Second thoughts on purchase (sharpening) before I commit and open the packages

[Paul Harker]

Recently I purchased my first set of good bench chisels (Two Cherries) and my wife got me a set of #4 and #5 LN planes for my birthday. I also have a couple old pre-war Stanleys. I've been keeping the Stanleys sharp using scary-sharp and the Veritas Mk II. Faced with a full pouch of chisels that need initial sharpening, and the new planes, I headed out to a Woodcraft store a few towns over to pick up wet/dry paper in needed grits.

After grabbing the sandpaper I wandered about trying not to drool too much on any one tool or jig, before a friendly salesperson and I started up a conversation about sharpening which lead me to the bag now sitting on the floor next to me, containing four DMT 3x8 diamond plates
Extra Coarse (220 mesh / 60 micron),
Extra Fine (1200 mesh / 9 micron)
Medium Extra Fine (4000 mesh / 6 micron)
Extra Extra Fine (8000 mesh / 3 micron)

The concept was that they would be a suitable long-lasting replacement for scary sharp, which might have been an inexpensive way to start, but the sandpaper isn't cheap in the long run.
Now I'm not so sure about the Dia-Sharp Plates. A web search seems to indicate that folks use the diamond stones almost exclusively for flattening whetstones, and not for the actual sharpening, and there is probably a reason.

Advice much appreciated.

[Chris Griggs]

My biggest complaint about diamond stones is that metal will wear them out if you are not careful (and even if you are). The diamonds themselves don't where but supposedly come dislodged over time. The one I had and used for sharpening became significantly less aggressive after just a couple of months even though I was careful not bear down too hard on it. Others use them happily and have had better experiences with them, but again, if you are going to be using them for even moderately heavy work (working backs) do so with caution. I have one diamond stone, and iWood 300, and it only gets used for flattening my waterstones.

As our friend David Weaver said in a very recent thread about water stones get a "Decent medium stone, decent fine stone. Doesn't matter what it is, you can learn to use it."

My opinion. Return the set of diamond stones. Get a decent 1k water stone a decent 6k-10k water stone and a coarse diamond stone to keep them flat. If you need something really coarse, there are, IMHO, a number of good options. From coarse waterstones, to loose diamonds/loose grit, to sandpaper on something flat (coarse work is the only situation I will use sandpaper)

Also, I see this is yours first post. Welcome to the Creek. There's some great knowledge and interesting conversation here. I would suggest listing your location as there may be folks here who live near you and who will let you try out their sharpening media before you buy.

Best of luck!

P.S. Your wife got you chisels and TWO LN planes!!!????? - you married a wonderful women!!!

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Paul, where do you live? I own most of these DMT stones that you can try if you like. I prefer the final finish from the water stones. AT least initially, I was not producing a mirror finish from even the super duper fine diamond stone, perhaps I needed to break it in first. When things are really out, I use the diamond stones to get things back in line (if I don't drop it on my Tormek, that is).

Did a lot of sharpening on sand paper before I got the stones....

[David Weaver]

Some people use them to sharpen. If you want to use them, I'd learn to get by with the 1200 and the 8000 and what you'd do with the 6 micron stone, I don't know - it might be useful for flattening the backs of your chisels. You could keep the 220 if it is flat, in case you come into waterstones later, it'll make a good flattener for those.

Hopefully, you got them on sale as woodworking retailers are higher than most places for them. If they are flat, they are certainly low maintenance and will cut every type of steel and carbide router bits, too. The 1200 may get to a point where it feels like it's cutting slowly, though, and at that time, I'd probably replace it with a good hard 1000 grit waterstone. That may be a couple of years. A little bit more fineness on the 8k is probably a benefit after it's broken in.

You can do whatever you want, if you do like the diasharps, there are definitely people who sharpen with them. You can use kerosene or almost whatever you want on them, water with dish soap or whatever. A lubricant that's approved may increase their lifespan.

If you didn't have them already, I'd do exactly what Chris said. A decent medium stone and a decent fine stone.

[Paul Harker]

I'm also adding to my profile: I live in the greater Lansing MI region.

[michael osadchuk]

After quickly wearing out several dmt diamond stones on sharpening plane blades and chisels a couple of decades ago.... perhaps thru my heavy hand .... I went to waterstones and know that even if I screw up the surface I can uncover a fresh surface, using a cheap Norton coarse diamond stone that I use for flattening.

I know there are people who report diamond stones cut metal well but what I don't seem to recall reading is detailed, empirical reports from users attesting to the life of diamond stones in sharpening/honing plane blades and chisels.

