Diamond stones....

[Big Mike]

Okay, I know this sounds stupid but how do you tell when a diamond whet stone is no longer effective? I guess they do wear out don't they?

I have two diamond whet stones that I have been using for several years to hone the edge of some of my turning tools. It seems that it is taking much longer to acheive the level of sharpness that I want. I am primarily using these diamond stones on scrapers as I use Arkansas-type stones on my gouges and such.

 

[cskipper]

Have you tried cleaning them with Ajax and a stiff brush? Sometimes that will bring them back. If that doesn't work then i would call em "Extra Fine" and get a new medium or coarse stone.

:rolf::rolf::rolf:

 

[froglips]

I mostly noticed that new stones are rougher than ones I've used for a while. They do seem to wear down/out eventually.

Do you hone wet or dry?

I've used wd-40/paint thinner to clean my diamond stones when they became clogged. Just wet them and wipe with a paper towel, wash/rinse/repeat until no more evidence of dirt is coming off.

Jim

 

[Travis Porter]

I have wondered the same thing myself, but I don't have an answer.

 

[Big Mike]

Jim, to answer your questions I usually hone dry. Once in a while I do as Mike suggests, clean the stones with a stiff brush and Comet. I don't have any Ajax.;-) Maybe that is what I am doing wrong....:-D

I think they are just worn out. Extra fine is probably a generous description.

I think I knew the answer to my question when I posted but being frugal, read cheap, I didn't want to bite the bullet and buy new stones. Thanks for the suggestions. Now I need to pass the hat......

 

[walnutjerry]

Jim, to answer your questions I usually hone dry. Once in a while I do as Mike suggests, clean the stones with a stiff brush and Comet. I don't have any Ajax.;-) Maybe that is what I am doing wrong....:-D

I think they are just worn out. Extra fine is probably a generous description.

I think I knew the answer to my question when I posted but being frugal, read cheap, I didn't want to bite the bullet and buy new stones. Thanks for the suggestions. Now I need to pass the hat......

Mike---------while I was at the WW show in Greensboro last year I talked to the guy selling diamond hones of all descriptions. I had bought a set of honing sticks from him several years before so I inquired about how to tell when they are worn out. He chuckled and pulled out a diamond rod he had been using for 20 years for demonstrations and other sharpening and proceeded to drag it across a piece of tool steel. About 6 strokes and you could see the indention in the tool steel. My honing sticks have colored plastic bodies with the honing surface bonded to the plastic. He told me when I saw the color of the body through the honing surface that it was worn out.:icon_thum I have not seen any color shining through yet.:eusa_clap

I do keep a jar of water close by to rinse them ever so often when honing.

Jerry

 

[Big Mike]

Jerry, these diamond stones I have are metal plates, no plastic underneath. One is supposed to be 325 and the other is 600. Both feel equally smooth. If I hone my HSS scrapers on them long enough they will eventually develop the edge I want but they used to do it just as you said, in a few strokes.