Jg2259 Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Hello all, I just watched a video fron Highland woodworking on sharpening chisels and the guy mentioned using a flattening stone to flatten your waterstones. He used a DMT DiaFlat. I looked it up on Amazon, and the price is $165. WOW. I bought a sharpening kit from Rockler and I'm not sure of the brand, but it has I think a 1000gr on one side and 8000gr on the other side. I think I might have paid $40 or $50 for it. I can't justify spending that much money to flatten a stone that cost 3 times less. If anyone is familiar with DMT diamond stones, could you possibly reccomend one of their less expensive stones, and what grit I should get, to flatten my stones, and also use it to supplement the stones I already have to get the most bang for the buck? Should I purchase one that has a grit in between the grits that I have, or one thats coarser or finer. I'm willing to spend $50 or $60, but not $165. Or is the DIAFLAT a must have? Thank you guys and gals for any help that you might offer. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Some folks have mentioned using quality sandpaper on a glass or granite surface to flatten stones. I don't use waterstones myself, so I can't say how well that works. Sandpaper on granite does a nice job of sharpening, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 I've been using sandpaper for a long time. Woodcraft sells a nice 9x12 granite surface plate for $35, or 25 if you can catch it on sale. It's good for flattening small plane bottoms too. Wet-or-dry sandpaper will stay in place on the granite with just a splash of water under it, so you can pull the paper up, or change grits with little effort. The trick to using sandpaper is to get the best quality wet-or-dry. A lot of people complain about the paper not lasting, but if you get this stuff, and rinse it off after using it, it will last a LONG time. I use 100 grit. It will make a Norton 8000 cut so fast that spending more money on a stone doesn't make much sense. http://www.multitechproducts.com/100-grit-carborundum-silicon-carbide-diamond-grit-wet-or-dry-sandpaper/ Use the whole face of the stone when sharpening, and it won't dish out so much to have to take much off of the stone to flatten it. That will not only allow the paper to last longer, but the stone as well. We flatten after almost every use. One sheet of this paper has been at the sharpening sink for over a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 I bought the DMT coarse sharpening stone, and use it only for flattening. Does a fantastic job. It was about 50 dollars at lee valley, and is 220 grit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Trip Posted March 8, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 There's a long discussion on this over on Chris Schwarz's blog and on Ron Hock's Sharpening Blog... http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog http://hocktools.wordpress.com/ Basically, the need for a DiaFlat Plate boils-down to what you're flattening... From your description, you're flattening clay-matrix stones. They're soft, and almost any technique will work well... If you ever purchase hard ceramic stones, things change. The DiaFlat Plate is purpose-made to address the flattening issues of the harder ceramics. Different product lines of ceramic stones are made with different binders and differing amounts of abrasive per unit volume. Some combinations of binder and abrasive density make the stone as hard as, well.... stone*1... The DiaFlat Plate is one of the few options for flattening very hard ceramic stones without breaking down quickly. If you tried flattening a hard ceramic with 3M or Norton WetDry, it would take several sheets to flatten one stone -- I know, I used to do just that*2... What's important to note: hard ceramics will also kill inexpensive diamond plates very quickly... That's why the DiaFlat was created... Note: With hard ceramics, the DiaFlat still breaks down over time -- it just does it more slowly than other diamond surfaces... Note: DiaFlat Plates come in Course and Fine. The fine is only produced periodically and usually quite hard to get -- it's also usually over $200.... *1Ceramic Stone Hardness: Manufacturers vary binder and abrasive density to influence the handling characteristics of a given stone. This is done to optimize a stone for a given task: ex: fast-cutting -v- edge-forming -v- honing -v- polishing -v- etc. So a given stone within a product line can be very hard, but the next stone in the same product line only moderately hard (in general, ceramic stones are harder then their clay-matrix cousins). The up-shot: just because you purchase a ceramic stone, doesn't necessairly require you to purchase a DiaFlat. Before rushing-out to spend $200 on a lapping plate, give sandpaper and/or lapping film a whirl to see where you stand... There is related consideration... Some flattening plates (ex. Shapton) are purpose-made for a particular line of stones and will break-down prematurely if used to flatten other products. Note: there are reports of Shapton refusing warranty claims when their $325 plate was used to flatten other manufacturer's stones... Read the fine print carefully... *2Another option: Sanding belts are much tougher than sheet sandpaper. If you're blowing through WetDry sheets, a good option is to purchase WetDry sanding belts and cut them into strips. Note: WetDry belts are typically build-to-order. You need to take delivery and wait a week prior to use to allow the binder to cure. http://www.2sand.com/1055/37-x-75-Wide-Sanding-Belt-XA517-Aluminum-Oxide.html 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 What are the grits they define as coarse and fine? I'm not even sure which one mine is...it's 160 grit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 DiaFlat-125 is 125u DiaFlat-95 is 95u Depending on mfg run, a given plate may be edge-marked DiaFlat or DiaFlat-125 -- these are both 125u. DiaFlat-95s are always marked DiaFlat-95. DiaFlat-95 is a special order from DMT. The line is only run periodically. A few dealers inventory the plate until stocks deplete, then wait for another production run from DMT... The 95 targeted for hard ceramics of about 3K-5K and up (depending on binder/density). DMT warns that the 95 may breakdown more quickly than the 125 if it's used to flatten very course grades of hard ceramic stone. The 95 typically sells for a little over $200. The DiaFlat-125 for about $170. ==>it's 160 grit It's actually 160 mesh (don't ask), so you have a DiaFlat-95. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 I have a Dia-Flat, and use it not only for flattening, but as an extra-extra coarse stone. In fact, I haven't ground an edge since I bought it. For really bunged up edges, or major angle changes, I use the DF until I get at least a partial wire edge, then go 5-10 strokes on XC-C-F-XF to remove the scratches, and finish a microbevel on 4000 and 8000 grit water stones. Fast and easy... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewitteridder Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I have several of the DMT Dia-Sharp continuous diamond stones (10" versions). I have Coarse, Fine, Extra-Fine, and Extra-Extra Fine stones. Can I use these stones for flattening a ceramic stone? For an 8000 grit ceramic stone which stone is best for flattening? Thanks for any information you can provide =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BioNerd12 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I am planning on getting a DMT extra-coarse/coarse diamond stone to use to flatten my Norton water stones and to use to establish my primary bevel on chisels and plane blades. Does anyone have any input on a DuoSharp vs. DiaSharp stone for these purposes? I've seen what looks like the DuoSharp used for flattening on videos, like the Lie-Nielsen video with Deneb Puchalski, but I've mostly seen the DiaSharp recommended without a lot of clear reasons why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Oh man, so many variations on this stuff, my head is spinning. thought i HAD to have a DIA-Flat, but now I may just get my toes wet with a Coarse or Extra coarse to help flatten tool backs and water stones. unless someone insists other wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have the Diaflat x-coarse 3x8 stone that I use for regrinding if I'm on a site where I don't have access to a grinder. It's a handy thing to have, but I've never using it for flattening anything. It does cut metal fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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