I finally broke down...
- Thread starter Chris C
- Start date
- Status
You will not be disappointed.
Actually, I'm a little angry. The X-Fine stone has clearly been used and returned. These came from Amazon (sold by Amazon). Just got off the phone with customer support and they are overnighting me a replacement. We'll see...
Clearly worn, you can see it and definitely feel it. The dark areas look like very fine light rust
That rust is why I follow Trend's recommendation and use a very light oil to lubricate the diamonds instead of soap or water like DMT recommends. Trend sells a very good lube that is actually a super light oil. Probably similar to camelia oil. But even WD-40 will work - I just find it gets a little gummy after use. I like the stuff Trend sells - Klinspor carries it as do others.
Is this the stuff you are referring to?
Haven't tried it myself, so just checking if I spotted what you were talking about.
+1 to something other than water. Remember, the base plate is steel. I keep a spray bottle of WD-40 on hand and squirt a little on the plate before use. When finished, I wipe it clean.
As for mounting them, I have a drawer that slides under the work surface. The diamond plates are inset into the drawer, along w/ a thick piece of leather for honing.
Purely cosmetic because the diamond surface does not wear out in our lifetime. The rust appearance is probably leftover sharpening swarf that was not rinsed off properly before storage. I only use water on my DuoSharp stones and then give them a light scrubbing with an old toothbrush under running water followed by a quick rinse with DNA. Others choose to use a light oil as a lubricant and that's okay too.
Mounting? This accessory works nicely and has plenty of knuckle room. One size fits all.
http://www.dmtonlinestore.com/DuoSharp-DuoBase-P18.aspx
The diamond chips are mounted in a nickel surface plating so most likely as Jeff said any rust would be from swarf left on the stone.
The diamonds do wear out but it takes a lot of sharpening.
My first coarse stone is worn out but it went through a dozen sharpening workshops and I used it over ten years. The other three are holding up pretty well.
I wore out a couple other brand stones before I found DMT.
The diamonds do wear out but it takes a lot of sharpening.
My first coarse stone is worn out but it went through a dozen sharpening workshops and I used it over ten years. The other three are holding up pretty well.
I wore out a couple other brand stones before I found DMT.
I just keep mine rolled in a terry cloth towel. For use, I picked up a cheap aluminum cookie tin? (baker's pan?) about 12 x 17" from Sam's Club and set them in that. I use a little dish soap and water in an old windex spray bottle for lube. I just stack the one I am using on top of one of the others when sharpening to elevate it enough for flattening the back side of a blade without having to remove the honing guide. The pan controls the mess and I just spray off the swarf and dry the "stones".
If you do a permanent mount, allow enough clearance and access for smoothing the back of the iron/blade when sharpening.
Go
http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/DMT-8-Dia-Sharp-Diamond-Kit-P405C24.aspx
Like the others said-- these are great plates. The site above has a good deal if others are considering diamond plates.
I love not having to flatten stone faces.
I am a water and soap user.
Dan
Like the others said-- these are great plates. The site above has a good deal if others are considering diamond plates.
I love not having to flatten stone faces.
I am a water and soap user.
Dan
I have an EZE-LAP 600/1200 dual sided diamond plate. It came with one of those perforated rubber mats as shown here.
The only thing I don't like about the rubber mat is that lubricants and/or water goes through the holes onto whatever surface I am working on. The stone doesn't slip around, though.
What I'm going to use going forward is one of those silicone cooking mats. This one I use as a work surface when I'm tearing down and working on old cameras. It really keeps small parts from getting away from me.
It's just tacky enough that nothing slides around and firm enough not to depress under load. My EZE-LAP doesn't move around at all on it and it has the added benefit of being large enough that I can put several stones on it at once. The light colored portion is 18"x23" so there's plenty of room.
The only thing I don't like about the rubber mat is that lubricants and/or water goes through the holes onto whatever surface I am working on. The stone doesn't slip around, though.
What I'm going to use going forward is one of those silicone cooking mats. This one I use as a work surface when I'm tearing down and working on old cameras. It really keeps small parts from getting away from me.
It's just tacky enough that nothing slides around and firm enough not to depress under load. My EZE-LAP doesn't move around at all on it and it has the added benefit of being large enough that I can put several stones on it at once. The light colored portion is 18"x23" so there's plenty of room.
So I finally got to try my new stones today. I spent all last week trying a 1st degree murder case so I was in desperate need of a spell of quiet reflection. I sharpened almost everything I own....which is more than I realized.
A few thoughts:
1. Beats paper hands down. Don't see any real difference in the final result but a WHOLE lot less aggravation.
2. I prefer window cleaner to oil. Oil is just too messy for me.
3. I want an Extra Coarse and an Extra Extra Fine. I would like a little faster cut when changing an angle and a little finer finish before the strop.
4. I need to stop shaving the hair on my forearms
A few thoughts:
1. Beats paper hands down. Don't see any real difference in the final result but a WHOLE lot less aggravation.
2. I prefer window cleaner to oil. Oil is just too messy for me.
3. I want an Extra Coarse and an Extra Extra Fine. I would like a little faster cut when changing an angle and a little finer finish before the strop.
4. I need to stop shaving the hair on my forearms
If I need more than an extra course I go to the grinding wheel. Roy Underhill taught me that at Bill's shop during a Wounded Warrior workshop.
Reprofiled a number 5 to make a scrub plane yesterday, only took about five minutes grinding, honing and all.
Reprofiled a number 5 to make a scrub plane yesterday, only took about five minutes grinding, honing and all.
I moved a couple of #4's and a couple of #5's from 30 degrees to 25. The coarse cut it just fine, but I'd like to do it in fewer strokes. I'm used to a few strokes on multiple grits of paper (120, 220, 320, 600, 800/1000, 1200, 1500, 2000).
I could be wrong but three stones just doesn't feel right to me.
I could be wrong but three stones just doesn't feel right to me.
Yes, that is exactly it. I find it works very well and doesn't get gummy like some other oils do. Very thin oil based product and isn't that expensive.
You can find stones that match most all of those grits of sandpaper you mention Chris, but you really don't need quite that many. The roughest grit does all the work in shaping if you're re-shaping an edge. The rest just make finer scratches. Stop when you feel it is sharp enough. There is always debate about how sharp is sharp enough. Really depends on what you're doing.
It just seems like the extra fine stone doesn't get it quite sharp enough. The face is not a mirror finish, not that it necessarily matters. After I strop the edge has a small strip, almost like a micro bevel, that is a mirror finish. I always felt like I could do without the strop when I went up to 2000 on the paper.
However, the final result is as sharp as I ever achieved with paper.
- Status
