Which double-sided diamond plate? (Recommendations needed)

Zatx

Zatx

Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
194
Hi, guys.

Over the last 10+ years, I have mastered the Sharpmaker (and other "guided" sharpening systems). I have the diamond, CBT, and UF stones in addition to the basic kit. I have also mastered stroping. I say all of this to highlight that I can create the proverbial "scary" and "hair-whitling" sharp edges. I've done my time. I've learned all about blade steels and angles... bevels and micro-bevels... you name it.

Now it's time to take the training wheels off.

I want to start freehand sharpening, and I would like your advice and recommendations.

I'm looking for a two-sided Diamond in the coarse/fine flavor (My first preference is for continuous diamond surface versus the interrupted variety because I love needle sharp knife points, but I'm open to feedback on this). I also think that I would like this in the 2x6 size for portability, but I know that I will be purchasing the 3x8 Spyderco UF stone so if I'm already carrying a stone of this size, no big deal if I move up to the 3x8 size in the diamond stone.

So far I've looked at the DMT Dia-Sharp and EZE-Lap offerings, but there may be others I don't know about.

What are your thoughts?

Thank you very much.
 
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^That was my thought.
 
I love atoma plates over DMT. The coarser grits are faster cutting then DMT and hold up to abuse better. However they only go up to 1200 grit which makes them more limited. They also don't make double sided plates but they do make replacement pads for plates which you could buy and apply to an existing plate.
 
If you want to jump in at the shallow end, the CKTG 400/1000 can be had for about $40 and is very serviceable. The surface is interrupted, but I haven't found that to be a problem with tips. Bear in mind that I consider myself a novice freehand sharpener.
 
I have the DMT coarse/fine diasharp. The duosharp (with the interrupted/dotted surface) is supposed to be less ideal for sharpening smaller things but fills up a little less than the continuous. It seems like either are good.

I do need to build a better bench for the stone as is very thin so there's no room for knuckles or rotating the knife much. I thought I would be fine using the edge of a counter but when I flip sides I find that the way I sharpen doesn't make it as simple as I would like. I've only owned it for a couple months and haven't sharpened much on it as I find I prefer the feel of a more standard stone for the softer steels of the cheaper knives I've been practicing on.

I used a hatchet to break in the diamond stone. Not sure if that's ideal but it was so darn grabby I struggled to keep a knife blade to the surface without it jumping around as it would catch on parts of the stone differently. The weight of the hatchet head made it a lot easier.
 
Zatx said:
(My first preference is for continuous diamond surface versus the interrupted variety because I love needle sharp knife points, but I'm open to feedback on this).
Click to expand...

Seen the DuoSharp Plus?
 
I've been using the DMT DuaSharp 8" Coarse/Fine combo and it's been great. Definitely get the 8" or 10" versions. Just more room to maneuver larger knives. You're not going to get a super refined edge but I can easily and cleanly slice paper and popped hairs on my arm with this stone. I usually go to the DMT extra fine DiaSharp stone afterwards when needed.
 
Eze-lap coarse/fine, 250/600 grit... if they make one.
If not, get the individuals.
I like eze-lap once they're broken in.

But whatever you decide on, I recommend the continuous surface.
 
Following this thread I was wondering the exact same question!

I was unsure for example how aggressive the coarse would be on 440c, would it take away too much material if the wrong pressure was applied.
 
cchu518 said:
Following this thread I was wondering the exact same question!

I was unsure for example how aggressive the coarse would be on 440c, would it take away too much material if the wrong pressure was applied.
Click to expand...
Never use a lot of pressure on diamonds. They do the work just fine without it. Too much pressure will fracture your diamonds or pull them out of the nickel substrate leaving you with a somewhat dead hone, or one with bare patches (ask me how I know this).

A DMT Coarse is about 325 mesh and is fine with 440C. You'd probably want to finish it up on a finer hone depending on your needs but a 325-mesh toothy edge would be just fine with 440C, perhaps stropped afterwards.
 
jc57 said:
Never use a lot of pressure on diamonds. They do the work just fine without it. Too much pressure will fracture your diamonds or pull them out of the nickel substrate leaving you with a somewhat dead hone, or one with bare patches (ask me how I know this).

A DMT Coarse is about 325 mesh and is fine with 440C. You'd probably want to finish it up on a finer hone depending on your needs but a 325-mesh toothy edge would be just fine with 440C, perhaps stropped afterwards.
Click to expand...

With the DMT course/fine, I feel like it does a good job with 154 from benchmade which is pretty close to 440c. The fine on the DMT dual-side is supposed to be more like a medium grit vs a fine, or something more between a fine and course from others. I feel like the combo paired with a strop does very well as a course strop compound polishes up nicely and then a finer strop compound puts a nice shine on it. Not mirror polish but a nice working edge.
 
Just for grins, between my previous post and this one, I took out my old 1979 2-dot Buck 110 in 440c, which I really haven't used in years and it needed a sharpening anyway, and put a quick edge on it using the CKTG 400/1000 combo plate, stropped it on an old belt with some green compound on it. It's cutting copy paper cleanly, and still seems to have a little metal left on the blade. ;)

It could use some more refinement but I have a cat that seems to want my attention right now and I really wasn't in a sharpening mood. But I have no doubt that the 400/1000 combo is sufficient for 440C. The DMT C = 325, F = 800, EF = 1200. I have those DMT hones in the interrupted pattern. If I need coarser, I usually go with a Norton Crystolon SiC combo stone which is about 120/320.
 
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