What are the best diamond sharpening stones available?

S

Smiffman

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Sep 5, 2023
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Been using my ultra sharp 300/600/1200 grit stones and they have been good for the most part but I would like to upgrade. What are some of the best diamond stone brands available ? Looking to spend a few hundred, maybe more, if necessary. Prefer if I could buy many stones at once in a bundle than pay for them each separately. Appreciate the help! Thanks!
P.S prefer freehand sharpening stones because I feel sharpening systems take the fun away from it.
 
The very best diamond stones available are vitrified diamond stones. These are expensive, and available occasionally from Japanese Knife Imports (800 grit), and available (very occasionally, and only if you sign up for email and act quickly when it arrives), from Triple B Handmade (400, 1000, 3000 grit).

The NSK stones come close.
 
I've always used dmt diamond benchstones and had good results. don't know best though as I havent played with enough brands to have a good opinion.
 
If you are after plates instead of stones, I'd recommend Atoma, though if you want them for flattening, rather than sharpening, the DMT Dia-Flat are the best I've used. The grooved kind is nice for major work on coarse stones; the grooves help funnel slurry away.
 
I use the DMT uninterrupted type, I have a couple double sided 6" stones and 3 of the larger 8" ones, they do an excellent job.

Key thing to remember is not to press hard against the stone as that can pull the diamonds from the substrate, ending up with just a shiny metal plate, let the diamonds do the work.

My setup has the stone holder that I drilled a small hole on each end and then screwed in a wood screw with a torx head, so I can screw it up to the height I need to get my bevels set. I took a marking gauge and cut down the shaft and ground one side flat and use that to make sure that each side matches the other in height. And if I do move to a different stone that is thicker/thinner, I just reference off the top of the stone again to set the screw heights.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
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I’ve only used Smiths, DMT, and Worksharp hand field sharpeners and then I have a 6 inch Buck bench plate and Ive got a inexpensive 8 inch interrupted import bench type off the big river place. I’ve used the Worksharp hand the most. They all do well and I can’t really tell much difference except the Worksharp is easier to hold and work with in the field. I use the bench plates for reprofiling mostly and larger, longer blades and I haven’t had to use them as much so it’s hard to say just yet.

Like others have mentioned you don’t need to apply as much pressure with diamond plates as you do with conventional stones as to much pressure can pop the diamonds off the surface and make them useless. Just light pressure is all that is necessary.

Edit, I forgot to say that I use the continuous type for steels that clean well and don’t load up in the diamond matrix. I use the interrupted type for the steels that are prone to stick more in the matrix to help the plate clean off better.
 
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Here's my mixed experience with DMT hones.

I've been using them for decades. I started with a folding double sided fine/coarse hone (it had handles/covers that folded like a butterfly knife). It had interrupted surfaces. No complaints. When I wore it out I decided to try the continuous hones.

I bought 4 inch continuous fine and coarse hones. The fine had an oversized particle on the surface that would catch the edge of a blade. I ground down that particle by rubbing it with the corner of a Dremel 415 dressing stone. The hone worked great after that and served me well for a few decades. I had no issue with the coarse hone.

I also had a set of 6 inch continuous DMT hones, fine, coarse, extra coarse. And once again the fine hone had a few oversized particles. I dealt with them the same way as before. I used those hones for several years, but lost them in a move.

I recently replaced my original, heavily used and worn out 4 inch fine hone with a new one. The new one also had a single oversized particle on it that would catch the edge of a blade. I resolved the issue same as before.

It seems to me that the fine continuous DMT hones are prone to this defect. If you get one I suggest that you try it first with a knife you don't care too much about ruining the edge on. If you encounter an oversized particle it's possible that you might break it loose with a really hard blade (knife, chisel, etc), or you might grind it down like I did, or you might send it back.

That's been my experience with DMT. Experiences will vary. I've never tried any other brand of diamond hones.
 
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I have the 11” DMT magnet base and 4 plates. They are really nice to use. Worth every penny. I use a bottle of rubbing alcohol instead of water.

Sometimes I will tuck the end of a sheet of sandpaper under the edge so it gets pinched between the magnet and the plate. Then fold it over the plate. This works well for rust removal and similar gunky jobs.IMG_5631.jpegIMG_5628.jpeg
 
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Smiffman said:
Ok I’m looking at them now. Should I get the “interrupted” kind or the “continuous” kind?
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I have both, mostly the continuous on solid steel though. I prefer those. No way to snag an edge or tip. For the field the Diafold HC ("interrupted") is fine.

