Considering DiaSharp Diamond Stones

[Jonathan McCully]

Getting tired of sharpening with my scary sharp sandpaper method, which works well, but frustrates me every time I have to change out the paper. Strongly considering a change to diamond stones. My current tools requiring sharpening are chisels, plane blades, spokeshave, and card scraper. Based on my understanding of stones, diamond stones should work well for these tools, particularly the card scraper because it won’t wear a groove in the stone (unlike water stones). Seems that DMT is a good quality brand in diamond stones and I’m looking at purchasing 3 DiaSharp Bench stones, 600, 1200, 2200. Will those grits be adequate for what I’m wanting to use? Would you add a strop to this for polishing? The stones I’m looking at are 8x3 in size, which seems like it would be adequate, but do you all prefer bigger than that? Anything else I should be considering?  I really appreciate your wisdom in helping me with this.

[TerryMcK]

Once I went over to diamond plates every other medium has gone by the wayside. I use EZELap 8" x 3" in grades coarse 250, fine 600 and superfine 1200 lubricated with automotive windshield cleaner. The addition of lube gives a finer finish.

The secret is honing little and often. I fixed the stones into a piece of marine ply in routed out mortises (nothing holding them in other than side friction). I applied a ledger strip to the lower front edge so it can be clamped in a vice. Then this board of three diamond plates are kept on hand near my bench for immediate use. If you use a honing guide like the MK2, the Lie Niesen guide or even freehand then 8" x 3" is more than adequate.

You could use a strop to get a mirror finish but be careful not to round over edges.

[gee-dub]

Short answer is that some folks love their diamond stuff and some don't.  I have used diamond and abrasive film for well over a decade and have no desire o go to water stones as of yet.

I started with the DMT 2-1/2" x 11-1/2".  The "fine" stone is still in use after more than a decade.  As I moved into more hand planes I found the long narrow stones a bit awkward and over the years have picked up, as sales and Amazon pricing boo-boos permit, the 3" x 8" as well.  Terry's experience with EZE Lap is better than mine BUT, I have never used their "stones.  Just rods, files and so forth.  All of their stuff I have has worn to the point of getting tossed while the DMT stuff just keeps on going. 

Different folks, different experiences. That's what makes the forums of value.  If you are used to using scary sharp methods you are probably also used to running 15 micron, 5 and point 3 micron abrasive films. While the 1200 grit DMT stone is about equal to the 15 micron film, many folks like to go beyond this.  For some cutters or uses of cutters I will still go to 5 and point 3 micron on glass.  I also have 4k and 8k diamond plates but, don't find I visit them much.

For most work at the bench I go to 1200 and them a leather strop.  For finishing work and 'smoothing plane' irons I am more diligent.

[Mick S]

Terry - Where did you get the idea for using wiper fluid? I never would have thought of that.

[TerryMcK]

I got the advice from a Paul Sellers video so make no claim to originality. It really works well and is cheap. It’s not the additive that you put in the water bottle but the ready mixed spray fluid you clean glass with. I have also tried using Shield Technology Honerite water additive and that works supremely well but a little pricey.

[Barron]

Windex  works well, too. 

[RichardA]

I got several gallons of car windsheild wiper glass cleaner that I use with my DMT stones.

[Bankstick]

Interesting thread. I got the idea of using my DMT diamond files to touch up turning tools instead of hitting the grinder. Works great! Surprising how good tool cut when sharp.

[Mark J]

10 hours ago, Bankstick said:

Interesting thread. I got the idea of using my DMT diamond files to touch up turning tools instead of hitting the grinder. Works great! Surprising how good tool cut when sharp.

Explain that a little more.  Are you talking about those small diamond cards on a stick?  I think they come in a set of three, red, green and blue.

Do you use some honing fluid?  How do you hold/position everything?

[RichardA]

1 hour ago, Mark J said:

Explain that a little more.  Are you talking about those small diamond cards on a stick?  I think they come in a set of three, red, green and blue.

Do you use some honing fluid?  How do you hold/position everything?

I use them on my table saw blades.   I mark start on the blade.  Put it in a vise. spray the teeth with fluid and sharpen around to the start line.  It's really just a touch up, not a full sharpening.  The same way I touch up my chisels and plane blades when needed.

[Bankstick]

Mark J, yes, that's the set of three.  No honing fluid. I hold the tool upside down on the bed of the lathe as I have a good light over the lathe. I run the diamond file from the bottom of the bevel to the flute. Do this several times and back to the lathe. Good light allows me to see where the file is working. Some turners blacken the tool with a Sharpie to see where they are grinding to get the right angle. After I get the right grind, then I break out the diamond files. BTW, I use the coarse file.

[Coyote Jim]

I am far from a seasoned veteran but I have used both Japanese water stones and DMT plates.

I get a sharper edge with the water stones (I used 6000 then strop) than I do with the DMT 1200 then strop. Not much sharper, but definitely sharper.

The DMT plates are SO much more convenient than the water stones. Because of how quick and mess free they are I tune up my edges WAY more often than when I used the water stones.

For me, getting sharp quickly and conveniently are more important.

If I had a bigger shop and a dedicated sharpening station, like a shop sink or something like that, and I could have my water stones set up ready to go at all times and all I had to do when I needed to touch up my edges was walk 10 feet across the room, sharpen for 3 minutes then get right back to work, well then that is for sure what I would do. But in my garage with very limited space, DMT stones are what I chose.

In one of Christopher Schwars' books (I think it is the Anarchist Tool Chest) he says all of the sharpening systems will get your tools sharp. So pick one and get good enough with that system so you are getting very sharp results and you are getting them very fast. That way you can get back to what you came into your shop to do in the first place which is woodworking.