Diamond Stone Lubricant

[AgGEM]

Have DMT and have been using Windex.
The DMT stones are done.
Got a Trend to replace them with.
Trend pushes their lubricant which is pricy.
What do you folks use or recommend?

[Timberwolf]

Have DMT and have been using Windex.
The DMT stones are done.
Got a Trend to replace them with.
Trend pushes their lubricant which is pricy.
What do you folks use or recommend?

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WD40 works just fine...Marvel Mystery oil, transmission fluid, mineral spirits...light mineral oil all work well...

[AgGEM]

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WD40 works just fine...Marvel Mystery oil, transmission fluid, mineral spirits...light mineral oil all work well...

Thank you, Jack. WD40 sounds good to me.

[Derek Cohen]

I've used soapy water for 20+ years without an issue.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Timberwolf]

I've used soapy water for 20+ years without an issue.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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Yep...I sure would not be buying any "high-dollar" lube just to keep swarf from embedding when plenty of other things work just as well or maybe better.

[adamcherubini]

Lubricant is the wrong word. You don’t want lubricant on any stone. The liquid we put on stones is meant to float swarf (bits of the tool) and grit lost from the abrasive, up so they can be washed or wiped off. For every stone, the space between the grit can fill up with debris, which reduces access to the grit and slows cutting.

We choose the liquid (not sure what to call it), based on the size of porosity of the stone and surface tension of the liquid. For for India stones, a light oil like 3 in 1 might be okay. 3 in 1 is a lubricant, thus the confusion. But as far as the stone is concerned, it just wants a liquid with a lower surface tension than water. So soapy water might work just as well (does work). A finer stone like a fine Arkansas needs a liquid with an even lower surface tension. I use wd-40, which is also a lubricant, but it’s not it’s lubricity I’m after.

Diamond stones are not porous. So all we are worried about is clearing the swarf from the spaces between the grit. A wipe with a microfiber cloth or a toothbrush can be just as effective and that’s typically what the manufacturers recommend.

WD-40 works, but it’s lubricity can slow the cutting action of diamonds and can possibly damage the product. I think WD-40 works better on natural porous stones. I use it all the time.

Windex seems to perform better on diamond stones. Before I bought Trend’s snake oil, I’d get a plant sprayer of water and add small amounts of dish soap or household ammonia or other household surfactants until it spread across the plate. Not that I would know, but diluted hair conditioner could be a good choice.

What you are looking for is the opposite of what you asked for (I know this is semantics): you want a liquid with a surface tension lower than water, but with poor lubricating characteristics.

Disclaimer: products like Trends cutting fluid are convenient for people who don’t want to play Mr Science for an afternoon. Ive never tried it, but I’m sure it works fine. To be fair, so does window cleaner. Vinegar and water or ammonia and water would probably also work well. The nice thing about ammonia is that it leaves nothing behind, no residue. They use it to clean old furniture in museums. I use it to clean old wooden tools. So if you got it on your bench, it wouldnt pose a problem. But I’ve never tried it on my diasharp plates.

[Derek Cohen]

Absolutely correct, Adam.

Lubricate .. and the steel will skate along the surface instead being abraded. All sharpening media need something to carry away the swarf. I use water and a little soft soap on water stones, diamond stones and ceramic stones.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Timberwolf]

Absolutely correct, Adam.

Lubricate .. and the steel will skate along the surface instead being abraded. All sharpening media need something to carry away the swarf. I use water and a little soft soap on water stones, diamond stones and ceramic stones.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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How many years have I been saying that to folks that on this forum....but the word "lube" is embedded and not likely to ever be replaced...Maybe it's because fluids such as oil have been used for centuries as a method to prevent loading of the pores of the abrasive...But in the end, it doesn't really matter what is used or what it is called, as long as it prevents or reduce loading and doesn't destroy the hone...Maybe we should refer to it as "honing fluid".....and recognize that some "fluids" prevent loading better than others... I will use anything that does the job....

[stillgotten]

I bought into the "snake oil" once, I won't do it twice.

[Grandpa Dave]

I started using LA's Awesome Cleaner with both the "scary sharp" method and with diamond plates. Also works great to clean pitch off blades & bits if you let them soak a bit. Does not damage carbide tips or integrity of the braze like Simple Green does. $1 for 20 oz spray bottle from Dollar Tree or Dollar General.