Smith's Dcs4

hank_rearden

hank_rearden

Joined
Jun 7, 2002
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i'm not sure if a product inquiry is appropriate here. hope no one will mind.

in my part of the world, Dcs4 is the only available diamond combination sharpener. i'm not familiar with the grit size. it says 325 (med?) and 750 (fine.) anyone familiar with this and what ordinary sharpening stone i can use it with? i presently have VG-10 and s30v blades but i'll be getting some zdp 189 blades soon.

with the present blades, it's been mostly touch-ups i've been doing. i successfully sharpened / reprofiled one using fine carborundum, a chert slab (red silica), and aluminum oxide powder (on glass and leather.)

anything? thanks.
 
How does the Smiths DCS4 compare to the DMT double sided folding sharpener?
 
At the listed grit sizes of the Smith's combo, most any diamond sharpener should work fine for the steels you mentioned, especially the S30V. It should be roughly equivalent to DMT's Coarse (325) and Fine (600), which is likely one of the most versatile sharpening combos out there. The 'Coarse' should handle most rebevelling chores easily, and the 'Fine' can leave a great working edge for maintenance & touch-up sharpening.

Your carborundum stone, depending on it's actual grit size, may work similarly to the Coarse diamond; the chert slab would be limited to simpler steels, much like Arkansas stones, probably for refinement and/or some polishing (depending on it's effective grit rating; probably an unknown); and the aluminum oxide powder should be good for polishing/stropping tasks.


David
 
Sorry to bump such an old topic. I try to find older subjects to ask my questions in instead of starting a new one. So, why is the DMT folding so much more than the Smiths? Is it just name or is there something else in the function and construction of the stones?

In a choice between the Smiths, DMT, Worksharp, an a DC4 is there going to be much of a difference or is it just personal preference?
 
Fuori said:
Sorry to bump such an old topic. I try to find older subjects to ask my questions in instead of starting a new one. So, why is the DMT folding so much more than the Smiths? Is it just name or is there something else in the function and construction of the stones?

In a choice between the Smiths, DMT, Worksharp, an a DC4 is there going to be much of a difference or is it just personal preference?
Click to expand...

Just now noticing I replied to an old OP... :o

That said, among diamond hones, it mostly comes down to personal preference (and price may play into that). Most well-known brands will at least be decent-to-very-good. DMT is more expensive and has a good reputation for consistency of finish and performance (tighter control of grit size makes a bigger difference at the Fine/EF/EEF end of the grit range), but I'm beginning to see that most any diamond hone will at least be good at quick metal removal and producing very crisp, toothy edges*.

I don't have one, but I doubt the Worksharp (powered) sharpener can be directly compared (apples vs oranges); it's a different kind of sharpening.

* = I have a 3-hone set of diamond hones I purchased at Harbor Freight for a whopping $10 for the set (180, 260, 360). Their bases are only ~1/8" thick or so, and they're not even close to being flat (warped). But having said that, I couldn't help but be impressed with the working speed of even the finest one (which is 'coarse' at 360-grit), and the wicked-toothy edge produced off of it.


David
 
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Sorry, I was referring to their Field Sharpener, not the powered version. Since asking about the Smith's I watched some Youtube videos and don't like the fact it doesn't lay flat without rocking, so that's out.

I'm down to a DC4, DMT double, or the Worksharp. I'm not sure I can really go wrong with any of them. I will have to drop by Harbor Freight.
 
Fuori said:
Sorry, I was referring to their Field Sharpener, not the powered version. Since asking about the Smith's I watched some Youtube videos and don't like the fact it doesn't lay flat without rocking, so that's out.

I'm down to a DC4, DMT double, or the Worksharp. I'm not sure I can really go wrong with any of them. I will have to drop by Harbor Freight.
Click to expand...

OK. I haven't tried the WS Field sharpener either. As I mentioned though, the diamond portion should at least be decent, I'd think. The biggest limitation might be the small abrasive surface area.

The non-flatness of some hones hasn't bothered me as much, because with any hone 6" or less in length, I'm usually using it in-hand (with blade in the other). So, the 'rocking' issues haven't gotten in the way, in those cases. If used on a bench, I could see that would be a major headache. I'm still eventually going to re-mount my HF hones on something flatter and more substantial (thicker), though. I'm sure that'll make them even more useful to me.

HF does also carry a 4-sided 'block' diamond hone set, with the 2" x 6" hones mounted on each face of the block. Hopefully, that should make the whole thing a bit flatter, but who knows (it's still dirt-cheap, so no guarantees).


David
 
Thanks! I'll take a ride to HF and check them out. I've had good luck with things I've purchased from there.
 
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