diamond stones

[Bobby Thompson]

What are your favorite stones?

[Bibliophile 13]

The DMT solid surface are best, I think. I think that's the Dia-Sharp model.

I've used an 8"X3" coarse stone for years now, and I'm of two minds about diamond stones. I love the fact that they stay perfectly flat, that you can use them dry, and that they're extremely easy to clean. They're also very good for small or oddly-shaped edges (e.g. carving tools) that tend to gouge other kinds of stones. On the other hand, they do lose their initial sharpness quickly. So although they will continue to cut for a long time, they cut slower and slower over the years. They're not terribly expensive as high-quality sharpening media go (especially compared to the prices of some of the better waterstones), but there are definitely more economical options out there. Of late, I find that I don't use my coarse diamond stone very often. I've been using my natural oil stone, which is two sided (soft and hard) followed by a strop. It keeps my tools nice and sharp.

The other problem with diamond stones is that, if you use them every day, they will wear down, and you can't refresh the surface (unlike a water stone or an oil stone). But for the weekend warrior, I think they're still a great option. I'd recommend getting a coarse and a fine DMT stone, and follow it up with a strop.

[Timberwolf]

The DMT solid surface are best, I think.  I think that's the Dia-Sharp model.

I've used an 8"X3" coarse stone for years now, and I'm of two minds about diamond stones.  I love the fact that they stay perfectly flat, that you can use them dry, and that they're extremely easy to clean.  They're also very good for small or oddly-shaped edges (e.g. carving tools) that tend to gouge other kinds of stones.  On the other hand, they do lose their initial sharpness quickly.  So although they will continue to cut for a long time, they cut slower and slower over the years.  They're not terribly expensive as high-quality sharpening media go (especially compared to the prices of some of the better waterstones), but there are definitely more economical options out there.  Of late, I find that I don't use my coarse diamond stone very often.  I've been using my natural oil stone, which is two sided (soft and hard) followed by a strop.  It keeps my tools nice and sharp.  

The other problem with diamond stones is that, if you use them every day, they will wear down, and you can't refresh the surface (unlike a water stone or an oil stone).  But for the weekend warrior, I think they're still a great option.  I'd recommend getting a coarse and a fine DMT stone, and follow it up with a strop.

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The DMT solid surface are best

This.... As a rule, the more diamond in contact with the steel of the blade, the longer the diamond will last..Of course, that depends on other factors also..the 'concentration of diamond and how well it is bonded to the substrate..as well as the type diamond used in the manufacture..One type factures much easier than the other.

I prefer the DMT...More diamond per sq. inch.....

[rwe2156]

I have both mesh (Duo Sharp) and solid (Diasharp) DMT plates.

They both work well.  The mesh has worn quicker probably due less diamond density.

Had to do over I would not buy mesh plates.

Take a look at this - looks just like Trend for a fraction of the cost.

[hbmcc]

Went through oil, water stones, and finally settled on diamond. Japanese steel is hard. Really hard. I use diamond paste on flattened steel plates. The grits are dedicated and cross-contamination is nil, or minimum. At a price. Everything must be cleaned and rubbed down before going to the next finer grit plate. 

Steve is correct. The premade plates wear down initially. The complication with them is the grit designations are uselessly meaningless, and stones are too coarse anyway. (Maybe, they consider wear-down in the grit designations...?) My plates are from Lee Valley, and 3-tube paste is from TFWW. I use the back of the DMT plate for my coarsest grit. The paste lasts forever.

Unless a chip happens, I don't wheel grind bevels. Just work a flat or rolled bevel with the cheap wheel guides. It would definitely be faster to keep a hollow grind and sharpen the top edges..... But, space is so precious, I hone in the kitchen.

[Bobby Thompson]

Thanks, guys. What grits do you use? I have experimented using my surface grinder with a sine plate set at 30 degrees. It seems to work well but I want to put a micro bevel on manually.

[Timberwolf]

Thanks, guys. What grits do you use? I have experimented using my surface grinder with a sine plate set at 30 degrees. It seems to work well but I want to put a micro bevel on manually.

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For a much less expensive alternative, I recommend going to Amazon and checking out their assortment of diamond laps..They have them in several sizes and many grits..I have three 8" laps in different grit sizes {600, 800 and 1200} and use them on my Veritas MKII..Used with lube they do a very good job on the machine, but the 8" diameter lap is large enough that they could be used stationary with a guide or freehand, for a microbevel...They are coated on one side and are made of steel that's about 1/16" thick. The brand I have is by Uxell..{SP}.....When worn out, the lap could be used on the Veritas by gluing a piece of sandpaper on it, or by charging it with diamond paste for a fine lap.
I am still waiting for somebody to sell a ceramic lap..I would like to try it on my machine for the "last word" in sharpening.

[Bibliophile 13]

Thanks, guys. What grits do you use? I have experimented using my surface grinder with a sine plate set at 30 degrees. It seems to work well but I want to put a micro bevel on manually.

If I were using just diamond stones, I would want coarse and fine, and then I would finish on a strop.  If I were sharpening a lot of carving gouges or other tools that required an extremely fine edge, I would add an extra-fine stone, too. 

Even at their newest, these stones don't feel very rough to the fingers, but boy do they cut steel! 

One more suggestion: don't feel like you have to get the same size stone in each grit.  Given that you will spend most of your sharpening time on the coarsest stone, I recommend getting a fairly big one, such as the 8"X3".  But for the finer stones, you can get by with a smaller one, which will save you a few bucks.  If you do get the same size stones, be sure to mark them somehow.  It's not easy to tell them apart at a glance!

[omark]

What are your favorite stones?

I have experience with DMT 600/1200 perforated and DMT 220 continuous.
220 is probably flatter than 600/1200.
I intended to use 220 for primary bevel grinding  but it is too slow for that purpose.
I use mostly 1200 for sharpening secondary bevel.

If buying again, I would choose Atoma 140 and 1200 (followed by green compound or 8000 waterstone).

[jgourlay]

Atoma 140gr was the coarsest stone available last time I went shopping.  Love it.  I use a DMT 'red' after that, then straight to natural waterstones.

The virtue of diamond stones is they hog a lot of material very fast.  Nick removal is where they are very strong, so there's little using in messing around with anything less than the coarsest you can find.