new guy question

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jr in va

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May 21, 2018
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What is a good grit to stop on for working everyday pocket knives and kitchen knives? I can get an EZE Lap medium/super fine 400/1200 or a DMT C/F 325/600 in a six by two bench stone for the same money.
Am still learning to free hand but like the idea of being able to touch up a dulled knife quickly without the clean up.
 
You'll need the coarse & fine a 2X6" is large enough size for now. Learn on the kitchen knives. Focus on the lift at the spine as you work them. DM
 
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jr in va said:
What is a good grit to stop on for working everyday pocket knives and kitchen knives? I can get an EZE Lap medium/super fine 400/1200 or a DMT C/F 325/600 in a six by two bench stone for the same money.
Am still learning to free hand but like the idea of being able to touch up a dulled knife quickly without the clean up.
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Eze-Lap's diamond hones seem to run pretty coarse for their rated grit. I have a Dia-Fold-style hone of theirs in that 400/1200 combination (they call it 'Medium' and 'Super Fine', IIRC), and the '1200' side leaves a finish essentially similar to DMT's 600 (Fine); the '400' is likely similar to DMT's 325 (Coarse). So, between the two you list, I'd say 'either one should do OK' for you.

Having said that, I still prefer the finish of DMT's hones in general, which seem to leave the edge cleaner and less in need of de-burring. That seems to speak for the cutting quality & uniformity of their diamond grit specifically, irrespective of it's rated size. For quick grinding & rebevelling tasks, they're both good. But, I often follow up the EZE-Lap hone with finishing touches on the DMT, for the reason mentioned.

The EZE-Laps are less expensive and a very good deal for the price. I can't knock them at all. But it's hard to beat DMT's consistency in finishing; I've gotten spoiled on them.
 
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For the record, I concur with both David's assessments...and would personally recommend the DMT hone, owning and having used both.
 
If you can swing the 8in DMT stone, I would go with that. The 8in stones are much easier (IMO) to work with when it comes to the larger kitchen knives. If not, the 6in stone will still get the job done.
 
I agree on the bigger the better. I think people — based on teaching a few people to freehand every year—have more consistency and stability with the larger surface at least 3" wide and 8–10" long.
 
Thanks for all replies.I ordered a DMT 6" C/F which will fit the budget for now.I would rather have had an 8" but had to go with price.Someday,I'd like to try a Dan's Whetstone model in soft/black surgical.
 
That stone will serve you well. Just remember to use a light touch. Let the diamonds do the work. There is no need to use a lot of pressure. Opinions vary on wet vs dry but I find keeping just a little bit of water on the surface of the DMTs gives me a little better feel when sharpening. But, you can certainly use them dry as well.
 
I've heard of dish detergent or soapy water being used.The full strength was,I believe, on oil stones.
Probably try using a little water.Can't hurt.
 
Most anything can be used on diamond hones for lubrication. I've grown to like using a little bit of mineral oil on mine. I'd otherwise be inclined to use something like water, or dish soap + water. But my environment is usually too dry for that, and anything water-based evaporates too rapidly to be very useful. That's why I use the mineral oil, and it cleans up easily with dish soap & water afterwards.

With diamond hones and other stones, I've lately become more aware of how much better the oil works to actually 'float' the swarf, as opposed to using water or anything water-based. I started noticing this on an oilstone that I tried with water + dish soap, and the swarf generated wasn't being picked up with a rag afterward; it was settling more deeply into the pores of the stone and staying there, even while the stone was wet. The oil does a better job keeping it suspended on the surface, and much more of it can be wiped away with a rag afterward, used this way. It's not so much an issue with a nickel-plated diamond hone, as it's not porous, so the swarf is always on the surface, regardless.
 
jr in va said:
I've heard of dish detergent or soapy water being used.The full strength was,I believe, on oil stones.
Probably try using a little water.Can't hurt.
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I've used the large DMTs (interrupted surface) for decades. I keep a small spray bottle of water nearby and spritz as I go, and I have no angst.
 
I have used the Atomas and DMT stones, of which I prefer the DMT products. For general use knives, I used to go hog wild and mirror polish everything. Now I tend to stop between 600-1200 grit (F/EF DMT) -- that 600 grit edge is really aggressive and has been extremely useful for me in the types of cutting I tend to do. Mirror polishing has its place too, but I'm just finding that there's a point of diminishing returns past that 600-1200 range for me personally.
 
jr in va said:
Dia Sharp is what I have coming Friday.
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You're golden. I have the 6x2's, a couple of 8x3's, and one 8" coarse / x-coarse DuoSharp. They're all good.

If you don't have one, get yourself a stone holder like the Powertec. It's about $16 and change at a major online retailer and you can set it to work with the 6" plates as well as larger 8" plates later on. Gives you a nice base for stability and knuckle clearance...though you can certainly do without if money is tight.
 
jr in va said:
Dia Sharp is what I have coming Friday.
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Awesome, those should give you years of good service. One observation: Mine tended to load up a little bit, but using Windex as a lubricant completely cleaned up the stones and seems to be preventing re-loading now. I used to use them dry, not anymore.
 
jr in va said:
Are DMT stones nickel plated?
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They all are, yes. That includes the 'Dia-Sharp' continuous-surface plates, and the 'Duo-Sharp' hones, with their interrupted surface 'dots'. Same nickel-plating process for both, each with a different-looking backing plate underneath the nickel. Obviously, the plastic backing behind the 'holes' in the Duo-Sharp's plate isn't plated, but it's still non-porous. I use mineral oil on both types, with the same good results.
 
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