Water stone maintainance

[Mark Stutz]

I've been using Norton stones since I started this journey, and at the time, other than King there wasn't much available. Shapton and Naniwa came on the scene shortly after. I've been using a granite surface plate from Woodcraft with w/d paper for flattening. It works well but is messy and takes up space on the sharpening bench.

I've been looking at Stu's site and trying to decide whether to pull the trigger on some Sigma stones, but I digress. I am looking at the atoma plate for flattening. I have a coarse/x-coarse DMT, but I have used it extensively for flattening chisels, blades, etc. If I scrub it clean, can it be used for flattening, or will there always be the chance of metal contaminating the stone?

[Brian Holcombe]

Mark,

I like using the Nagura stones that come with the chosera's. I soak them with the stones and they work really nicely without stick-tion.

[Daniel Rode]

I have a coarse DMT plate that I use for flattening and for chisel and plane backs. It works well and cost me about $40. No reason the Atoma plate wouldn't work at least as well. I clean the diamond stone after flattening but it only take a few seconds. Just a couple swipes with a plastic scrub brush while rinsing with water. If I has the coarse/x-coarse DMT, I'd use it without hesitation.

I've been using Norton stones since I started this journey, and at the time, other than King there wasn't much available. Shapton and Naniwa came on the scene shortly after. I've been using a granite surface plate from Woodcraft with w/d paper for flattening. It works well but is messy and takes up space on the sharpening bench.

I've been looking at Stu's site and trying to decide whether to pull the trigger on some Sigma stones, but I digress. I am looking at the atoma plate for flattening. I have a coarse/x-coarse DMT, but I have used it extensively for flattening chisels, blades, etc. If I scrub it clean, can it be used for flattening, or will there always be the chance of metal contaminating the stone?

[Mark Stutz]

Mark,

I like using the Nagura stones that come with the chosera's. I soak them with the stones and they work really nicely without stick-tion.

I have a 10K Chosera with the nagura, but I didn't think it would work for flattening.

I have a coarse DMT plate that I use for flattening and for chisel and plane backs. It works well and cost me about $40. No reason the Atoma plate wouldn't work at least as well. I clean the diamond stone after flattening but it only take a few seconds. Just a couple swipes with a plastic scrub brush while rinsing with water. If I has the coarse/x-coarse DMT, I'd use it without hesitation.

Good to know. Thanks. Just wasn't sure whether it was better to have a dedicated plate just for flattening, or not.

[Tom M King]

When I was using Norton stones, I did the same as you with the granite plate. I like those things so much that I've bought several when Woodcraft had them on sale for 25 bucks. I cut one up for Diamond Lapping Film sheets because I like the height, and heft. Sandpaper works fine for the Norton stones, but the faster cutting stones like something harder. Those Atoma plates look good for the cost. I've used an extra course diamond stone, and it works okay. I just worry about how long it will last, use it for another purpose, and would like something larger. I'm planning on getting one of the larger replacement Atoma 400 sheets the next time I order something from TfJ, and put it on one of the surface plates. I have a sink for sharpening though. Waterstones need flattening frequently.

[Brian Holcombe]

I have a 10K Chosera with the nagura, but I didn't think it would work for flattening.




Good to know. Thanks. Just wasn't sure whether it was better to have a dedicated plate just for flattening, or not.

Mark, I flatten my stones with the DMT plate (coarse I believe) to keep it really flat, then I maintain it while sharpening with the nagura.

i hate how the stones stick to the diamond plate while flattening.

[Curt Putnam]

Any diamond plate will work for flattening a waterstone. The only concern is whether the plate is actually flat. Some of those DMTs with the plastic in the middle may not be. I bought Stu's 3 stone combo w/Atoma 400 and find that the Atoma does not stick as much as do my EZE-Laps. It's deeper and has more water flow space. The "cure" for stiction is generally more water.

[Mark Stutz]

That combo is what I've been looking at, but the 13,000 has been out of stock for a long time. I may just break down and get the Atoma 400 with the 1000 and 6000 Sigma, and use the Chosera when I want to go higher.

