DiaSharp questions

[Gofor]

I am finally going to break down and get some good diamond "stones" - like these: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=67660&cat=1,43072


Background: Currently using the scary sharp wet-dry paper method for most sharpening of chisels and plane irons. Am using diamond and Ouachita for knives, axes, hatchets, and draw knife.

Questions:

1. Are the Diasharp grits comparable to wet-dry 3M paper, particularly in the 600 and 1200 grit?

2: For re-establishing and changing primary bevels, would the 120 be better than the 220?

3. For the 600 grit, do you think the 4" x 10" would be better than the 3" x 8"?

Hope someone who has used them can help me here.

Thanx

Go

PS: One reason for my getting the diamond stones is that 3M and the middle men are getting awfully proud of their product, particularly in the finer grits.

 

[Mike Davis]

Sandpaper is cheap to get started but the most expensive in the long term.

I like the solid plates better than the plastic cutout style, I think they call them machinist plates.

http://www.amazon.com/DMT-D8C-Dia-S...qid=1341865417&sr=8-15&keywords=dmt+sharpener

I use extra coarse, fine and an Arkansas translucent stone. But the extra fine would do well

Yes that's pretty close to 220, 600 and 1200. I think the extra, extra coarse or 120 grit is too rough. I'd rather use a grind stone for that work.

Get them all the same size. 8 inch is plenty.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Mike and I are very much on the same page. I use the 220, 600, and 1200 diamond plates, 8x3". As Mike said, the 220 is plenty rough. In fact, I only go to it when I am trying to reestablish a secondary bevel. For primary bevels, I prefer an 8" wheel on my grinder. I like a "hollow ground" bevel.

After honing on the 1200 plate, I finish on a leather strop charged w/ the green paste.

Bill

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

...I think the extra, extra coarse or 120 grit is too rough. I'd rather use a grind stone for that work.

Get them all the same size. 8 inch is plenty.

What do you use when trying to lap the back of a chisel or plane iron flat if it needs a lot of work? I can see how you could use a grinder for the bevel, it seems like lapping the backs takes me the longest.

 

[Mike Davis]

If it is an old chipped up bent and rusted chisel in need of massive work I use a stationary belt sander.

 

[ehpoole]

PS: One reason for my getting the diamond stones is that 3M and the middle men are getting awfully proud of their product, particularly in the finer grits.

I use both diamond and water stones. Something to keep in mind with regard to the finer-grit water stones is that they last darn near forever (especially the 4000-8000+ grit stones), most of your wear will tend to be focused on the 220 & 1000 grit stones, especially when you are first preparing a new tool or (especially the 220) when you are changing the bevel angle. The higher the grit number the longer the stone will last.

So, you pay a lot more for the finer grits but you seldom replace those finer grit stones -- but I do understand the pain of the initial purchase!

However, I also like diamond stones, so I'm not meaning to talk you out of them. One thing to keep in mind is that a new diamond stone is often a good deal coarser and more aggressive until it is fully broken in -- and the quickest way to break them in is by flattening some hardened steel over the full area.

When you sharpen with diamond you will still want to keep the stones wetted to help carry away the swarf. You can do small jobs with dry diamond hones, but you will want to wash and clean them up afterwards to avoid clogging them (especially if you ever use them on any softer metals).

 

[Gofor]

Thank you all for your great advice. I keep forgetting I have a 1" belt sander for getting the initial bevel.

A lot of my hand planing is on wood stored sheltered, but subject to the wind and grit that blows with it. During the initial scrub and try planing, the irons get dulled quickly and occasionally have small nicks, so the coarser stone will be used frequently. The finer grits will be handy for them as well as for dressing up my chisels.

So it looks like the 220 (coarse) 600 (fine) and 1200 (extra fine), although I may just kick in an extra $25 and get the four stone set straight from DMT.

Mike, thanks for the link for an additional source. Love the free shipping.

Go

 

[Mike Davis]

220 is extra coarse.

coarse is 325

 

[Gofor]

Thanks for the clarification Mike. My old brain gets easily confused, and the fact that they throw comparative terms like "fine" and "coarse" to add to the 8 different abrasive grading methods doesn't help me out!!

Guess its better, tho, than "one-size-fits-all" which fits none well.

Go

 

[MickM]

I think I'm going to stick with sandpaper and large granite block. But thinking of the extra fine to keep on the bench for quick dry touch up when I just need that little extra sharpness for for a cut. Forum is great, just logged on to search DMT stones and there you are.

 

[KenOfCary]

The only thing that I would use a 120 diamond for is to flatten water or oil stones, but I think I've been using a 220 for that purpose. Have to check to be sure.

- Ken.

 

[Semmons23]

It was recommended to me by Garret Hack to get the course (325) to use a flattening stone for my shaptons. Works great BUT I would get the 10" for that. I got the 8 and will probably end up with the 10". The problem I have with the 8" is, and this is an assumption, that there is an area on the edge that isn't perfectly smooth and it leaves small grooves in the stone as they aren't big enough to keep from going over the edge with the shaptop. I haven't spent enough time inspecting it to be sure what is causing the grooves. 600 grit wet dry worked good to0 but you need a really smooth stone or float glass to do it on.

I think if I didn't have my 1000 & 8000 shaptons, I would go with 3 or 4 diasharps. I don't like the plastic ones either.

Buy the best you can afford first - don't ask me how I know...

Steve

 

[pviser]

I agree with Steve. The 10" diamond stones are worth the few extra bucks, not only for truing water stones, but for sharpening as well.

 

[Jeff]

+1 to DMT diamond stones. No personal experience with their DiaSharp product.

I use the 10" x 4" DuoSharp combo stones (325, 600, and 1200 g) mounted in their DuoBase. The additional cost is pretty insignificant and the DuoBase gets the plate up off of the table so it's more forgiving on the knuckles and easier to keep the piece flat on the surface when honing the back side.

http://www.dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/bench-stones/duosharp/

A bit of a $ bite upfront, but you'll have them for years. No oil or sloppy water everywhere, just a spritz in use and a water rinse for cleanup when finished.

 

[CarvedTones]

Couple of observations from the sharpening workshop on Saturday, where I used Ken's and Mikes' stones as well as my own cheap plastic back ones...

I flattened a run of the mill hardware store sharpening stone on Ken's coarsest stone in short order; might have been slightly quicker on a larger one, but it was no problem (and I had dished it out really deep with gouges). But then I asked what either of them would use a softer stone for when they had the diamond stones and the answer was they would not. So I have a nice flat soft stone for the next time someone asks if I have one, but really have no use for it. Will you really have a use for soft stones after you get the set? If not, then flattening really isn't much of a factor to consider.

All the diamond stones work, even my plastic back cheapies. But the better grades cut faster and the rigid plates made them easier to use. The aforementioned base that gets them off the tables is also helpful for drawknife sharpening.

Sounds like you are going for a set, but if I go after them piecemeal, the coarse one would be the last one I get.

 

[Mike Davis]

Andy, You asked about a semi-coarse oil stone. Waterstones are a different matter. If I were looking for the finest edge possible I would have a couple waterstones of the highest grade. In that case a diamond plate to flatten them would be a nice addition.

 

[CarvedTones]

Andy, You asked about a semi-coarse oil stone.

I was supposed to oil that stone? No wonder I dished it so bad...