How long should a DMT stone last?

bpeezer

bpeezer

Joined
Jan 27, 2013
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I have one of the 6" continuous DMT extra coarse stones. I have only had it for a few months, and it already has multiple spots with no abrasive left on the stone. I can't even get to the heel on 90% of my knives because all of the abrasive from the edges is completely worn off. I have only spent around 100 hours on it. I had heard that DMT stones last years, so I'm kind of disappointed. To be fair though, I do use it much harder than any other stone. Is this normal?
 
If properly used and cared for, they can last for decades.

Too much pressure is what does the damage to them (any diamond plate). Always best to keep it light and let the grit do the grunt work. Wetting the hone with water or water+dish soap, or mineral oil helps contribute to a longer useful life for these, as well, because it keeps the surface relatively free of the swarf that would otherwise clog a dry hone and tempt one to lean harder into it. Diamond plates also work more efficiently when the swarf is floated free of the surface.

The grit from some coarser stones might accelerate wear also, when lapping other stones on the diamond plate (like waterstones/oilstones/natural stones). Coarse particles can dislodge the diamond from the nickel substrate, especially if ground into it under pressure.


David
 
If you wore the diamond off the your were using far too much pressure. I've done it myself just not to the extent you speak of.
 
I had one coarse DMT hone (four inches long) that wore out after three or four years, but I put a lot of pressure on it (OK, I abused it). My six inch DMT bench hones, regular (red) and fine (green) are over 15 years old and still work as well as when new. I wipe them with BreakFree from time to time, which seems to lift off any embedded metal particles.
 
Sounds like I need one stone for "experiments" and one for normal sharpening. I think the biggest abuse of that stone was using it to take a kershaw chill to a zero bevel full flat grind...that was lots of hours, and lots of pressure :eek:
 
I scrubbed a lot of diamond off a Coarse/Fine Dia-Fold, while using it to flatten a couple of ceramic hones. In spite of the obvious visible difference, the hone still works quite well for touch-ups on my pocketknives. Doesn't take a lot of diamond to sharpen a steel blade, apparently. So, the 'lesson learned' wasn't for naught. ;)


David
 
Like Jason said, most, including myself, use way to much pressure on their first diamond stones. Takes awhile to get the hang of how much pressure to use on a given stone to get the results your looking for.
 
I have had similar experiences with DMT "stones". They last forever if you use light pressure, but they also take forever to sharpen a knife if you use light pressure. All of my DMT stuff is collecting dust. Life is too short.
 
Also, make sure you really did knock the diamonds off. Hold it under strong light and move it around like a hologram. If you see diamonds reflecting back at you, they are still there. Better yet, take a look at the surface portion you are concerned about with a magnifying glass or loupe. With regular use, the metal will discolor, and it might look like the diamonds aren't there anymore, but a quick verification will show they are still there. That said, yes, it is possible to knock them off. I've got a DMT plate with the diamonds missing on one edge. I don't remember if it came that way or if I did it.

If your DMT plate really does have diamonds missing, I'd send it back to DMT. They will probably replace for you; they are a great company. Then be careful next time.
 
Magnaminous_G said:
Also, make sure you really did knock the diamonds off. Hold it under strong light and move it around like a hologram. If you see diamonds reflecting back at you, they are still there. Better yet, take a look at the surface portion you are concerned about with a magnifying glass or loupe. With regular use, the metal will discolor, and it might look like the diamonds aren't there anymore, but a quick verification will show they are still there. That said, yes, it is possible to knock them off. I've got a DMT plate with the diamonds missing on one edge. I don't remember if it came that way or if I did it.

If your DMT plate really does have diamonds missing, I'd send it back to DMT. They will probably replace for you; they are a great company. Then be careful next time.
Click to expand...

The diamonds are definitely off :D And I'd feel bad sending it back, I would openly say that I abused this stone. I used it for far more than normal sharpening. I really like the finish it leaves though, so I may have to buy an 8" extra coarse. Thanks for the advice everyone!
 
No harm in contacting DMT and you might learn something as well. Maybe they'll send you a new one, maybe they won't but using a tool as designed is the goal, not abusing it.
 
CSG said:
No harm in contacting DMT and you might learn something as well. Maybe they'll send you a new one, maybe they won't but using a tool as designed is the goal, not abusing it.
Click to expand...

I purchased that particular stone specifically to experiment with, so I don't feel bad at all about my results. As I mentioned earlier I am likely going to purchase an 8" stone for normal sharpening use. Thanks for the advice though, I might shoot them an email just to see what kind of suggestions they have.
 
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