DMT 3x8 Ultra Coarse

[Alberta Ed]

One of the great things about knives is the continuing evolution of new steels. They’re fun to explore and give serious knife nerds (moi) an excuse to buy new knives. But… today’s Super Steels from Crucible, Bohler-Uddeholm and Carpenter, loaded with various mixes of extremely hard carbides derived from chromium, niobium, cobalt, molybdenum, vanadium and tungsten and unobtainium, for all I know, are a b*tch to sharpen without diamond hones.


For years I’ve relied on DMT’s red/green DuoSharp bench stones with the interrupted surface (little holes). They work well on maintaining an edge, but take a lo-o-o-ng time to achieve a new bevel. So I recently acquired a 3x8 DMT DuoSharp ultra-coarse bench stone, 60 micron, with the continuous surface (no holes). In a word, Wow!


Clamped my ancient Buck Honemaster to my Para 2 (CPM S30V) and in about 20 light swipes achieved a beautiful, crisp new bevel. It was easy to see the swarf accumulating on the ultra coarse hone. Finished it on the red (fine, 20 micron), and achieved a biting sharp, hair shaving edge.


Then I tried it with my most recent acquisition, Spyderco Military in CPM S110V, still with the original edge. Truth be told, it didn’t really need sharpening even after nearly a month of everyday use. I’ve never found a steel that held its edge so well for so long. It took about 30 light swipes to establish a new bevel, again with the Honemaster clamped on to assure an even angle. The result: an extremely toothy edge that cuts like a chainsaw. I just waved it at a very soft tomato, which simply fell into even slices. S110V seems very fine grained and likely will take an extremely fine edge, but for now I’m leaving it as is.

 

[Blues]

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(I mistakenly thought you were referring to the XX Coarse D8XX, not the X-Coarse.)

 

[bgentry]

Yes you have the "extra coarse" stone, which I'm sure works quite well at ~220 mesh / 60 micron . You should try the Extra Extra Coarse at 120 mesh / 120 micron . It's really a fantastic stone and seem much more "tough" than the other DMT plates.

There's nothing like a good coarse stone. I'm happy to hear yours is working well for you!

Brian.

 

[David Martin]

Yes, I went to all diasharp plates from x coarse, coarse, fine and x fine. I prefer those. The last one is a smaller plate but still the continuous. DM

 

[shinbone]

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[Blues]

Yes, I went to all duosharp plates from x coarse, coarse, fine and x fine. I prefer those. The last one is a smaller plate. DM

David, just for clarity's sake, are you referring to the two sided / polka dotted DuoSharp...or the continuous surface DiaSharp hones? (I have a mix of both I've accumulated over the years.)

 

[Wowbagger]

DMT DuoSharp ultra-coarse bench stone, 60 micron, with the continuous surface (no holes). In a word, Wow!

I agree. The "secret" of reprofiling S110V was revealed to me when one day I took one of mine to my big O' DMT black / blue bench stone (220 /~300) and it reprofiled the edge quick like a bunny.
Then I used the small DMT Aligner stones in the Edge Pro (long story; don't try this at home I am a "professional").
Ohhhhhhh yeah !
As far as :

CPM S110V, still with the original edge. Truth be told, it didn’t really need sharpening even after nearly a month of everyday use. I’ve never found a steel that held its edge so well for so long.

My job has a few pretty consistent cutting tasks that puts S110V to a good endurance test so I can take it to it's limits.
In my opinion I say : Wait 'till you try M4 !
Cuts as long for me AND holds a superior level of hair cutting sharpness = stays pretty much shave sharp long after S110V has given up and went home and comes back to hair whittling pretty much if one waves an Ultra Fine Spyderco rod over it.
S110V = bull dozer
M4 = a Ferrari
They'll both get you there; just depends on what you like.

S110V seems very fine grained and likely will take an extremely fine edge,

Yes it does lull one into a false state of security.
You will find if you keep going with the dimpled diamond plates (I go all the way to the skin colored stone 8,000 that the edge can get easily hair whittling on S110V.
It looses it in no time.

 

[Wowbagger]

bench stones with the interrupted surface (little holes). They work well on maintaining an edge, but take a lo-o-o-ng time to achieve a new bevel. So I recently acquired a 3x8 DMT DuoSharp ultra-coarse bench stone, 60 micron, with the continuous surface (no holes).

To put a finer point on it. The stones with the holes do just fine for me as far as cutting speed. In fact the large Black / Blue (ten inch) bench stone I referred to above has the holes. It cuts VERY fast due to the coarse diamonds AND because one can get more "surface feet per minute" because you get more abrasion per stroke because the strokes are longer. I also have the non dimpled 10 inch plates as shown. No big deal really.

The advantage of the no dimples is one can work points on the knives without catching in a dimple.
The dimples are great for flattening stones; gives some place for the muck to go.

 

[David Martin]

Blues, I see what your saying. Excuse me, Mine are the diahones. The continuous surface, which I think are a better value. DM