Placing an Order - Sharpening Equpt.

I just got my DMT plates today - they're huge! I have a couple of questions. Inside each box there's a strip with 4 brown buttons. Are these supposed to be cut and self-sitkied to the corners as legs?

Next - I got the x-coarse plate and in their literature there's no use for it with knives, only for lapping (whatevere that is). When would I ever use it? Or, is that a wasted money stone?

Will coatings like on a Ka-Bar, Esee, Becker knife get hung up in the plate's surface or give me any unsuspected problems?

Thanks! :D
 
cziv said:
I just got my DMT plates today - they're huge! I have a couple of questions. Inside each box there's a strip with 4 brown buttons. Are these supposed to be cut and self-sitkied to the corners as legs?

Next - I got the x-coarse plate and in their literature there's no use for it with knives, only for lapping (whatevere that is). When would I ever use it? Or, is that a wasted money stone?

Will coatings like on a Ka-Bar, Esee, Becker knife get hung up in the plate's surface or give me any unsuspected problems?

Thanks! :D
Click to expand...

Use alcohol to clean the bottom corners first then stick on the feet.

The XC will do fine have no worries.

Coatings will be fine, no different than other stones.
 
knifenut1013 said:
Use alcohol to clean the bottom corners first then stick on the feet.

The XC will do fine have no worries.

Coatings will be fine, no different than other stones.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, will do. I had to sharpen two of my knives already and I have to say I got clean bevels and they cut like a lawnmower, but I couldn't get the edges shaving sharp. It felt like I had a burr on both sides, in a way. Not the smooth side and the burr side.

The closest I could get them was feeling kind of thick or bushy feeling at the edge on each side but not clean at all. I had to take an old dia-fold xx-fine and hit the edges about 5 passes on each side and they were back to screamin sharp again. Hmm?

Maybe it's because they're so new? I used a sharpie marker and magnifying gllass but coming off the x-fine plate, the edge didn't shine - it had a bead blasted appearance. The dia-fold put a near mirror edge after a few passes. :(
 
The finish will improve with some use. I'm noticing that with my DiaFolds, especially the EF/EEF. You'll also notice them starting to feel much smoother, under the blade. At the EF/EEF grits, they even start feeling 'slick' or 'buttery' with some softer steels, with almost complete absence of that 'gritty' sensation felt on most hones. Sort of strange feeling, but it demonstrates how effortlessly the diamond cuts through the steel.
 
That's just a reminder of what they are like new :)

They will lose that gritty feeling and start to shine instead of dull after some more use.

The "double burr" is usually when the apex starts to form, a few more strokes and the edge probably would have become sharp. Not sharp like your diafolds though, when new you just don't get that. That aggressive cutting will go away too becoming smoother and with harder steels a little slippery. The key will always be pressure though, keeping light will yield highest feedback from the stone and more importantly bevel consistency. It not just about the knife though but the care of the hone, good care now will give better results later.
 
As far as the double burr, I can't really say. I can work up a burr on an already, fairly sharp folder in 5 or 6 strokes. The cutting power of these are unreal! I flipped the burr from one side to the other and just barely touched the plate to get the apex as even as possible, before going to the next hone.

The edges were sharp but not shaving sharp (paper tearing sharp, but would cut you if you fooled around with them) and I progressed through all of them hoping that at some point they would but I believe it's going to take time and a couple of machetes or other cheap, obtuse, hard use knives until the surfaces lay down a bit.

As far as care, I don't think I'm pressing down to hard but I noticed a few line in the formerly virgin diamond side of the stones. I kept the wet and rinsed them off when they got nasty. Put them away washed, rinsed and dried.

About the dia-folds, if they ever made them about 2 inches longer I'd never give them up. You're right about the green/tan x-fine/xx-fine one. It's as if you're rubbng them on smooth metal but wow do they work.

I'll persevere with these bad *ss stones and let you know if I have more questions or a break through!

You all have been very understanding and helpful. I really appreciate it. ;) :thumbup:
 
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