Diamond Sharpening Plates

[Eric Smith]

Not to interupt another thread on sharpening chisels, I would create another thread.

How many here have experience with the diamond stones and the traditional Arkansas oil stones, and what are your experiences/preferences.

[FL-Flintlock]

Have used everything, each has its use-purpose but nothing puts a final edge on like ceramic.

[PPatch]

I have had great success with DMT brand diamond stones on knives, chisels, gauges. The stones remove material quickly and are easy to maintain and clean. After that it is 3M micro grit self-adhesive sheets from tollsforworkingwood.com. put down on a glass sheet or on wood formed gauge shapes.

Dave

[sweed]

If you're not satisfied with an oil stone that you know to be good, just run down to the parts house and get a can of brake fluid.  You'll be suprised at your "new" stones cutting ability.

[Acer Saccharum]

The DMT stones crumble in a short period of time, getting finer and finer as the diamonds break down. Diamond cuts pretty fast, so use as little pressure as possible, which helps your grit stay coarse.

I think you could use a dmt stone for grinding an arkansas stone flat again. Never tried that, tho.

[ottawa]

there was a demo on chisel sharpening on youtube and the guy used a diamond stone to fresh his natural stone.

[Joe S]

I think you could use a dmt stone for grinding an arkansas stone flat again. Never tried that, tho.

rich pierce

Flattening sharpening stones?
« on: May 29, 2009, 10:37:51 AM »   
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Is it possible/worthwhile to flatten old worn sharpening stones? I have some that are plenty thick but no longer flat from sharpening knives and the way I approach sharpening a curved belly. Any handy hints?
   
   

jerrywh

Re: Flattening sharpening stones?
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2009, 06:48:38 PM »   
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Buy a diamond plate. Rub the stone on the diamond plate until it is perfectly flat. Then throw the stone away and keep the diamond plate for sharpening stuff. You might want a course and a fine one.

[Jerry V Lape]

I have a very fine ceramic flat stone that wears with use.  An old diamond plate works well to flatten that ceramic. 

[johntulle]

I use diamond plates to sharpen chisels.  Final polish is with emery boards from the local supermart.  They leave a mirror finish.  I use the same combination on locks and hardware.

John

[mark esterly]

i re-flatten & clean up old stones with lapping compound on glass.  works like a charm on carborumdum, india, natural

[rich pierce]

When stones were all we had, there was every reason to fix a dished stone.  I take badly dished stones and scrub them on wet concrete to get them "closer" to flat.  I don't worry about whether they are flat when sharpening knives, axes, scythes, etc but for gravers and straight gun chisels I find the new diamond hones to be easier/better.

[Habu]

Being cheap and lazy, I clean old stones by boiling them in lye water.  To flatten them, I push them around under my foot on a convenient piece of concrete.  It works, and saves the diamond plate for more important uses.