Longevity of DMT stones?

EagleScouter

EagleScouter

Joined
Jun 18, 2011
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Hey everyone, I've been using 4" DMT diamond stones with the aligner system for over half a year now and have been getting great results. I reprofile most of my knives with the black extra course stone. Since setting the angle takes the most time and therefore wears the most on my stone, how long does it take to wear one out? I noticed yesterday it seemed to lack the "bite" it once had while sharpening, although this could just be the fact that I was working with a high wear steel (VANAX 75). Thank you in advance for your thoughts!
 
I also notice that they lose a lot of the original bite. I think diamonds come off of places like the corners very easily.

On the brighter side, they do seem to leave finer finishes and edges as time goes by.
 
THG said:
I also notice that they lose a lot of the original bite. I think diamonds come off of places like the corners very easily.

On the brighter side, they do seem to leave finer finishes and edges as time goes by.
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+1. This.

DMT diamond stones "break in" and get better with use. I don't know how long the useful life really is, but it might be limited as you only have one, microscopically thin layer of useable surface, but since they're diamonds you shouldn't be able to wear them away anytime soon. I also haven't heard any stories of people having "used up" their diamond stones. It is possible to dislodge enough diamonds to make the stone lees serviceable or maybe even unserviceable, but that's a result of misuse, i.e. using too much pressure while sharpening. The trick to diamond stones is light pressure and letting the diamonds do the work.

I've had my Duosharp stones for two years, and I'm still using them. I sharpen all kinds of steel on them and reprofile blades. I don't think I'm going to need to replace them anytime soon.
 
Copy paste from somewhere else.

How long will the diamond last on my stone?
The life of the diamond is a factor of how often you use your stone and how well you take care of it. If diamond stones are properly maintained, meaning they are kept clean and stored dry, they can last a long time. Diamond stones will, however, not last forever. For those that use stones on a daily basis and maintain them properly, the diamond will likely last for a few years. For those that use them less frequently, it’s likely the stone will last from ten to twenty years.

How do I know when my diamond stone is worn out?
First clean your stone thoroughly to ensure that it is not clogged with buildup. Stones can be cleaned with a toothbrush and an abrasive household cleaner. If after the stone is cleaned you are still experiencing problems, test the stone on the side of an old glass jar. Rub the stone against the glass to see if it leave scratches or frosts the glass. If you see evidence of scratches or frost, there are still diamonds left on your stone that can be used for sharpening.
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They're more durable than many give them credit for. The coarser ones seem to load up & clog more easily (seen this across 3 brands, at least), and that gives many the impression they've worn out.

I used a Coarse/Fine Dia-Fold to flatten a couple of my ceramic Lansky hones, a few years ago. It did take some diamond off the substrate (visibly so), and I'd assumed I'd ruined the hone, so I stashed it away. I came across it again some time later, and out of curiosity, I made a few passes across it with one of my pocketknives. Worked great, and it was also noticeably smoother and more uniform in feel, sort of as if I'd 'accelerated' the break-in on it. :)

I did the same thing with a C/F Duo-Sharp bench hone some time after that, flattening both sides of a Spyderco DoubleStuff hone. Made greater effort to go light on pressure, and kept the hone immersed in water while doing so. After finishing (hours later), I couldn't see or otherwise detect any wear on the hone at all. Still looked essentially new, and performed accordingly.
 
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Magnaminous_G said:
you only have one, microscopically thin layer of useable surface
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This is the reason that I now prefer SiC and other stones for coarse work. With stones whose entire block is the abrasive material, you don't have to worry about wearing down that one layer when you're doing a lot of heavy grinding, especially with more wear-resistant steels.
 
All stones wear out, I've worn out my 1k & 6k Arashiyama waterstones in about 2 years while my diamond hones that are used just as much plus used to flatten stones are still going strong... Though my XXC does seem to be slowing down some.

Keep in mind I use my stones far more frequently than most.
 
DMT hones should last a long time as long as heavy pressure isn't used on them.
 
Hey Knifenut, have you watched the Murray Carter DVDs, and what Japanese water stones do you recommend? I'm thinking of trying out water stones for sharpening to expand my horizons. Also, you mentioned in one of your YouTube videos that you prefer water stones for some steels and diamond for others. Which steels work best wish each kind of stone, and do you use any other stones like Arkansas? Cheers! :D
 
Magnaminous_G said:
Hey Knifenut, have you watched the Murray Carter DVDs, and what Japanese water stones do you recommend? I'm thinking of trying out water stones for sharpening to expand my horizons. Also, you mentioned in one of your YouTube videos that you prefer water stones for some steels and diamond for others. Which steels work best wish each kind of stone, and do you use any other stones like Arkansas? Cheers! :D
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I used a Arkansas stone when I first learned to sharpen but with the direction I have taken in sharpening they are very low on the list of stones I can, or have use for. That's not really specific to just ark stones though, most all natural stones will be this way and truthfully fit into a rather small category of use.

I have watched the MC videos, he does well to show sharpening on a KISS level. I don't believe in the time limit though, its not a race for me. For waterstones I like Nubatama stones but the 1k & 6k Arashiyama stones are by far my favorite.

What stones for a given steel will depend on the steel its heat treatment and the grind. Unless we get specific its hard to get more detailed than... Most high wear steels will be best sharpened on diamonds.
 
I know they do not compare but I have worn out the diamonds on the diamond side of my DC4 (Fallkniven two sided stone, one diamond, the other ceramic). I know it was totally my fault for using it during a VW van meeting to fix bent tips, get rid of chips on edges and agressive filing like use on anyones knife... That stone is not meant to be given such a workout, it is a mere touch up stone. Anyway and back to the point, the diamonds do have a limited lifespan. How long it lasts for you depends mostly on how carefull you are using them.

Mikel
 
My DMT stones have slowed down considerably. I have switched back to real stones in the interest of saving time. I several friends who have had the same experience.
 
I've gone from sharpening kits, to stones, to dmt diamonds and am currently using sand paper on true stone or foam depending on my needs.

The paper is cheap and disposable, it never looses its cutting performance because I can simply lay a new sheet out. I believe its like the man said, a cinder block and cardboard, so I don't put much faith in the stones, though I do have them.
 
I have worn out a DMT course 6 inch bench stone. I treated it teribly, it lasted a long time, but it is now so slow it is not worth using.
 
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