DMT bench stone general preference

[global_dev]

http://www.dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/bench-stones/

when you use one, do you guys prefer, the DMT whetstone, dia-sharp or duo-sharp? interrupted or continuous? 6x2, 8x3, 10x4, 11.5 x2.5etc?

DMT® Diamond Grit Size - Color Coding

SILVER (XX) Diamond - Extra-Extra Coarse
Extreme repair of a very damaged edge (120 mesh, 120 micron)

BLACK (X) Diamond - Extra Coarse
Fix and restore a damaged edge (220 mesh, 60 mircron)

BLUE (C) Diamond - Coarse
Quickly sharpen a neglected edge (325 mesh, 45 micron)

RED (F) Diamond - Fine
Put a keen edge on a maintained tool (600 mesh, 25 micron)

GREEN (E) Diamond - Extra Fine
Sharpen to a razor edge (1200 mesh, 9 micron)

WHITE (CER) Ceramic
Start a polished and refined edge (2200 mesh, 7 micron)

TAN (EE) Diamond - Extra-Extra Fine
Extra fine polish to an extreme edge (8000 mesh, 3 micron)

 

[Seraphim]

I have two Dia_sharps.

The 8x3 600
And the 11.5x2.5 1200

The 11.5 length is awesome.

 

[global_dev]

I have two Dia_sharps.

The 8x3 600
And the 11.5x2.5 1200

The 11.5 length is awesome.

i hadn't even finished the opening post yet

so continuous then... why the 11.5? i find with rolling x-strokes the most i can get out of the stroke is like 6"

 

[global_dev]

i use/have used the following:

Dias-sharp 6x2 double sided C/F for repair (continuous) and lapping stones
Whetstone 6x2 E for bevel
Dia-sharp 8x3 XX for lapping

and E credit card for slurry...

 

[Seraphim]

i hadn't even finished the opening post yet

so continuous then... why the 11.5? i find with rolling x-strokes the most i can get out of the stroke is like 6"

I don't use the rolling x-stroke.

I use the Seraphim Slash Stroke

 

[Lomez]

I only have the Dia1200, it's big and heavy. It work's...

Does the Dia have a different feel & sound than the Duo?

Good thread by the way!

 

[Gamma]

I have an 8x3 Duo 220/325x, a 10x4 Dia 1200, and an 11.5x2.5 600x.
I also had a 10x4 Diasharp 325x, but it died.
I prefer the interrupted surface for lapping. The 11.5" length is nice but the stone is too narrow for my tastes.

 

[Firewalker]

I have an 8x3 Duo 220/325x, a 10x4 Dia 1200, and an 11.5x2.5 600x.
I also had a 10x4 Duo 325x, but it died.
I prefer the interrupted surface for lapping. The 11.5" length is nice but the stone is too narrow for my tastes.

Wanna sell/trade your dead 10x4 Duo?

 

[Gamma]

Was useless - tossed it a long time ago.
Edit - was a typo - that was a Diasharp, not a Duo.
I also had a 10x4 Duo - but I traded it out a while ago.

 

[Marco]

I only have an 8x3 DiaSharp 325. I use for lapping and I find it excellent.

 

[wherndon]

I used wet/dry sandpaper from the auto shop, does that count?

 

[Legion]

I have an 8x3 600, and I find it very good for quickly removing metal and bashing blades into shape before the bevel set.

 

[Alum of Potash]

In lieu of the ceramic stone in the original list, you might substitute the 8x3 "medium extra-fine" diamond stone, which clocks in at 6 micron/4000 mesh.

I agree with the above statements that the perforated surface is better for lapping. I just tried lapping some synth stones with a uninterrupted Atoma eco 400 I picked up as part of a package deal and didn't like how the slurry tended to build up excessively towards the center of the plate there. This never happens so much with my perforated 220/325 Duosharp. Think I'll lap with the Atoma a little bit more, so as to wear it down somewhat and then see how it works with chips on blades instead.

Don't tend to hear so much about the DMTs as a complete progression on the forum these days. At one point, I did some research and found a thread from a few years back where people appeared to be having good results following the whole progression. But then again, DMT plates do not appear to have as much potential as fetish objects as natural stones.

 

[Proinsias]

I've only got a coarse DiaSharp 8x3 DMT D8C. I'm glad I bought it. I use it for knives, tools, lapping, slurry, Gold Dollars and other sad looking razors with oil, water or with a little dish soap in the water. It's a workhorse.

But then again, DMT plates do not appear to have as much potential as fetish objects as natural stones.

Maybe not but the shiny steel slab with rubber accessories does tick some boxes.

 

[global_dev]

I just realized my charnley is about 12x2.5 and its a great size and feeling. Hmm..

 

[Alum of Potash]

Maybe not but the shiny steel slab with rubber accessories does tick some boxes.

Can't vote for the DMT 4-3/8 x 7/8, 8 x 2, 8 x 2-5/8 and 10 x 4 interrupted surfaces, so the poll would appear to be biased towards the continuous surface from the start. ;-)

 

[global_dev]

Yeah, this poll isn't really great, but it's a start. Just a lot of configurations with dmts, bit the comments are great

 

[chuckr9]

The 325 gets the most use for me (although less now that I don't buy eBay "specials" that always seemed to have issues to hone out).

 

[suits123]

325 but im thinking about a 1200 to help scratch less on my jnat.

 

[jeness]

I had every grit at some point in time, sold them all eventually. For honing I liked everything from 325 to the 8k, the continous ones. I had three of the interrupted stones, and while they were much better for lapping, every one of them were warped like hell, and not suitable for lapping at all. Now I only have a 400 Atoma for lapping, which is kind of "interrupted" too. If I would be in the US than I would try to get a nice and flat DMT with the interrupted surface, but 3 tries were enough for me.