DMT Double Sided Diafolds

cziv

cziv

Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
10,038
I was looking at getting two of these guys. One in coarse/fine and the other in xfine/xxfine. I'm having a helluva time with my sharpmaker and seem to get a better edge by using the rods and freehanding with them. (major hassle)

Anybody try these? Good products? I can't afford a big set of benchstone but these look promising.

I have enough to get this kind in my "kitty" now or would you advise getting the longer 6 or 8 inch size coarse and waiting until I can afford the medium and then the fine.
 
wicked good product.

I prefer the bench stones but do have a few diafolds and they work great (& fast)
 
They are excellent for field use. I also like the Spyderco Pro-Files, only they require a bit of maintenance and may break if sat on, etc. :thumbup::thumbup:

I hold the blade edge up and draw the DMT down and away on the edge lightly. The angle is very easily controlled. A few swipes on either side an you're good to go.
 
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cziv said:
I was looking at getting two of these guys. One in coarse/fine and the other in xfine/xxfine. I'm having a helluva time with my sharpmaker and seem to get a better edge by using the rods and freehanding with them. (major hassle)

Anybody try these? Good products? I can't afford a big set of benchstone but these look promising.

I have enough to get this kind in my "kitty" now or would you advise getting the longer 6 or 8 inch size coarse and waiting until I can afford the medium and then the fine.
Click to expand...

I have been using exactly that for quite awhile, along with the aligner (Magna Guide). In my opinion, there isn't a better set up on the market. I easily — and quickly — get shaving edges. A couple of passes on the strop afterward and, oh, baby... now we're talking sharp.

You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on sharpening set ups that won't do any better than the DMT Diafold's.

Buy it, try it, be happy. If it doesn't do all that you want, you're out a comparatively small amount of money. My bet, though, is that you'll be more than happy, and wonder how you ever got along without it.
 
I have a set, I love them.
I have X-coarse/coarse & med-fine/x-fine
But I make knives so I need to make the initial edge. That's why I have the X-coarse as well.
I like the folding ones, I fixate the blade and use them as I use files.
 
I use a fine/xfine diafold for just about all of my touch-ups.
been thinking about getting an xxfine, too, but so far it hasn't been that critical.
OTOH, I don't try for a hair splitting razor, either.
 
1066vik said:
I use a fine/xfine diafold for just about all of my touch-ups.
been thinking about getting an xxfine, too, but so far it hasn't been that critical.
OTOH, I don't try for a hair splitting razor, either.
Click to expand...

Just my thought here, but you really should try the XX fine. It takes your edge to another level, without having to strop a lot. Use the fine and extra fine, then finish with the extra extra fine. That's sharp enough for anything except bragging rights.
 
yup... should be able to do just about any edge with those, recurves can be an issue i try to use the edge when i dont have the serrated fold near by
 
Okay, I bought the two in my previous post, giving me 4 grits.

I have a question in case there's no directions with them: do you push the edge into the sharpener or draw the edge away from the sharpener?

Lot's of reps like the sharpmaker or just check every so often?

Thanks for the help guys. :)
 
use like a stone and shave it... light pressure (let the diamonds do the work) and use some spit (or water) NEVER oil. i do a couple strokes each side, just do the same amount... and it should only take a few minutes to get your knives sharp, i spend about 5 tops
 
You made a very good choice :thumbup: remember to always use light pressure and let the diamonds do the work. Also give the diamonds time to break-in at first they will be much coarser in feel than they end up.


I use the method of keeping the edge on the abrasive and moving choil to tip and back again about 5-10 times then checking the edge to see if I should move to the other side or keep going some more on the same side. This will all be determined by how much metal you intend to remove or if your just keeping with the existing bevel and/or if your fixing damage. Because the diamonds need to break-in they do not produce the best results at first, sharpen a bunch of cheap kitchen knives first to aid in the process.


