Diamond stone sale

[Richard Hutchings]

I hope this doesn't violate any rules.

I just got an email from Woodcraft offering the WoodRiver
Diamond Stone - 10" - 400 / 1200 Grit at 50% off and I jumped on it. I've been curious about this method and this was enough to get me into diamonds. I like the idea that it's 10 freaking inches long. Yowee!

[glenn bradley]

Speaking from experience diamond products vary widely. I am still using a 600 grit DMT 10" 'stone' that I got in 2002. All the Trend and EZ-Lap products I have had have all worn out and been tossed with the exception of some small EZ-Lap paddles that seem to work just fine(???). The point is that you don't want to judge all diamond products by Woodcraft's store brand product. I hope they do well for you but, if not, they are not alone and there are good products out there.

[Richard Hutchings]

I currently use the little Harborfreight diamond stones for coarse sharpening and they have held up well for many years. They're just too small for most things woodworking. I can only hope that these are at least as good or better and the size is awesome for plane blades.

[Richard Hutchings]

I think the only thing left for me to try are water stones. It's not that I'm not getting things sharp with what I have, I just want to see if I'm missing anything. That said, before the year is out, I plan on getting some water stones. Nothing too expensive mind you.

I should say things that I care to try. I don't want to go power sharpening at this time.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I’ve got a DMT extra coarse and DMT lapping plate, as well as 1000, 4000, 8000 Norton water stones. I used the extra coarse for flattening chisel backs, but found that 3M wet/dry sandpaper (220, 320, 400, 1000,1500, 2000, 3000) works much faster and leaves a dead flat mirror finish. I use water stones for sharpening the edge and for plane blades and the lapping plate for truing the water stones.

[Luke Dupont]

I think the only thing left for me to try are water stones. It's not that I'm not getting things sharp with what I have, I just want to see if I'm missing anything. That said, before the year is out, I plan on getting some water stones. Nothing too expensive mind you.

I should say things that I care to try. I don't want to go power sharpening at this time.


Beware of the ones you have to soak before use, unless you want to leave them soaking in a tub of water.

I found that pretty inconvenient and messy, so I don't use them.

Some waterstones are "splash and go" though. I'd try those first.

[Richard Hutchings]

I have splash and go ceramics that work great. No, I want the full experience of the water tubs and flattening. I enjoy this kind of thing probably more than building some project that seems to take forever.

[Richard Hutchings]

After receiving the stone, rather the diamond plate, I sharpened a utility knife that was in bad shape. I expected the 400 grit side to work much faster than it did. It took quite a while to get a burr and I finally raised the angle to get it. Going to the 1200 side, I found to be about the same as my Shapton 1000 ceramic. My opinion, this was a waste of money for me as my current stones would have done the job just as fast.

I still want use it and maybe I'll find a benefit on my tools that just need a little sharpening.

[Mike Henderson]

Speaking from experience diamond products vary widely. I am still using a 600 grit DMT 10" 'stone' that I got in 2002. All the Trend and EZ-Lap products I have had have all worn out and been tossed with the exception of some small EZ-Lap paddles that seem to work just fine(???). The point is that you don't want to judge all diamond products by Woodcraft's store brand product. I hope they do well for you but, if not, they are not alone and there are good products out there.

My experience is the same. I have a couple of DMT diamond plates that I got about 2007 and they're still good. I didn't have any way to judge them, so last year, I bought another coarse/extra coarse, but it works about the same as my 2007 plate. I've used that 2007 plate for flattening Shapton stones, for flattening chisels, and for redoing a damaged edge.

However, once I bought a WorkSharp, I use that for establishing the primary bevel and use an 8000 Shapton stone for making the "fine" secondary bevel. That approach is really quick.

Mike