with a scouring agent to get them clean.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

For ceramic hones, I've used a simple pink eraser about 99% of the time, after each use of the hone. If kept up this way, it's almost never necessary to do anything more.

BKF is very, very handy when you really want or need to clean heavily loaded ceramics. I'd used it to good effect on some ceramic rods my Dad kept and used. I don't think he ever cleaned them with anything, so they were heavily loaded. I mixed a generous amount of the BKF powder with some water and sealed that up with the two rods in a Zip-Loc bag for a couple or three days and just let it soak. Almost needed no scrubbing at all - the oxalic acid did about 98% of the work.

 

[Papilio]

I use an eraser like this https://www.faber-castell.com/products/EraserPVCfree/188539. In my experience it is possible to keep the stones clean. But I have noticed that after some time on white ceramic stones some of the black load is not "erasable". Like it is burned into the stones surface. Some tiny spots or ttraces. To be fair: This happens mostly with my Chinese DMD stone. The quality stones like Spyderco are easier to clean.

Great idea to mix everything in a Zip-Loc bag and let it sit.

 

[Wilfred17]

For me bar keepers friend and a dryer sheet works fantastic. Never had luck with an eraser. Will have to try the magic eraser

 

[jnaught]

Yes the powder works well for cleaning stones and knives also.

Be aware that it is acidic and will patina carbons steels. May not be unwanted, but be aware.

 

[NCHornet]

I use the cream version with a green scotch brite pad the majority of the time. I have both the powder and the cream and don't let my stones get to dirty. The cream also working very well as a rubbing compound on my vehicles. Not as harsh as the red compound and does a great job of getting road scum off the lower panels of my rig. Use what works best for you.
NCH

 

[Papilio]

Thanks.

 

[cudgee]

Thanks.

I know your original enquiry was about Barkeepers smooth and powder, i have used the powder with a scotch brite pad and it works really well, but there is another way that i use that works really well and is a bit less messy. Fast Orange Hand cleaner, the pumice one, and baby wipes. Is cheap and works.

 

[cudgee]

I'd used it to good effect on some ceramic rods my Dad kept and used. I don't think he ever cleaned them with anything, so they were heavily loaded. I mixed a generous amount of the BKF powder with some water and sealed that up with the two rods in a Zip-Loc bag for a couple or three days and just let it soak. Almost needed no scrubbing at all

Fantastic tip, that is what is so great about this forum. Will be using that as a maintenance cleaner. Thanks.

 

[Papilio]

I know your original enquiry was about Barkeepers smooth and powder, i have used the powder with a scotch brite pad and it works really well, but there is another way that i use that works really well and is a bit less messy. Fast Orange Hand cleaner, the pumice one, and baby wipes. Is cheap and works.

I appreciate that. It is good to konow that there are other ways to do the cleaning job. Thanks for sharing.