Perforated vs continuous diamond stones
X-Coarse / Coarse / Fine / X-Fine (roughly 220-1,200 grit)
Diamond Pastes, 45 to .5 microns (roughly 320-20,000 grit)
Competing against established oil, water, & ceramic stones.
It’s enough to confuse a lad.
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It seems X-coarse and Coarse are the most popular options, in part because they are so useful flattening dished water-stones.
But what would you recommend in diamonds to someone making the plunge who wants to easily sharpen planes, chisels, and scrapers really sharp?
Replies
A C/XC combo stone and an 8000 Norton...sharp in 60 seconds. The DuoSharp knocks the old edge off and the 8000 puts the new edge on. I do this as part of a sharpening demo and it's usually less than a minute from dull to sharp.
Edited 6/19/2008 10:06 pm ET by MDLuthier
I would choose a X-Coarse / X-Fine diamond stone. The X-Coarse would be great for flattening water stones (of finer grits, perhaps 4000x and 8000x) and shaping bevels if needed. The X-Fine can be the first step to sharpen blades and joint scrapers.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I have a 3M 400 and 800 grit diamond stones that they used to sell at the Japan woodworker and a 1200 grit DMT diamond plate. I also use a 8000 grit water stone to finish the edge. I like the diamond stones a lot they cut fast and it is easy to raise a burr on the tool. For flating the water-stone I have a stone that is meant for that purpose.
Troy
Mr 2,
I have a 300 grit diamond continuous stone of 10" X 3" for removing nicks; a 600/1200 double sided 10" X 4" DMT for making new microbevels on a main bevel (usually formed with a Tormek, once in a blue moon after the first one); an 8000 continuous DMT for the final edge.
In comparison to micro grit-papers of 2000 then 6000 then 10,000 the diamond stones fall just a little bit short. I still give a rub or 4 on the 10,000 paper after the 8000 diamond to get that scary edge. I'm hoping the 8000 diamond will wear a bit smoother with use (it's still new) so that the edge it makes will be truly final, obviating the need for the micro-grit grit papers.
The 8000 diamond feels like a smooth flat plate. It doesn't look as if it would sharpen anything - until you use it. It's slightly faster than the micro-grit papers but never tears or (I hope) wears out. Also, you don't have to worry about dubbing the edge, as you do with the micro-grit papers, which must have blades moved sideways or backwards only, never for'ards. The 8000 diamond allows one to move the blade any way one likes.
The diamond stones are all dead flat steel plates, which one may rest on a vaguely flat surface and still expect to stay flat themselves. The microgrit papers require a very flat substrate.
I use Camelia oil rather than water with the diamond stones. It's a very light oil that washes off easily, alongwith the grey metal "dust" from sharpening, but leaves a very thin protective film. I don't care for water as the sharpening lubricant as it's too easy to leave a drop on the diamond stone, which then rusts it's steel plate.
I have small 600 and 1200 DMT plates of 3" X 3/4" for sharpening router bits and other small-tool edges. A 600 diamond bar in a wooden handle keeps the 10" planer/thicknesser blades sharp in their drum, until the nicks require them to be removed for a proper sharpen on the Tormek.
As to waterstones - messy thangs...... who need 'em?
Lataxe, a diamond geezer
Edited 6/20/2008 6:02 pm ET by Lataxe
Just my opinion - but I'm not happy with the edge if I use the new extra, extra fine grit diamond stone from DMT. I do use a coarse/extra fine perforated stone to dress the initial edge on a new carving tool or chisel, and as the initial step in flattening the back.
If you prefer sticking with stones and like using water as a lubricant, I'd suggest the coarse/extra fine combo stone in the largest DMT perforated nickel on ceramic substrate, and a 6000 grit King or 8000 grit Norton synthetic japanese water stone as the finishing stone. You can use the coarse side of the diamond stone to flatten the waterstone.
The ultra-cheap (and potentially quickest if you don't have a huge nick in an edge, which is probably best handled at a grinder anyway) method is to use the coarse side of a DMT to shape the bevel, the extra-fine side to remove the coarse side scratches and the edge burr, and a leather strop loaded with rottenstone or one of the commercial carving rouges as your final, "scary" sharp step.
You may want to read the article published in FWW #101 on sharpening stones. It is titled, "A New Angle on Whetstones."
I find that diamond stone do not work anywhere near as good as ceramic stones. I get a better edge that stays longer and the ceramic stones don't wear out. I start with 1000 then go to a 4000 and finish with an 8000 grit stone they work excellently!
The problem I have found with ceramic stones is that I have not been able to find one that was flat. Some diamond plates are great but are rather expensive. Those by DMT do not seem to be very flat plus the dots tend to grab small tools.
Have you tried the DMT diamond stones that are on a steel plate with no dots, they are pretty nice.Troy
No I have several Arkansas stones to last many generations past me. I use a diamond plate to touch up my jointer knives and a few other things.
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