The steel plates have a dense covering of evenly graded diamond, which is bonded very well. I have not used mine for decades, but so far after a few years I do not see any wear or tear.
 
I have the 10" DMT (interrupted) sharpening kit, and it works great. But, I mainly use it with a honing guide for sharpening plane, and chisel blades. I've really used them hard, as I sometimes pick up used planes off of the big auction site, and those blades typically need to be completely squared up, and re-profiled. I use glass cleaner for a lubricant, and the diamond plates never clog up. They have held up great, and I like them.

For knives, I will typically grab my KME system, or maybe the Spyderco ceramic stones. I think I would prefer the solid diamond plates for hand sharpening a knife (better feedback), but the "interrupted" plates do work fine also.

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Unless the Ultrasharp stones are worn out I don't think you will be getting much of an upgrade by buying new diamond plates. I haven't used all of them but I would be pretty confident all the more well known brands will be pretty comparable. I've used Atoma and Ezelap and recommend them if you are sticking with plates FWIW.

For the money you are talking about spending and given you want to upgrade, I would be contemplating diamond resin stones. They are more expensive, but you will get diamond performance with more of the feel and finish similar to water stones. King and Venev are two brands that come to mind for these. I have some Venev stones(Centaur series) and I highly recommend them.
 
killgar said:
The fine had an oversized particle on the surface that would catch the edge of a blade.
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As I understand diamond stones should be first 'broke in' before serious use. I use a piece of HSS steel.

What is the difference between those diamond stones (DMT, Atoma, Ultrasharp, Eze-Lap). I haven't use any of them so I wonder….for example; if the grit is the same what would be the difference between those stones?
 
Own examples of DMT, Ultrasharp, Venev, CGSW, and Vitrified. Vitrified are the "best" out of those. They have the cutting speed of diamond plates like DMT and Ultrasharp (maybe even faster tbh), but the nicer scratch pattern of resin bonded diamonds like the Venev and CGSW. Only problem is finding a set like has already been mentioned. Seems they're only made in Japan from when I was trying to find a set for sale. If you're into the freehanding, I really like the feedback from the resin bonded stones the best (Venev and CGSW), but realize that's subjective.
 
bmo419 said:
I really like the feedback from the resin bonded stones the best (Venev and CGSW), but realize that's subjective.
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It is. I like the feedback from the NSK and Naniwa diamond stones better than Venev, but they are more expensive, and the Venev stones are certainly much better-feeling than plates to sharpen on. I've not tried the CGSW because I have the impression that they are on the soft side, and I prefer harder stones. Do you find the CGSW stones to be soft? I could swear I once read a recommendation that they should preferably be used only edge-trailing, due to something about softness, but that may have come from my fertile imagination.

When considering plates, don't overlook the two-sided CBN benchstone-sized plate sold by Spyderco.
 
UncleBoots said:
It is. I like the feedback from the NSK and Naniwa diamond stones better than Venev, but they are more expensive, and the Venev stones are certainly much better-feeling than plates to sharpen on. I've not tried the CGSW because I have the impression that they are on the soft side, and I prefer harder stones. Do you find the CGSW stones to be soft? I could swear I once read a recommendation that they should preferably be used only edge-trailing, due to something about softness, but that may have come from my fertile imagination.

When considering plates, don't overlook the two-sided CBN benchstone-sized plate sold by Spyderco.
Click to expand...

On the contrary, I find the Venev to be softer feeling than the CGSW while sharpening. A little less give in the resin firmness compared to the Venev at least on my example (only own the 8x3 5micron CGSW at the moment). I've read the recommendation about edge trailing with the CGSW as well, but I haven't noticed any difference in the end result when using edge trailing or edge leading. I do both when sharpening anyway.

Own that CBN plate from Spyderco as well now that I think about it. Don't use it much though, not to say it's bad, but it's just a little bit more aggressive for my tastes even on the 800mesh side. Maybe it just needs more breaking in though. It doesn't really do anything sharpening-wise that my Ultrasharp or DMT's can't do, but I do like how thin it is and the fact that it's double sided. Seems like it would make a better on the go sharpening solution.
 
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