Always check a lot in the sharpening process, you prevent mistakes more.
 
knifenut has given you any advise i would have but i would like to say you did good by getting those and will be very happy withem. i use the exact same 2 and have for several years now and havent used any i like better. theyre simply great sharpeners and the xxfine (after break in) will leave you with a wicked sharp edge.
 
Thanks guys. I appreciate the assistance. I'll go ahead as recommended and post back in a couple of weeks or so and let you know how they do on one of my "butter knife DULL" Izulas. :)
 
I like to fixate the blade and move the sharpener. It gives me better control and a more consistand angle.
Find out what works for you personaly.

Think like this:
Steel = soft
Diamond = hard

Get the two rubbing against eachother at a conststant angle and you'll get a sharp knife
Witch one moves past what other one is not important
 
cziv said:
I was looking at getting two of these guys. One in coarse/fine and the other in xfine/xxfine. I'm having a helluva time with my sharpmaker and seem to get a better edge by using the rods and freehanding with them. (major hassle)

Anybody try these? Good products? I can't afford a big set of benchstone but these look promising.

I have enough to get this kind in my "kitty" now or would you advise getting the longer 6 or 8 inch size coarse and waiting until I can afford the medium and then the fine.
Click to expand...

I've had mine for 5 yrs or so and they still work great. If you figure by the price per square inch the 8's are the best deal. I expect they will last for many more years. I have the set-up of coarse/Medium and Fine/Xfine, and use them pretty equally. The best thing to have a diamond plate for imo is to rebevel damaged edges.
 
Thanks guys. Today I took another stab at the Sharpmaker and my dull Izula.

I did according to their manual exactly!

For a back bevel 30*

20 each corner of diamonds = 40

20 each side of diamond flats = 40

20 each corner of brown/gray = 40

20 each side of brown/gray flats = 40

20 each corner of white fine = 40

20 each side of white fine flats = 40

20 each corner of white x-fine = 40

20 each side of white x-fine flats = 40

40* Working Edge - Repeat above w/o Diamond rods

Do the math and this sucker still won't easily cut paper! Rips it, rolls across the top of it and sounds like a chalkboard. Cuts once in awhile.

Is that 560 strokes or is my math off? My shoulder is sore - Sharpmaker blows IMHO :barf:
 
cziv said:
Thanks guys. Today I took another stab at the Sharpmaker and my dull Izula.

I did according to their manual exactly!

For a back bevel 30*

20 each corner of diamonds = 40

20 each side of diamond flats = 40

20 each corner of brown/gray = 40

20 each side of brown/gray flats = 40

20 each corner of white fine = 40

20 each side of white fine flats = 40

20 each corner of white x-fine = 40

20 each side of white x-fine flats = 40

40* Working Edge - Repeat above w/o Diamond rods

Do the math and this sucker still won't easily cut paper! Rips it, rolls across the top of it and sounds like a chalkboard. Cuts once in awhile.

Is that 560 strokes or is my math off? My shoulder is sore - Sharpmaker blows IMHO :barf:
Click to expand...



The Izula I had appeared to have an inclusive edge angle of 70 or 80 degrees. It wasn't quite a right angle but it was pretty darn close. If your edge is greater than 40 degrees which it could easily be, then all the sharpening you are doing is on the shoulder of the edge grind. Have you tried coating the edge with a sharpie to see where you are actually removing metal? I use a sharpie a lot so that I know where I am working at on the blade.
 
Have you tried coating the edge with a sharpie to see where you are actually removing metal? I use a sharpie a lot so that I know where I am working at on the blade.
Click to expand...

You know, I forgot all about it. I have 3 of them, the two others, a new Izula hasn't been touched but the one I carry all the time, I've resharpened. It'll shave and definitely slice through copy paper in wavy motions - sharp.

With this one - the edge doesn't feel anything like the other and it already has a huge scratch line on it. I assumed that everything would be the same. The more I think about it, you're probably right. I'm probably still shaving off the shoulders and should have stayed on the diamond rods until it was very sharp. :o

knifenut1013 said this 1095 was "something else" (about being hard steel) that is.
 
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