diamond sharpening stone - best???

[Jim Colombo]

I'm in the market for diamond sharpening stones for my plane iron and chisels. Could I please get some opinions as to which are best in your estimation. Looking for recommendations.

Thanks,
Jim

[Malcolm Schweizer]

DMT Diasharp- the best. Buy with confidence.

[Brian Hale]

^^^^^ What he said!

[Jessica de Boer]

DMT Diasharp- the best. Buy with confidence.

I found the Atoma diamond plates to be better. They're faster, they last longer and they're cheaper.

[Vincent Tai]

I found the Atoma diamond plates to be better. They're faster, they last longer and they're cheaper.

Thats true but Atoma only has a few grit sizes, and the finest one is the equivalent of a 800-1000 grit water stone. Also not always cheaper, especially if one isn't sourcing from Japan and if you aren't buying enough from Japan to make up for shipping. If Jim is looking for a full setup of diamonds then perhaps a mix of Atoma's for the coarse to 1200x, and DMT for the rest. When a DMT coarse stone wears then it is insufferably slow. The way Atoma's are built the diamond points still do work after they are worn. Some of the DMT have insufferable QC problems. I had one where it looked like the plate came off a fly cutter pass on the mill and wasn't ground enough before electroplating. I gave it a try but sent it back to LV the next day. Got the Atoma equivalent as a replacement sheet the next week from So when I made a Jnat purchase. Fitted it onto an old Atoma plate (which I ruined the old sheet by lapping a very coarse stone) and it'll probably truck along for a long long while.

[ken hatch]

I agree with Jessica and Tai. I have and have used Atoma, Ez-lap, and DMT plates. Of the three Atomas are the best. Ez-Lap slows quickly, DMT has problems with rogue particles which leave deep scratches. The lack of grits is a non-issue, just use a strop after the 1200 grit plate. BTW, I still use the 120 grit Atoma if the blade does not need to go the the grinder for grinding but needs some repair and the 400 grit for waterstone set up.

ken

[Tom Bender]

When I got into sharpening, I found that waterstones were too slow for significant work and I was frustrated with the whole process. Adding a DMT coarse made it all much better. It flattens my waterstones and does the coarse work. The waterstones take it from there. I have added a finer one and my edges are really nice now.

Best of luck on your sharpening journey.

Tom

[Phil Mueller]

I’ve only used DMT. I bought the four grit package. The course and fine seem to be holding up well. I used the extra course to rehab some vintage plane blades, and it has dulled rather quickly. The extra fine is ok, but I found a ceramic finish stone more to my liking. I’ve since gone to hollow grind on a grinder, then the DMT course and fine, then the ceramic. Works for me.

[Derek Cohen]

My latest sharpening kit cost me about $15. This was for 3 diamonds plates off eBay, each about $5. They are 800/1000/3000 grit. I have no idea how long they will last, but that is not a big concern as they are for travelling to wood shows when I do demonstrations. The use I have had in the shop at home was favourable.

The diamond plates are about 2mm thick, and I epoxied them to UHMW sheets. Of course the UHMW is not stiff like hardwood or glass, but it is waterproof and unlikely to get damaged. The plates remain flat (enough) when pressed on top of a flat bench.

They certainly cut well. I have a similar sized piece of hardwood with LV green compound for final polishing. The plates are 8" x 2 1/2" (or thereabouts).











Be mindful that diamonds leave deeper scratches, and my view is that the jump between grits needs to be closer than waterstones.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[brian zawatsky]

I’ve never used an Atoma plate. I have a DMT that I bought for back flattening and bevel setting and it wore out so fast I was shocked, and I suspect that it was not quite flat from the get go. I replaced it with a Trend plate and it is far superior to DMT in my experience. Cuts much faster and has a more consistent scratch pattern.