I think the problem is not whether the sharpening stone cuts the steel. I can do that. It seems to be something else. I have a feeling that the steel at the edge is ‘sticky’ on a micro level and will not come away from the blade. I can get a very good looking edge on the blade - but it is not sharp compared to other steels.
So when you do get to sharpen the ZDP a few times - let me know how you go.
ZDP story from the Spyderco forum.
The diamond rods on the Sharpmaker, then just follow the normal stone progression finishing with light strokes seems to be what they recommend.
Yep I’ve seen all that - wait till you try it. It does not work. Most people are quoting from others who have never done it. It is an interesting aspect of web information. No one knows until they physically actually do it.
Well obviously it can be sharpened, because they come from the factory very sharp.
What do Spyderco use?
My instinct is that they use a belt grinder, followed by a polish on a leather belt (also on a grinder), as that seems to be the most production oriented form of knife sharpening for a small volume manufacturer.
From the sounds of things ZDP doesn’t let go of the burr easily.
Fasttech has my favorite EDC back in stock at a great delivered price. The Enlan/Bee EL-01A Stainless Steel Folding Knife. Click the pull-down window for all the different versions and prices.
+1 I have a pair of these. G10 & Wooden models. ROBUST knives for sure. A Best Buy if there ever was one.
The wooden scaled model is my favorite.
I’ve had my Sanrenmu folders for about six months now and they seem to still be good. The 710 has got a bit loose.
I am interested to see how these Chinese knives fare after using them for a couple of years. I don’t think they sharpen as well as the SAK or 12C27 knives I have.
There’s several SanRenMu’s using 12C27 steel, they keep adding them Some also have the twin ball détente lock.
Elk and Smith & Wesson CH0016
Cheers! 
Some of the collection…
I’m considering the big Inron flipper. Is it on the same level of the awesome Enlan EL-01 ?
You mean the crocodile one?
Edit: Just realized my mistake- I’ve read “iron” sry 
If so, got one, love it. It’s great to play around with. Takes a sharp edge so that is good. And opens good with a little swing from your hand/fingers.
Just to clarify I am talking about the SRM 733.
Well, i say you some things about the inron:
I love the blade design, one of my favorites, and its steel are in theory better than most of enlans and sanrenmus but it has a weaker blade too, it is concave (in english maybe hollow ground?) and not flat ground like all my enlans and ganzos. The tip is thin and it is not for heavy use but it cuts very well, i sharpen it and it shaves. The handle do not like me, it is too thin for me and the framelock is very thin for being a framelock. I read that this inron had faults of fit and finish but mine has one of the better fit and finish of all time including srm, enlan, ganzo… Centered blade, without scratches, good lock up… But anothers can be worst.
I think for cutting things is a good knife but not for heavy use and the el01 is stronger with a fat tip and even a fatter liner lock, better handle too but with worst steel (in theory again). For the price it is the biggest knife in size you can get, for me it is a plus that. I get it in a deal for half price but for its full price if you see its steel and size is not a bad knife.
I think Inron basically spend all the money making the blade, and then spend just enough on the handle to give you something to hold onto. Harnds Blazer is, I think, the best big folder from a Chinese manufacturer (it may well be the biggest folder currently available).
Yes, i agree with the inron. And i haven’t got the blazer but i have the viper, i saw photos of the blazer and i saw that the liner lock was a little thin, even thinner that the liner’s viper. I’m sure it must be a very good knife the blazer but it’s one of the most expensive budget knife too, like the enlan el08 that i have too and it’s one of the best in my opnion but it isn’t very popular for some reasons that i don’t know.
Can anyone share their impressions of the Vallotton clone? Ive been eying the ones on Ali and not sure if they are worth the change. The pics look like the real deal, which has me suspicious, and I couldnt find a review anywhere. My favorite EDC has been the trusty EL-01. Is the Vallotton clone as factory sharp and well made as a good SRM or Bee/Enlan?
IMO, the real Spyderco Vallotton is a classy looker.
Unfortunately many clone manufacturers are getting exceedingly good at replicating models by Western manufacturers. I have no doubt that the clone you’re looking at will be almost the same as an original with two provisios. The steel will not match (of course) and the heat treatment may or may not be any good. The finish might not be as good as an original. If you expect it to be roughly equivalent to a Enlan or Sanrenmu, but in the shape of a known knife, then you’ll get about what you expect.
Nicely made clone, the store where I bought mine - DIY Knives - has stopped selling them but there are plenty of them about. Worth the money but easy to spot the fakes - at least on mine - the pivot screw isn’t as well recessed as on the genuine and the same goes for the scale screws, just very slightly proud of the surface, not enough to cause any discomfort and I’ve not tried to tighten them down.
A heavy knife and up to Enlan standards of fit/finish with just a couple of minor faults, the screws aren’t a big deal. The liners are a bit sharp edged, easily fixed. The blade is perfectly centred and sharp, plunge lines equal but the tip grind is minutely off, not much and you have to be looking for it. G10 “contour lines” less pronounced and the scales less glossy than the genuine one but micromesh might solve this.
