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I just got my first diamond benchstone
- Thread starter DavidABQ
- Start date
Which benchstone is it? I'd be less inclined to be wary of damage to a diamond plate, but if we're talking about resin bonded then agree with the above about pressure. Holding an angle is also important with a resin bonded diamond stone as it's very easy to cut into the stone if you're careless holding your angle, particularly with the higher grit/lower micron resin bonded stones.
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If it's a plated diamond hone of decent quality, light to moderate pressure in grinding will be OK. By 'moderate pressure', my gauge for that is, if your wrists, hands & fingers are getting fatigued or sore while you're using it, you're likely pressing too hard. What's comfortable for your hands will be OK for the hone, and pressing harder won't make the diamond cut any faster. It works at its very best with a light touch.
For heavy grinding and complete reshaping of bevels, the hone will work more efficiently and clean up more easily if you lubricate the surface while grinding. If water doesn't evaporate too quickly in use, that'll be fine. If water does evaporate too quickly, then some light mineral oil works very well. After some use and buildup of swarf in the water or oil, a microfiber towel works very well for mopping that up, after which you can reapply some lubrication to the surface. So long as the surface stays wetted, any swarf will be less likely to clog the surface. The shavings (swarf) of some soft stainless steels can really cling tenaciously to a dry hone in an almost galling-like effect. So that's what you're wanting to prevent. Oil works especially well in keeping any swarf from clinging that way - it's my own preference. And when finished, some dish soap and water will easily clean the oiled surface. Use an old toothbrush for scrubbing, it works well.
For heavy grinding and complete reshaping of bevels, the hone will work more efficiently and clean up more easily if you lubricate the surface while grinding. If water doesn't evaporate too quickly in use, that'll be fine. If water does evaporate too quickly, then some light mineral oil works very well. After some use and buildup of swarf in the water or oil, a microfiber towel works very well for mopping that up, after which you can reapply some lubrication to the surface. So long as the surface stays wetted, any swarf will be less likely to clog the surface. The shavings (swarf) of some soft stainless steels can really cling tenaciously to a dry hone in an almost galling-like effect. So that's what you're wanting to prevent. Oil works especially well in keeping any swarf from clinging that way - it's my own preference. And when finished, some dish soap and water will easily clean the oiled surface. Use an old toothbrush for scrubbing, it works well.
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I picked up a DMT D8C Dia-Sharp benchstone in coarse grit if that helps at all. It appears to be a plated steel base and not some sort of resin stone is that makes a difference.
The key point seems to be to use a light touch so to not damage the stone.
UncleBoots
Gold Member
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Do not attempt to sharpen soft, gummy stainless steel, such as is found in cheap Chinese kitchen knives, on your diamond plate. The gummy steel can grab onto the diamonds and pull them off the plate.
You can just think of it as letting the diamonds do the cutting, not the pressure. A certain amount of pressure is required to let the diamonds do their thing, but any more than that is almost pointless as noted above. DMT's are indeed diamond plates.
FWIW.......
I've never used the Die-Sharp stones, but I have set of the 10" DuoSharp plates from DMT, and I use the heck out of them. And not gently, either.
I sometimes pick up used bench planes, and the blades are typically in terrible shape. I use the course DMT plate to re-profile the blade (I use a honing guide for plane and chisel blades), and the subsequent finer grit stones to refine the edge. I've also used these stones to flatten the back on a set of rough chisels, and then follow up with a proper sharpening. I don't take it easy on the plates, and often use quite a bit of pressure during the re-profiling stage. I do use some glass cleaner to help keep the stones cleans, and it makes for a nice lubricant, too. I also use these same DMT diamond plates dry, to sharpen my knives by hand.
They have held up great, and I don't see any signs of them wearing out. Of course, I'm sure they will wear out over time, but I've had them for a few years now, and they still work great. I'm not recommending how you should use your new diamond plate, only relaying my experience.
I think you will enjoy your new diamond plate.
I've never used the Die-Sharp stones, but I have set of the 10" DuoSharp plates from DMT, and I use the heck out of them. And not gently, either.