[ken hatch]

I've a dry workshop....Waterstones have been problematic and while I like the speed and the polish of waterstones the mess and high maintenance has always made me look for other options like the old standby oil stones, diamond stones both EZLap and DMT, and even Spyderco. That said I keep coming back to Shaptons for the ability to give a very sharp edge very quickly but damn I hated the mess and hassle of keeping 'em flat. To keep the Shaptons flat I've been down most of the rabbit trails....sandpaper on granite, various diamond stones including the big mother DMT Lapping plate. They all made a mess and/or required a trip into the house and sink to clean up. The DMT lapping plate not only required trips to the sink but it was so big and heavy it required you to take the stone to the lapping plate instead of plate to stone. It has been such a hassle I would at times use less than optimum sharpening methods just to cut the trouble.

A couple of months ago I bit the bullet and ordered the Shapton Diamond Lapping plate , it was a big bullet to bite but one of the best things I've done. The lapping plate is light, is easy to clean with just the spray bottle I use to wet the stones. It has taken the Shaptons from a PITA to use to easy and quick, in fact I expect with the speed of the stones I can maintain and sharpen with the Shaptons as quickly as the diamond stones and end up with a better edge.

I haven't tried the Atoma 400 so it may be as good but as expensive as it is the Shapton Diamond Lapping Plate is worth every Penny, Yen, USD or what have you and I would and will do it again in a second.

[ken hatch]

Just wanted to add....the two stones are all that is needed, 1000 to sharpen and the 15000 to hone. From flatting each of the stones before use to cleaning the Lapping plate, to having a ready to go iron I would guess is less than two minutes. The Shapton Stone Pond contains the mess, and what water that is used is gone soon. Every few weeks I will take the stone pond and stone holders into the kitchen and clean the crud off, I expect I could go months before it was really needed.

[Stanley Covington]

I have given my viewpoint on this before.

Have two stones of the same grit soaked and ready for each sharpening session. Use one stone for a bit, then switch to the other. When both stones are suspect, cross thatch with pencil, and rub their faces together until both are flat. Monitor progress using the pencil lines, check for flat and wind with a stainless straightedge.

In normal use, you can use this method to keep two stones very flat, very easily, very quickly, and without the cost of sandpaper or diamond stones. This will save you a lot of money over a number of years. More importantly, you can begin the work day with four flat faces of each grit, and spend less time fiddling with stones and more time being productive.

To get stones extremely flat (especially finish stones), take a piece of thick float glass (these can be had for free), and scratch the hell out of one face with a carborundum stone. Rest this on a flat rigid surface, and work your stones on the glass under running water. Of course, check progress using pencil lines again.

You can speed the truing process by working a rougher stone against a finer stone. While certainly quicker, the rougher grit will become embedded in the finer stone, so you must scrub it with a stiff brush under running water afterwards and then polish it with a nagura. Even then, the stone may not behave as expected for a while.

To true rough stones that are way out of wack, rub them on a slanted concrete driveway with a garden hose supplying water. Make sure to remove the embedded bits of aggregate. Also, after some years, my driveways tend to become smooth and slick when wet, so I recommend doing this only in low-traffic areas. Not fun in the winter.

[Winton Applegate]

coarse/x-coarse DMT, but I have used it extensively for flattening chisels, blades, etc. If I scrub it clean, can it be used for flattening, or will there always be the chance of metal contaminating the stone?

I go back and forth between flattening a stone to sharpening on the DMT and there is no problem with contamination. I rinse it under the water tap just as I do the water stones. In any case metal contamination wouldn't be a factor it would be contaminating the finer stones with grit from coarser stones flattened earlier on.
I don't think that is any concern in the least either.

[Winton Applegate]

DMTs with the plastic in the middle may not be

I found mine to be extremely flat. No problem. Not a bit of teeter on that surface plate and within a thou all over checked with the dial/surface gauge.

PS:

plastic in the middle

I believe it is fiber reinforced and is so hard it rings like a stone or tile.

[Winton Applegate]

I hate how the stones stick to the diamond plate while flattening.

I find if I turn the stone 90° to the diamond plate when I want to separate them that breaks a lot of the suction. For flattening I have them in line and the suction is no problem for flattening the stone. I find the capillary action between them fascinating and reassuring that the stone is pretty darn flat.

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. Looks like I'll dig out the feeler gauges and straightedge to check what I have, and go for it with the DMT if it is truly flat, but at first glance it seems OK.