Thinking about going from DMT plates to Shapton Pro Waterstones

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Jul 29, 2010
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I currently sharpen on DMT Dia-Sharp plates EC through EEF in 8x3. Can I make the transition to Shapton Pro Stones without difficulty? What difference will I notice if any? Is this a wise move?
David
 
They are completely different stones so your going to notice a lot. The shaptons will cut faster, polish higher and have much greater feedback. Your going to need a good lapping plate too, the XC DMT is not going to cut it. A good nagura or small diamond slurry plate will be needed for the higher grit stones, they tend to load and in some cases using the stone with a slurry is helpful.

Top of the line stones that produce great edges, you will not be disappointed.
 
Thanks Jason for the good info. If the XC DMT won't do it what would you suggest?
 
I think it depends on what you're looking for in terms of the knives you sharpen and the results you are wanting. I have a small set of waterstones (Nubatamas) that work well. I am the limiting factor. The feel of the waterstones is very different and I sometimes struggle to get good results with them. With my DMT DiaSharps, I rarely have any issues at all.

In my case, my finest DMT is EF and my finest Nubatama stone is 5k. There is a distinct difference in polish level and a perceivable difference in sharpness. The difference in sharpness is more about smoothness than anything else and isn't as dramatic as the difference in how the edge looks.

My goal with waterstones was to experience what they were like and to do something in a way that's been done for many hundreds of years. I was attracted to it for those aesthetic and experience reasons. I was already getting very sharp, every nice edges with my DMTs. Just my experience and my thoughts.

Brian.
 
Yup. I use a DMT Dia Flat to lap mine. It's equivalent in coarseness to the XXC Dia Sharp. These are awesome flatteners, but I have heard very good things about the Atoma diamond plates for stone lapping also.
 
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