DMT double diafold

[bchan77]

I am thinking of buying this as my future main sharpening tool in place of the Sharpmaker. I would like advice from members who have experience using this thing on the following:

(1) any pros and cons of using this as a sole sharpening tool?
(2) what is the proper way of using this set-up? I have read people both advising to (a) draw the knife you want to sharpen above the diafold and (b) put the knife edge right up and draw the diafold above and along the edge.

Thanks!

 

[william8284]

I am thinking of buying this as my future main sharpening tool in place of the Sharpmaker. I would like advice from members who have experience using this thing on the following:

(1) any pros and cons of using this as a sole sharpening tool?
(2) what is the proper way of using this set-up? I have read people both advising to (a) draw the knife you want to sharpen above the diafold and (b) put the knife edge right up and draw the diafold above and along the edge.

Thanks!

I have used the Diafold quite a bit and it is a great tool if you arnt doing large knives. I like mine also have the smith's like it, DMT is light years better. It takes quite a while for the diamonds to break in that goes for any diamond stone. I have 2 of the same one coarse and fine one is broken in and works great the other well it a work in progress. I think it is suited for a hunting pack or away from home setup however for its size it is a bit smaller than most will like. I do like the DMT but will be getting waterstones now. The way I use mine is just the same way you would a bench stone once agian maybe why I think it is small. I know some use it like a file for say and I have tried this method but only use it for my Axes and machetes now. Also if you are going to get this set up you will more than likley want to strop especialy when it is new it will be very coarse even for the fine stone. I would recomend getting a xtra fine as well. check this cost the same but way more cuttind surface. http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/6-Double-Sided-Dia-Sharp-Diamond-Stone-P129C3.aspx. the larger surface means safer and faster which we all like.

 

[hoopster]

I love mine. Use it whichever way feels comfortable to you. I even use mine on larger knives (10" blades). It stays in my edc bag since it's so light. I have the coarse/fine and plan on picking up one with extra fine also.

 

[zyhano]

I took my dmt C/F with me on my recent hiking trip on the scottish west higland way and it served me fine. It's easier to use than a double sided small stone like the spyderco doublestuff because when open the dmt has a handle. It's easy to use, light to carry (just a little heavier than the spyderco doublestuff I think) in a backpack, and you can go to shaving your arm hair with it very easily.

I also used it extensively to repair an old buck nighthawk that was chipped and was very impressed with the dmt and how it functions. I got the XF/XXF too and that is for the finishing steps.
Be careful to use only light pressure so you won't damage the diamond coating

 

[yablanowitz]

I'll echo what others have said. The double-sided DMTs are great tools. I carry a pair (XC/C and F/XF) in my back pocket next to my Military all the time. It can be a bit tricky to sharpen long blades on the short stones, but it can be done. For normal sized pocket knives (sub-4") with plain edges they work great. I generally try to lay the hone on a firm surface such as the edge of a table, holding it there with my left hand while stroking the blade along the hone with my right, just as I would with a benchstone. I have sharpened axes and even scissors using the hone as a file, but even the extra-coarse is slow compared to a large mill bastard file on those softer steels.