Cleaning DMT diamond stones?

A

Aelius

Joined
Sep 18, 2006
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I've searched the forums but I can only find advice for cleaning sharpening stones that are made of materials mine are not, like ceramic. I have the DMT "dia-sharp" series of sharpening stones which are a diamond surface. I payed $400 in all for them and I don't want to ruin them taking a chance on a cleaning agent that might be harmful.

Thanks.
 
From the website:

"Clean your DMT® sharpener after each use with water and wipe dry. After several sharpenings, use a mild kitchen abrasive cleanser and a nylon scrub brush (an old toothbrush works well too). Comet, Ajax, and Zud work well. Make sure the sharpener is dry before putting it away."

Link.

:thumbup:
 
I tried using a kitchen abrasive cleaner but there's some strange rusty markings on some of my stones that won't come off with that method.

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I use BreakFree on my DMTs... it lifts off embedded particles of steel that scrubbing won't. Wipe a DMT clean with a damp cloth, then spray on some BreakFree and leave an hour or so (or overnight), and then wipe again. The cloth will come away black.
 
I just rinse mine off under tap water. As long I'm not working on something soft and gummy like copper or zinc I don't notice anything sticking to the grit. I might scrub mine with a brush and dish detergent, but I wouldn't go with anything more aggressive. I wouldn't worry about rust marks on the hone.
 
Jeff Clark said:
I just rinse mine off under tap water. As long I'm not working on something soft and gummy like copper or zinc I don't notice anything sticking to the grit. I might scrub mine with a brush and dish detergent, but I wouldn't go with anything more aggressive. I wouldn't worry about rust marks on the hone.
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Oh, those brown streaks are just rust marks? That's okay then, I'm not trying to impress anyone with sexy sharpening stones :P

Thanks all.
 
rksoon said:
Looks like I should give that a try! :thumbup: Thanks Josh.
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Hey RK and the rest of you who use scouring powders to clean stones with >>> I can tell you without any doubt that Bar Keepers Friend is truly the best cleanser powder I've used on ceramic stones and many other types of whet stones. Now I've personally never used it on diamond benchstones because I've never needed it on any of my diamond stones.

But Bar Keepers Friend gets the super fine, stubborn to remove type grit out of any stones I've ever cleaned. Now on ceramic stones I either use an eraser or Ajax to get the heaviest of the buildup out. Then I use the Bar Keepers Friend to get the remainder out. The stones look like they just came from the factory when you're done.

Now what I use for my diamond stones is just lukewarm water running from the tap and I take a soft bristle toothbrush and gently scrub until most the particulate is removed. I don't have much DMT stuff but I'm sure it would work on their products. The diamond stones I have are 3M, Norton & Spyderco.

It wouldn't hurt to give DMT a call to their customer service to see what they recommend for cleaning the stones they make. It might even be on their website.
 
It's called Bar Keeper's Friend because it is meant to clean stainless steel bar sinks. It has some extra acids in it that help break down metal residue in the hone. For that same reason I would be reluctant to use it on a diamond hone. Diamond hones often use something like zinc or aluminum to bond the grit. I don't want that attacked by my cleanser. I do use it on my ceramic stones for sure.
 
Ok, looks like I have a little more research to do before using it on my diamond stuff then. But I will give it a try on my sharpmaker and other stones.
 
Jeff Clark said:
It's called Bar Keeper's Friend because it is meant to clean stainless steel bar sinks. It has some extra acids in it that help break down metal residue in the hone. For that same reason I would be reluctant to use it on a diamond hone. Diamond hones often use something like zinc or aluminum to bond the grit. I don't want that attacked by my cleanser. I do use it on my ceramic stones for sure.
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You make a good point there Jeff. Another chore that BKF is known for is rust removal. And I can sure testify to that. I've heard about the acid type chemical that's in BKF and I've heard you should be careful about what you use it on.

I would bet that if the good brother would call DMT and talk to one of their techs or customer service reps they would probably give him some good advice on cleaning those particular stones. DMT's stones are different from any diamond stones I own and use for the most part. But that's not to say that DMT's stones aren't good quality tools because I do believe they are good quality. But at the same time they are a different animal than most of your diamond whet stones.

Now you can't get hurt just using plain tap water and a soft bristle toothbrush. Like I said I've never had my diamond stones clog up with particulate matter like Ceramic, Novculite or any other common whet stones. Diamond stones for the most part are a different animal. And DMT is a different animal in that sector. I would call them and see what they see.. And let us know because I'm curious as to what they would recommend
 
Tap water differs from area to area. I live in an area with hard water. There are advantages and disadvantages to hard and soft water.
With soft water it takes longer to completely rinse anything off. With hard water a build up of minerals can take place. If you live in an area with hard water I would recommend using some type of oil to loosen up debris on a diamond sharpener and completely drying is important.
 
I clean my DMT's with Gojo orange hand cleaner. Went to wash my hands after sharpening , and tryed some on the stone. Works really well . Rub the slurry with a brush ( or your finger ) , and rinse it off.
 
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