If you want to use diamond media for sharpening metal, consider diamond paste ..... it is very economical and there are good, inexpensive sources in the U.S.

good luck

michael

[Jim Koepke]

Paul,

I tend to go with the consensus here. If they can be returned, take them in and exchange them for some water stones or get some water stones from another source.

I have only a few diamond stones. One was a mistake from a local store, only about $10 and coarse. It will be used on something.

The other two are almost exclusively for kitchen knife sharpening. One was purchased about 15 years ago and wore down too much, but is still slightly useable. The final stone is a DMT super fine bought a year or two ago as a replacement for the worn stone. It was epoxied to a block of hardwood to make it easier to handle in the kitchen.

jtk

[Paul Harker]

They are still in packaging, so back they will go. Much thanks for all the help here. Right now, based on many threads I've read, I'm leaning toward Shapton or Sigma stones.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I'm also adding to my profile: I live in the greater Lansing MI region.

So not close enough to just drop by my place in Columbus, OH and give some stones a try :-)

[Tri Hoang]

With the DMT, all you need is an extra-coarse, an extra-fine, and a leather strop with green compound from TFWW. Don't waste your money on DMT fine or XX-fine.

[ken hatch]

They are still in packaging, so back they will go. Much thanks for all the help here. Right now, based on many threads I've read, I'm leaning toward Shapton or Sigma stones.

Paul,

I might not be so quick to return all the DMT stones, check out http://paulsellers.com/ . I have most sharpening systems (oil, water, diamond, flat plate and sandpaper, and Tormek) available at my sharpening station and will use the one that best suits the job at hand. For day to day quick touch up of the bevel the DMT "fine and xx-fine" will be used most often. For the grunt work of establishing a flat back and primary bevel on either new or used iron the flat plate-sandpaper with x-course DMT stones and the Tormek come out to play. I will use the Water stones occasionally just to remind myself what a PITA they are to use and oil stones because they are so sensual.

[Pinwu Xu]

Recently I purchased my first set of good bench chisels (Two Cherries) and my wife got me a set of #4 and #5 LN planes for my birthday. I also have a couple old pre-war Stanleys. I've been keeping the Stanleys sharp using scary-sharp and the Veritas Mk II. Faced with a full pouch of chisels that need initial sharpening, and the new planes, I headed out to a Woodcraft store a few towns over to pick up wet/dry paper in needed grits.


Advice much appreciated.

You may want to check out your local auto part store for the wet-dry paper

[Don Jarvie]

FWIW, I switched to DMT diamond stones from the ceramic stones and find they work better. Maybe it was me or something else but I would hollow grind, use the Diasharp course then the med and fine spyderco ceramic stones. I could never get a great edge on the ceramic stones so I got a Diasharp fine and I have been getting a great edge that only needs the strop after.

I tried waterstones and had to flatten them every other time I sharpened something.

[Don Dorn]

I too adopted the Paul Sellers method. I already had the diamond stones as I used them after a hollow grind. Not sure what the difference is, but my stones are four years old and they are still perfectly fine and I sharpen a blade or chisel a couple times a week on average. The reason I switched to Sellers is I almost never need to grind anymore (even though it wasn't difficult), but the main reason is that I'm convinced that the convex shape of the blade retains an edge much longer. I have three diamond stones - a 220, a 600 and an 8000 - then strop as he demonstrates. I'm not sure my edges are any sharper than my previous method, but edge retention has increased. At least at this point, I don't see moving away from diamond stones.

[Zach Dillinger]

I'm also adding to my profile: I live in the greater Lansing MI region.

I live in Charlotte, just down the road from Dewitt. Feel free to contact me to try out some waterstones, and oil stones if you like.

[David Weaver]

I too adopted the Paul Sellers method. I already had the diamond stones as I used them after a hollow grind. Not sure what the difference is, but my stones are four years old and they are still perfectly fine and I sharpen a blade or chisel a couple times a week on average. The reason I switched to Sellers is I almost never need to grind anymore (even though it wasn't difficult), but the main reason is that I'm convinced that the convex shape of the blade retains an edge much longer. I have three diamond stones - a 220, a 600 and an 8000 - then strop as he demonstrates. I'm not sure my edges are any sharper than my previous method, but edge retention has increased. At least at this point, I don't see moving away from diamond stones.

If the retention is better, then they are at a higher effective angle at the cutting edge. They should actually have been slightly more keen when you were using a hollow grind if they sustained damage then that they do not now.