I sometimes pick up used bench planes, and the blades are typically in terrible shape. I use the course DMT plate to re-profile the blade (I use a honing guide for plane and chisel blades), and the subsequent finer grit stones to refine the edge. I've also used these stones to flatten the back on a set of rough chisels, and then follow up with a proper sharpening. I don't take it easy on the plates, and often use quite a bit of pressure during the re-profiling stage. I do use some glass cleaner to help keep the stones cleans, and it makes for a nice lubricant, too. I also use these same DMT diamond plates dry, to sharpen my knives by hand.
They have held up great, and I don't see any signs of them wearing out. Of course, I'm sure they will wear out over time, but I've had them for a few years now, and they still work great. I'm not recommending how you should use your new diamond plate, only relaying my experience.
I think you will enjoy your new diamond plate.
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Lighter pressure and stay away from soft steels. IME diamonds tend to make a mess of soft steels and since the diamond crystals can cut deeper in soft steels they can pull out of the bond or shear off. As for pressure how much depends on the size of the bevel in contact with the stone.
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I use BreakFree CLP to clean my DMTs; they have lasted for decades and still work as well as new, or even better. The CLP lifts off the swarf. Just a light coat will do; leave for an hour or overnight if possible for the best results.
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Re: sharpening soft steels on diamond hones...
I'd mentioned the value of lubrication on diamond hones earlier, especially the use of oil to keep swarf from clinging. This will also protect the hone when sharpening softer steels. Most all of my daily-use knives are in softer stainless like 420HC, 440A, Swiss Army knives, cheap kitchen knives, etc. With oil in particular, whatever tendency there may be for that sticky, gummy, galling effect that might (allegedly) make softer steel pull diamond off the hone - that will be minimized at least, if not prevented outright. I've yet to see any significant wear or damage on my DMT hones in service with these 'soft' steels for the last 15+ years. They've held up just fine.
I also do light touch-up sharpening on diamond hones used dry with the same steels. Especially in touchup sharpening, a very light touch will go a long way in refinement and keeping any damage to the hone to a minimum. I'm a firm believer that excessive pressure is the bigger factor by far in any sort of damage, whether with soft steels or otherwise. I think the reputation for soft steels pulling diamond out of the plating is probably overblown and not nearly as common or as severe as it's made out to be sometimes. If it happens to any severe degree with some makes of diamond hones, I'm inclined to think other factors are playing into it other than the nature of the blade steel itself.
I'd mentioned the value of lubrication on diamond hones earlier, especially the use of oil to keep swarf from clinging. This will also protect the hone when sharpening softer steels. Most all of my daily-use knives are in softer stainless like 420HC, 440A, Swiss Army knives, cheap kitchen knives, etc. With oil in particular, whatever tendency there may be for that sticky, gummy, galling effect that might (allegedly) make softer steel pull diamond off the hone - that will be minimized at least, if not prevented outright. I've yet to see any significant wear or damage on my DMT hones in service with these 'soft' steels for the last 15+ years. They've held up just fine.
I also do light touch-up sharpening on diamond hones used dry with the same steels. Especially in touchup sharpening, a very light touch will go a long way in refinement and keeping any damage to the hone to a minimum. I'm a firm believer that excessive pressure is the bigger factor by far in any sort of damage, whether with soft steels or otherwise. I think the reputation for soft steels pulling diamond out of the plating is probably overblown and not nearly as common or as severe as it's made out to be sometimes. If it happens to any severe degree with some makes of diamond hones, I'm inclined to think other factors are playing into it other than the nature of the blade steel itself.
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cudgee
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All knife and tool sharpeners and all knife carriers should never throw out a toothbrush. One of the best implements for cleaning tools .
Use food grade mineral oil on it. Grocery stores sell it usually in the area with laxatives for about $5 for a pint. Tractor Supply and similar stores sell it in 1 gallon size as a horse laxative for about $25. After sharpening is done, wash it with dish soap and a wash rag, stand it up on its side or end to assist water draining off and let it air dry.
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