Diamond Benchstones: 3M & Norton?

J

JD Spydo

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
Messages
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I've just enjoyed checking out this great sub-forum here on BF and I've sure learned a lot from all you guys over the years. But there are a couple of diamond benchstones that I've not heard anyone yet comment on. I've heard a lot about most of the more popular and well known diamond sharpening tools like DMT, Atoma, Eze-Lap ect. But I've got two sets of really good diamond benchstones that I've not yet heard any of you recently comment on.

I've got two diamond benchstones made by the 3M Company and a couple made by Norton. I've had all of these diamond benchstones for at least 8 to 10 years on both sets. I got the 3M diamond stones from Texas Knifemaker Supply at one of the knife shows. I got both of the Norton diamond benchstones on Ebay a few years back. The two 3M stones are coarse and extra-coarse.
The 2 Norton stones are coarse and medium.

I've had great results using both brands of diamond stones over the years but I kind of find it strange in a way that as good of quality as both brands seem to be that I don't recall hearing any of you all ever talk about either one of these makers of diamond stones. So if any of you guys own and use either or both 3M and Norton diamond sharpening stones I would love to hear your comments about them.
 
I find this puzzling at best. I thought that NORTON was kind of a household name for sharpening and abrasive products? Now I will admit until I bought my first 3M diamond stone I didn't really know that 3M made sharpening stones. But both companies are well known but yet I can't find anyone who has a comment on either company. And both my 3M diamond stones and my NORTON diamond stones are very good quality sharpening tools.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the diamond stones for both of those companies turned out to be>> but it's like they are hidden in plain view. Again this is really puzzling.
 
I had seen online a longtime ago that Norton made diamond stones but I have never tried them but until now never knew anything about 3M,the Norton and 3M are basically water stones with diamonds added to them correct.

If they are just a water stone with diamonds added and I wanted a bench stone with diamonds for free hand sharpening I'd look at the stones that Diemaker is going to be releasing they are supposed to be the same as the Matrix stones but bench stone size,the other stones I'd look at would be the stones that DeadboxHero is releasing soon if he hasn't already they are a resin diamond bench stone like the Matrix stones.
 
wade7575 said:
I had seen online a longtime ago that Norton made diamond stones but I have never tried them but until now never knew anything about 3M,the Norton and 3M are basically water stones with diamonds added to them correct.

If they are just a water stone with diamonds added and I wanted a bench stone with diamonds for free hand sharpening I'd look at the stones that Diemaker is going to be releasing they are supposed to be the same as the Matrix stones but bench stone size,the other stones I'd look at would be the stones that DeadboxHero is releasing soon if he hasn't already they are a resin diamond bench stone like the Matrix stones.
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That all sounds interesting. I'll sure keep an eye out for both of their stones. The 3M diamond stones are quite aggressive and remove a lot of stock in a short period of time. Like I said earlier I got them from Texas Knifemaker Supply. I've always had good luck with anything I've bought from those guys over the years.

I'm not sure I would put the 3M diamond stones in the "waterstone" category even though they do want you to use water for a lubricant. Also it's incredible how well the 3M diamond stones have held up over the years. The two Norton diamond stones I have will fit in their triple flip system. They aren't quite as aggressive as the 3M diamond stones are but they do cut/abrade in a uniform scratch pattern.
 
If you ever want to try really fast cutting stones try the Metallic Bond CBN in an F40 or F60 along with a F120,the F60 is a great stone for edge repair and removing a lot of metal really fast to reset the bevel of a knife,the F120 removes metal very fast as well and does scratch the bevel up as much as the F40 or F60.

The Metallic Bond stones are great for how long you can god before refreshing them,I think it was M-S-T who told me in a pm that he was getting 350 or 500 sharpening is what he figured before they needed refreshing.
 
Yeah Spyderco has a set of CBN stones you can buy for the 204 Sharpmaker that I've been meaning to get for some time now. I'll definitely put these "Metallic Bond" tools on my list to check out and maybe purchase. When I get some of my current medical bills out of the way I've decided I'm going to upgrade my entire line up of sharpening equipment in this next fiscal year. I've also wanted to get some of the extremely fine Shapton stones for some time now too. Unless there is something better out there.

I've heard from a couple of guys that CBN is better than diamond for re-profiling. I've heard that it cuts/abrades more uniformly. Does "Metallic Bond" have a website or a vendor I can check them out on so I can learn more about them?
 
JD Spydo said:
I find this puzzling at best. I thought that NORTON was kind of a household name for sharpening and abrasive products? Now I will admit until I bought my first 3M diamond stone I didn't really know that 3M made sharpening stones. But both companies are well known but yet I can't find anyone who has a comment on either company. And both my 3M diamond stones and my NORTON diamond stones are very good quality sharpening tools.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the diamond stones for both of those companies turned out to be>> but it's like they are hidden in plain view. Again this is really puzzling.
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That's always the perception I've had about Norton & 3M. They've been in the sharpening or abrasives game for decades, but still seem relatively unknown or less accessible in the consumer market at large. Much of their business is focused towards industry or specialty grinding & sharpening tools, instead of towards the mass consumer market. So, when or if one wants to find some of their products or information about them, they need to hunt a little differently for them. To a large degree, most big-box stores or hardware stores don't carry much Norton or 3M product, except for stuff like the 'Economy' stones (and those are dwindling in stores in recent years) or sandpaper products. I never knew just how vast Norton's product line really was, until I found a .pdf copy of their sharpening products catalog online. Lots of options I'd never seen or heard of before, and finding retailers who sell them can often be challenging. But as you've noticed, their quality is generally very good, and it doesn't surprise me you've seen this in their diamond hones.
 
