which Diamond Sharpening stones do you recomend?

[Ethan L D Cook]

Ive been reading a lot and people go back and forth with wet stones, diamond... and oil...

I think I would like to go the diamond stone route. Doing different searches online I find there are so many different diamond stones.f I'm thinking the 8" x 3" would be better than the 6x2. THoughts?

Also. I was looking at the 2 below sites to order from but wow they have too many options. Suggested 3 diamond stones to order? Amazon.com?

https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/

http://eze-lap.com/woodworking_shop_...diamond-stone/


I currently have the Rockler complete sharpening system (aka. flat glass and sandpaper) I'm ready to move up to something more long term.

Also: I have no straup (strop?) what is suggested for starter strop and strop paste?

Thanks!

*I'll mostly be sharpening my plane irons and occasional some chisels.

[ken hatch]

Ethan,

Now you've done it. My guess you will get as many different opinions as answers. I have and have used all three of the major diamond stones, they each will work....in other words: you pays your money and you takes your chances.

Of the three major stones available in the States, DMT, EzLap, and Atoma, I currently use the Atoma. The Atoma stones are a good middler, the scratch pattern is easy to correct, they are reasonably fast, and seem to hold their speed as well or better than the other two. My experience (as always YMMV) is the DMT's are prone to random deep scratches that are hard to remove but they also come in finer grits than the others. The EzLap's slow quickly but also give a better scratch pattern than the DMT's.

Now go and be confused;

ken

P.S. I should have added: While I have and use diamond stones, 98% of my sharpening is done on natural stones, either Ark Oil or Japanese Water.

[glenn bradley]

Since you've asked about diamond stones I will try to stay on point . . . Good luck with that, right?

I've burned through some EZ Laps yet still have a DMT DiaSharp that I've used for over a decade . . . Hmmm. After that experience and a similar one with some EZ Lap diamond needle files that failed almost immediately I ordered more DMT DiaSharps . . . I wish they made needle files.

I have coarse, fine and extra fine 11.5" x 2.5" which work well for chisels and smaller irons. You can take long confident strokes and really get to where you're going quick. I also have coarse, fine, extra fine and extra-extra fine in 8" x 3" for larger things like the jointer plane and the low angle jack.

I do still make use of a full fledged scary sharp setup now and again as well as other odds and ends; slips, strops, micro-abrasive film and so forth.

P.s. DMT will replace stones that have irregularities, no problem. If the surface isn't consistent, it isn't right. Get what you're paying for.

[Patrick Chase]

I've burned through some EZ Laps yet still have a DMT DiaSharp that I've used for over a decade . . . Hmmm.

EZ-Laps are mixed poly- and mono-crystalline diamonds. DMTs are always monocrystalline. Polycrystalline diamond particles fail by shattering along inter-crystal boundaries and are not as durable on balance.

I have EZ-Lap hand laps for sharpening stuff like Forstner bits, but because of their polycrystalline nature they end up being a consumable, like paste, lapping film, or sandpaper. They wear out, and I get more.

[Ethan L D Cook]

Recommended place to order / size?

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

Any of the woodworking retail sites like Lee Valley or Highland Woodworking or Woodcraft will have what you need. If you're sharpening plane irons then 8x3's are a good size. It's the width that is important. I suppose you could sharpen a 2-3/8" jointer plane iron on a 2" wide stone but getting a consistent camber would be a pain, especially when using a honing guide.

[Jim Ritter]

I've been trying out a CBN honing plate I picked up at a woodworking show in Saratoga. I've got the diamond hones also but this just might replace them for the initial shaping. It's double sided 300/600. It's flat and full grit not a open pattern like diamond stones. Just another thought.
Jim

[Patrick Chase]

I currently don't use diamond plates for anything but flattening water stones, but I've used a bunch for sharpening in the past. One thing to bear in mind is that there are multiple attributes that you can use to evaluate plates, and various people will associate different importance to each. The attributes I consider are:

1. Speed. How fast does the plate sharpen relative to others of the same grit? Speed needs to be considered both before and after any "break in" period.

2. Grit uniformity: How uniform is the scratch pattern? If a plate is really fast but leaves the occasional huge gouge then you're probably not coming out ahead as you'll just have to spend more time on the next grit down. Again this varies before/after break-in.

3. Flatness. This should be self-explanatory.

4. Particle life. How long do individual grits last before they dull (or shard) to uselessness?

5. Bond life. How well does the plate resist shedding partcles? This tends to be most relevant when using a plate to flatten sharpening stones.

My personal preference among plates I've tried is: Atoma, EZE-Lap, DMT in that order.

Impressions of each:

Atoma plates are very good in all relevant attributes: Uniformity (both initial and after "break-in"), speed, flatness, particle life, and bond life. IMO they're unbeatable for almost any purpose, though they're also pricey (unless bought from Stu, in which case they're reasonably competitive).

EZE-Lap plates are very uniform and fast, up there with Atoma in both respects. Flatness is variable (I have a #1200 sample that's warped, but others that are flat) and particle life is a weakness due to their (partial) use of polycrystalline particles. I don't know about bond life as I've never used them to flatten sharpening stones due to the particle life and flatness limitations.

DMT are the opposite of EZE-Lap. They're pretty flat and have very good particle life. Speed is "meh" after break-in, and uniformity is a notorious liability with a tendency towards "rogue particles" in the finer grits. They also have bond life problems when used for stone flattening.

With that said, why plates?

Diamond lapping films like 3M 661X/663X/668X cost about 15% of what a plate does per unit area. They have very uniform particle size and leave good surface finishes from the start. They end up being more expensive than DMT or Atoma over the long run, but in exchange you get an unbeatable speed-vs-scratch-pattern tradeoff.

Diamond pastes embody similar tradeoffs to films. In my experience they're somewhat more economical and can be better for critical flattening work with the right substrate, but with the added complication that you need to procure and maintain a suitable lapping surface.

[Charles Bjorgen]

Ethan -- I have both the four stone DMT Dia-Sharp set sold by Sharpening Supplies and four Eze-Lap stones bought through Amazon. I tend to favor the Eze-Lap set but frankly don't use either much for general sharpening any more. I generally use them for flattening backs of plane irons and tuning of chip breakers. Since we're neighbors, you are welcome to stop by my shop to try them out. The 8 x 3 size is good if you use a sharpening jig but not really necessary if you hone by hand. Just PM me if you'd like to check these out. I can also show you some other options including water stones and Arkansas stones as well as what I use for stropping.

FYI, my current quick and dirty sharpening system involves grinding (if needed) on my 20-year old Tormek and finishing on the medium and UF Spyderco stones.

[Robert Engel]

Have both Duo Sharp and Dia Sharp.

Like the Dia Sharp better. My impression is the mesh types wear out quicker.

For sharpening the wider plane irons, of course the wider stones are nice, but you can do fine with an 8x3.