Diamond Stone longevity

[Blade Lab]

Water is fine. Add a little dish soap to help keep it from clogging. Just make sure you dry off the plates when you're done.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I had heard to use lapping fluid since water could rust a metal plate? Would definitely rather use water if I could. (Still a beginner.)

But fluid of some kind makes sense to me since otherwise you’d be building up “stuff.”

The metal plates are electroplated in nickel and the diamond grit is embedded in the nickel. The nickel doesn't rust. If the plates are of decent quality, the steel underneath the nickel plating won't be exposed to moisture and won't rust. And plates with visible rust on the surface might just be showing the deposited iron swarf itself rusting - that DOES happen on plates that don't get cleaned adequately. But if the plate gets adequately cleaned & fully dried after use, it'll never be an issue anyway.

A poor-quality diamond plate with a bad plating job might be prone to nickel coming off or cracking, which could trap moisture under the plating and create rust issues. But that's an issue with cheap gear - and not the norm for diamond plates made by reputable mfrs.

 

[DeadboxHero]

Right. The plates will still work when dull, but if you're doing things like reprofiling it's going to take a lot longer and require more pressure.

They work even better when they are replaced with new ones.

 

[SomebodySomewhere]

Deleted.

 

[SomebodySomewhere]

Deleted.