Do you have a guided system that use's edge pro format stones,the Metallic Bond CBN come mounted on blanks and the Spyderco CBN are like a diamond plate where they are bonded on.

For the money I would stay away from the Shapton Glass stones I have some and I hardly every touch them,they don't cut very fast and they suck at cutting super steels and people always have problems with the cracking.

I would look at the Sigma Power Select 2 stones right now I have the 6 10 and 13K and I like those a lot better for finishing work,the Suehiro G8 stone is a great finishing stone as well.
 
The OP does not want new stones. He is asking about whether we have used them or how we like them.
He has stated that they have lasted a long time and wonders why more people dont know about them.
I guess I am saying every sharpening thread does not need to include a fervent sales pitch for bonded diamond and cbn stones.
Back to original post... I have had a norton diamond plate that went on my old tri hone. It cut well, was coarse, and was still pretty aggressive when I sold the whole hone after 3 years in a commercial kitchen.
Never tried the 3M but I have had good luck with their films.

Russ
 
mycough said:
The OP does not want new stones. He is asking about whether we have used them or how we like them.
He has stated that they have lasted a long time and wonders why more people dont know about them.
I guess I am saying every sharpening thread does not need to include a fervent sales pitch for bonded diamond and cbn stones.
Back to original post... I have had a norton diamond plate that went on my old tri hone. It cut well, was coarse, and was still pretty aggressive when I sold the whole hone after 3 years in a commercial kitchen.
Never tried the 3M but I have had good luck with their films.

Russ
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Yeah these two Norton diamond stones I have are for their "Triple Flip" or as you've described it the "Tri-Hone" system. It's a really nice sharpening set up for meat cutters or anyone in the restaurant trade.
Yeah like you've said it seemed like in the past I've encountered more of NORTON's products in industry ( factories and places I've worked at over the years) or in commercial settings like restaurants or other areas in the food service industry. You really don't see NORTON or 3M in most knife or tool related retailers.
But in spite of all of that I'm planning on getting more items made by both companies because their quality is right up there with any other maker of high quality sharpening equipment. As much as guys here at BF are perfectionists with their sharpening you would think many of them would have encountered these high quality sharpening tools that seem to be hidden in plain view.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
That's always the perception I've had about Norton & 3M. They've been in the sharpening or abrasives game for decades, but still seem relatively unknown or less accessible in the consumer market at large. Much of their business is focused towards industry or specialty grinding & sharpening tools, instead of towards the mass consumer market. So, when or if one wants to find some of their products or information about them, they need to hunt a little differently for them. To a large degree, most big-box stores or hardware stores don't carry much Norton or 3M product, except for stuff like the 'Economy' stones (and those are dwindling in stores in recent years) or sandpaper products. I never knew just how vast Norton's product line really was, until I found a .pdf copy of their sharpening products catalog online. Lots of options I'd never seen or heard of before, and finding retailers who sell them can often be challenging. But as you've noticed, their quality is generally very good, and it doesn't surprise me you've seen this in their diamond hones.
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Good points you make there ( OWE :thumbsup:)>> It's kind of ironic in a way because for about 6 years I worked with a friend of mine who was a pro commercial painter and we used a ton of 3M and Norton sandpaper products that we got from our local Sherwin Williams store. It truly seems like it's specialty type stores that you see Norton and 3M products being sold.
I just did discover today that we have a Grainger tool outlet here about 10 miles from where I live and the guy on their office phone told me today that they stock and sell a large selection of Norton and 3M abrasive products and they do carry a wide selection of both company's sharpening gear. I like having a vendor here locally so I can see first hand what I'm buying>> needless to say I'm not an Amazon guy and I also try to avoid Rip-Mart as much as possible too.
For what it's worth I did a sheetrock repair recently for a guy and I used the 3M Sandblaster brand of sandpaper and I was amazed at how smooth of a job that product did. With knives becoming the huge hobby that they have become in the last 10 to 15 years you would think both companies would be trying to get a big slice of that market share. But it seems like both companies tend to focus on industry and commercial customers.
But don't stop there guys >> I welcome any other comments about the sharpening gear sold by either one of these companies.
 
I've used a lot of 3m and Norton products at work, and a few at home, but never these.
I'd like to try them, but not paying 6+ times more just to see if they're that much better than my eze laps.
Maybe I can talk my employer into it. If they're in the Grainger book, I might get it done.
 
If JD is talking about Norton's Tri-Hone, IM 313? They are pricey but worth it. With the 3 stones and box holder they run over 200$. If you get it with the diamond stones, those are 80$ each stone. I got both but could have lived with just the SiC & India stones. Here is mine. DM
Trihone.jpg
 
jpm2 said:
I've used a lot of 3m and Norton products at work, and a few at home, but never these.
I'd like to try them, but not paying 6+ times more just to see if they're that much better than my eze laps.
Maybe I can talk my employer into it. If they're in the Grainger book, I might get it done.
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That's the other thing about such businesses with a focus toward industry. Selling toward industrial & specialty markets usually means prices will be higher as compared to what's marketed toward the consumer market. It's good & bad at the same time; prioritizing industrial & specialty end-use usually means the products sold we be of better quality, consistency and durability, and will come with better long-term support after the sale. But it's always more expensive up front. I think that's why the average hobbyist sharpener may not have much experience or knowledge about these products, as they're pricey enough to make a lot of us look elsewhere.
 
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