I’d buy another one any time.
The DIY Knives has some very interesting thumbstuds, pivots, stand offs etc. not easily available, I will be buying a few to see what the quality is like when I recover financially from Yule excesses. 
I PMed FlashPilot a more detailed reply, I can waffle on a bit too much sometimes. He asked me to post it in the thread so here it is.
I’m continually impressed by the quality of these clones. Spyderco seem to be popular models to copy and the prices can vary a great deal. I’ve no doubt that if you pay more the better the copy, but how many copies of a copy can there be? The Paramilitary 2 and the Military have the most copies I think and prices low to high. I could see there being tiers to the counterfeit makers with more than one factory making them but the less popular ones I’m not so sure.
The store I bought mine from has none left but there are many more stores to choose from. Mine cost $28 and is a very good copy. The differences are easy to spot – the genuine ones have the heads of the screws protruding less than on mine, both the pivots and the scale screws are not flush, not a long way out but but noticeable when you know what to look for. Comparing it to Dale’s that opened the “What blade did you EDC today” thread the G10 is showing less “contour lines” and more “dimples” on the surface, no doubt this could be improved by polishing with micromesh or similar fine abrasive. I was going to try this, that’s when I noticed the screws not exactly flush. I could remove the G10 and polish it off the knife but to be honest it doesn’t bother me that much (lazy festive mood) 
Obviously the steel will not be S30V but it is decent, probably 8Cr13MoV, the specs. on mine said D2 but not likely. This is the store I bought from. DIY Knives All is as he said is correct on the markings, Spyderco logos, steel and Taichung Taiwan as well as the mouse nose Vallotton logo.
The blade is 4mm and perfectly centred, the pocket clip four position but not as strong as some. Everything else is pretty much spot on. As in the photos in the store. Lock-up is good, all of the liner is engaged and the outer edge flush with the tang. Grind lines very good at the pivot end but slightly off at the tip, a difficult grind to do on this blade, but not massively so. Sharp out of the box but a few minutes on my Lansky turn box and it is even sharper now. Tolerances are good, no blade play in any direction and a strong détente when closed. The sub-hilt part is executed well with everything fitting as it should. The edges of the liners could do with smoothing as they are a bit sharp, a five minute job with some 1000 wet/dry. I’d buy another one.
I share your views about the EL-01, a hard act to beat and with phosphor bronze washers just about the best hard use folder that the Chinese make. I have one of each including the Magnum A-Stan and the RUI Energy series. There will no doubt be more to collect if I look hard enough. Wink I’ve not got any Navy knives now and even gave the 2001 pocket tool that I had away. Inron I just don’t like the look of but I have a few Ganzo’s – a G712 Bedlam copy and all six of the G620 assisted openers that FastTech sell, they don’t mention the fact that they are A/O and it was a pleasant surprise when they all made it through customs. All the Ganzo’s that I have are acceptable, to me, for the price but I can’t see me buying any more any time soon.
I have only bought SanRenMu’s and clones recently, slip joints mostly from SRM and Spyderco for the clones. I would say the Vallotton is on a par with Enlan and just nudging SRM in terms of quality. A bit on the high side of the SRM and Ganzo in terms of cost but I think it’s worth it.
The box that the Vallotton came in was a good copy with bar code, date code on a label not printed on the box but the Edge-U-Cation sheet was for a full flat grind Endura/Delica. Seeing as I’m not looking to sell any of my clones even as clones that doesn’t matter to me.
The store where I bought the Vallotton has a Szakonyi Gábor Hungarian folder clone for $20, that’s looking very tempting. 
The knife parts that DIY Knives sell, thumbstuds, pivots, stand offs etc. not easily available, I will be buying a few to see what the quality is like when I recover financially from Yule excesses
I try to cover every detail but there’s usually something In forget so please ask about anything I’ve missed.
All the best from the U.K.
Thank you for posting your PM.
There is so much good information in your reply that I encouraged you to copy/paste your PM so that others may benefit. We can all learn from your attention to details and commentary.
When I first saw the Vallotton, I was immediately taken by its good looks and functional purpose. I actually had no idea that it was a Spyderco till I looked it up. I seriously considering the $165-ish price for the real McCoy, but then it would probably sit in a drawer most of its life and not get abused as harshly as my EL-01 collection.
I had no idea that the G620 was an AO. While I kept my early and later versions of the Ganzo G704 (later version has a thicker blade), I have noted that the steel doesnt hold an edge as well as the EL-01. Not sure if this is due to a lesser steel or a lack if attention in the hardening process. This seems to be true of all Ganzo’s when compared to the typical SRM or Enlan/Bee, at least from my limited experience.
With so many great bargain knives, Id be put off in spending this amount if the Vallotton required a lot of time and effort to bring it up to an acceptable standard. This one looks like a great buy straight out of the box. And thanks to you, I just ordered one.
Im looking forward to reading of how your future hardware upgrades work out.