Diamond Bench stones?

[jeremy1517]

What are your thoughts on Diamond Bench Stones?

Any good? Good for all steels? Low maintenance? etc?

Trying to decide on a sharpening set and asking for opinions on whats out there! Thanks all!

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[jc57]

Nothing wrong with diamond bench stones. Diamonds will cut any steel. You will need some sort of elevated base to give you knuckle clearance, since most of them are somewhat flat like the one you pictured. Working at the edge of your table or workbench can provide that.

If you go with diamonds, you need to learn to use very light pressure. Too much pressure will result in accelerated wearing of the stones (mainly from diamond loss). Ask me how I know this.

 

[Jason B.]

Diamond plate work very well and will produce some of the sharpest and toothiest edge, especially on high hardness and wear resistant steels. I don't like them as much on softer steels and prefer waterstones on such but if the diamond stones are all you have then they will work.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Ditto to what others have said. They can & will work fine with a light touch. As a thumbrule, when using them on simpler & less wear-resistant steels like 1095 and low-alloy stainless, etc., it's best to use a finer grit for heavier tasks, like rebevelling, as compared to the generally coarser grits that might be used for the same task with other less aggressive stone types. Diamond is plenty aggressive enough, even at relatively small grit size; too-coarse diamond hones are overkill on simpler steels, and will remove more steel than necessary and leave the edge pretty ragged. I've seldom felt a need for anything beyond a 'Coarse' or 'Fine' grit for rebevelling on such blades (pocket/folder-sized or small fixed blades), assuming a 6" or larger hone.

Learning the right 'light touch' for a diamond hone on simpler steels will pay off across the board, with other stones and knife steels.

And regarding maintenance of the hones themselves, they're the easiest to take care of and keep clean. Dish soap, water and an old toothbrush, plus perhaps 1 or 2 minutes of scrubbing will keep them clean-as-new. Rinse them in hot water & let them air-dry (hot water rinse speeds this up) completely, before putting them away.


David

 

[Mo2]

Diamond are faster than most other stones types. especially for re-profiling. also diamonds will work on most super steal.

the problem is there are good diamond stones and not so good diamond stones. the good ones are a bit more expensive, but well worth it as long as they are not abused.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I used my 6" DMTs for 20+ years then gave them to my BIL when I bought a 10" DMT. The 6" homes still cut just as well as when I bought them. I use them dry, wiping with a soft cloth afterwards to pick up the residue. You can use hot soapy water and a scrubber, too. Once in a while I wipe them down with BreakFree, which helps to lift off any embedded steel particles.

 

[jpm2]

I like the continuous surface, hate the interrupted ones.