Sharpening M4 steel?

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Jul 20, 2012
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What's your experience with sharpening m4 steel, and how does it fare on an arkansas stone? In the future I'm looking to grab a gayle bradley, but the only sharpening equipment I have is a sharpmaker and an arkansas tri-hone up to the surgical black grade.

- Bladenoobie1
 
Arkansas stone can slowly deal with 1 of these 3 M4 attributes: high hrc, 5.5% WC, 4% VC. Sharpmaker ceramic should be fine even having to deal with hard VC, since M4 has a fine-grain structure. I prefer to use diamond abrasive for cleanly abrading all grain types, rather than occasionally suffer whole VC grains rip-out.
 
How are DMT duo sharps and EZlap diamond hones? If I were to purchase one of these double sided stones, what grit combo should I get? If possible I'd like to hear someone's experience with m4 steel on Arkansas stones. Additionally I've read reports of putting diamond paste on the arkansas stone for improved cutting performance. Is this advisable and does it help?
 
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