-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
DMT Diasharp EF to Spyderco UF Benchstone
- Thread starter kniferbro
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2014
- Messages
- 1,287
Hi,
yes, yes you could go from
DMT Extra-Fine 9 micron (1200 mesh) or P2000-P2500 or J1500-J2000
to spyderco sharpmaker ultra fine "3 micron" or J4000 or P6000+
without too much issue
if your edge has been apexed and deburred (slices newsprint well)
and you use some lube like water
use extra extra light force (under 20 grams or under 100 grams, whatever you can manage)
and microbevel (elevated angle, like +1 or +5 previous angle) using about ~5 pps
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2011
- Messages
- 1,941
You can do it, but I have both of these stones (as well as a DMT EEF) and you will not erase the scratch pattern from the DMT EF going straight to the Spyderco UF. The micro ratings are similar, but the diamonds definitely leave a coarser finish. This really only matters if you're looking for polish.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,193
This is what I was getting at. I knew I could do it but didn't know if there should be a step between.
Can you suggest a stone for between those two?
Thanks!!!!!
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 8,802
The EEF is only offered on a few of their product lines. 8" Dia-sharp is one, Dia-fold is another. There are a couple more. So it's easy to overlook them if you are looking at the other product lines.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,193
That is exactly what happened. Thanks JC!
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 8,802
Here's the URL with the search for "EE" which is what they call it. It highlights the five products offered in that mesh:
https://www.dmtsharp.com/search/?search_query=EE
DMT lists it as "8000 mesh, 3 micron"
If you are looking for the Spyderco UF finish, I would personally go DMT EF -> Spyderco Fine (just to change the scratch pattern, they are about equivalent "grit") -> Spyderco UF, based on what you have.
I don't have the UF Spydie or EEF DMT, but I do have the EF and Spydie Fine, so when I am using those in a progression, I go DMT EF -> Spyderco Fine -> strop on balsa with 1u diamond or hard leather with green chromium oxide paste, depending on the steel (diamond strop for harder steels, Cr2O3 for the softer ones).
Edit: I am not a super knowledgeable sharpener, I just sharpen for my own needs. I don't try for ultra-mirror finish edges, just ones that cut what I need to. They can usually cut phone book paper cleanly and shave arm hair when I am done, but I am not going for anything extreme. On many knives I don't go further than a hard Arkansas or a 2000 water stone before stropping. So keep that in mind before you rely too much on my advice.
https://www.dmtsharp.com/search/?search_query=EE
DMT lists it as "8000 mesh, 3 micron"
If you are looking for the Spyderco UF finish, I would personally go DMT EF -> Spyderco Fine (just to change the scratch pattern, they are about equivalent "grit") -> Spyderco UF, based on what you have.
I don't have the UF Spydie or EEF DMT, but I do have the EF and Spydie Fine, so when I am using those in a progression, I go DMT EF -> Spyderco Fine -> strop on balsa with 1u diamond or hard leather with green chromium oxide paste, depending on the steel (diamond strop for harder steels, Cr2O3 for the softer ones).
Edit: I am not a super knowledgeable sharpener, I just sharpen for my own needs. I don't try for ultra-mirror finish edges, just ones that cut what I need to. They can usually cut phone book paper cleanly and shave arm hair when I am done, but I am not going for anything extreme. On many knives I don't go further than a hard Arkansas or a 2000 water stone before stropping. So keep that in mind before you rely too much on my advice.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,193
No, thank you. I love the information. I too sharpen how you do, I am pretty proficient but don't go for the super polished. Most regularly I sharpen on a DMT fine and then straight to the strop. Very aggressive, yet still shaves.
Thanks again! I'll look into the Spyderco fine stone.
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2011
- Messages
- 795
This is my exact response.
I've done this exact progression before. DMT EF straight to the Spyderco UF stone. The UF polishes the edge bevel like crazy. It's surprising how quickly the bevel goes from almost no polish at all to a very shiny reflective surface. I won't use the term "mirror" because those who REALLY polish edges expect a mirrored bevel to have no remaining scratches at all. This does not happen when going from EF to UF. You are left with a very reflective bevel that still has teeny little scratches in it that are difficult to remove. But a casual inspection still says "that's a mirror!", even though it's not perfect.
Contrary to what BS has said, ultra light pressure won't really work to produce a polished bevel. I used essentially the same pressure that I used on the EF DMT. Though I did lighten the pressure as I finished the edge, as I always do in the finishing stages.
The advice to use a microbevel will produce the fastest edge that still has a UF finish *right at* the edge. But it won't polish the bevel; just the microbevel. I wanted an actual polished bevel because I think that the polish behind he cutting edge influences the ability of the blade to glide through material more easily. Plus it's pretty and satisfying to see and show off.
The resulting edge that I got is easily the sharpest edge I've ever made. It tree tops hair, easily push cuts phonebook paper in any direction and is generally "scary sharp". It helps that the blade I'm talking about has about an 11 degree per side edge bevel (primary).
Brian.
Contrary to what BS has said, ultra light pressure won't really work to produce a polished bevel. I used essentially the same pressure that I used on the EF DMT. Though I did lighten the pressure as I finished the edge, as I always do in the finishing stages.
The advice to use a microbevel will produce the fastest edge that still has a UF finish *right at* the edge. But it won't polish the bevel; just the microbevel. I wanted an actual polished bevel because I think that the polish behind he cutting edge influences the ability of the blade to glide through material more easily. Plus it's pretty and satisfying to see and show off.
The resulting edge that I got is easily the sharpest edge I've ever made. It tree tops hair, easily push cuts phonebook paper in any direction and is generally "scary sharp". It helps that the blade I'm talking about has about an 11 degree per side edge bevel (primary).
Brian.
That Spyderco "ultra-fine" stone is amazing. To me it's like a strop, a sharpening steel and a benchstone all in one. I have the UF stones for the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker and they work excellent in the field and do one great finish job on about anything you would sharpen. Like the one guy said earlier you want to already have your blade to where it slices through newpaper or grocery store receipts with little effort in order to see sterling results.
I also have the Spyderco 302 Benchstone in Ultra-Fine as well. It's what I use to even sharpen straight razors with. It's one of the few ceramic stones that actually has a polishing effect to it as well as putting a near perfect apex on an edge that's already sharp by most people's standards.
I also own a few of those DMT diamond stones that you made mention of as well. I don't have the one with the exact grit that you mentioned but I will say that most of the DMT tools I've used are decent quality overall. The one thing that I don't really like about most diamond stones is that they tend to have a really deep scratch pattern that can be difficult to hone out depending on what blade steels you're working with. But I'm sure you'll have decent results with a little time and patience.
I also have the Spyderco 302 Benchstone in Ultra-Fine as well. It's what I use to even sharpen straight razors with. It's one of the few ceramic stones that actually has a polishing effect to it as well as putting a near perfect apex on an edge that's already sharp by most people's standards.
I also own a few of those DMT diamond stones that you made mention of as well. I don't have the one with the exact grit that you mentioned but I will say that most of the DMT tools I've used are decent quality overall. The one thing that I don't really like about most diamond stones is that they tend to have a really deep scratch pattern that can be difficult to hone out depending on what blade steels you're working with. But I'm sure you'll have decent results with a little time and patience.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2009
- Messages
- 622
I have this exact set up at home. I actually prefer the dmt EEF final edge over the spyderco UF because the dmt leaves a toothier edge. The UF can leave a better looking finish but the edge isn't as aggressive. Lately I've been going from the dmt EF (1200) and finishing with a few passes on the spyderco UF as a strop. This seems to give me a toothy refined edge that lasts a long time.