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Post by larason2 on May 2, 2023 23:01:51 GMT
That's useful Treeslicer. I actually just realized that I have been using "whet" wrong. Whet being an ancient english word that means "sharp." Both oil stones and water stones would be considered whetstones (as would basically all stones that sharpen, I guess!). It literally just means "sharp stone." I've only ever used water stones and a wet wheel machine (a take on a synthetic water stone). I'm happy with that currently, but it's good to know a bit about other options such as the diamond stones.
I have two diamond drill bits I needed for a project once, but otherwise don't really have any other diamond tools. The drill bits are good for cutting holes in rock and other objects that are very brittle, likely the diamond stone would be good for shaping/sharpening brittle materials as well (apparently the only stones that work on ceramic knives). In the case of the drill bits though, you do have to use it with copious amounts of water and go really slow (so you don't overheat the bit!). I'll keep the information in mind.
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Post by sjoebarry on May 2, 2023 23:17:12 GMT
“Diamond plates cut very fast, but leave the worst scratches.”
Are you advising to NOT use diamond plates?
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Post by treeslicer on May 2, 2023 23:45:40 GMT
“Diamond plates cut very fast, but leave the worst scratches.” Are you advising to NOT use diamond plates? No, but be aware of their shortcomings. They aren't the best choice overall, for all occasions and applications, without thinking about it, like they are often promoted to be. They can also wear out faster than many people expect, particularly when used in a busy shop. I personally find them best for hard to sharpen knives of special alloys.
The best way to understand sharpening is to get a selection of different sharpening stones and try them all out. Some things are good for kitchen knives, some for woodworking tools, some for swords, etc. Diamond plates aren't, IMHO, safe for finish sharpening katana. I know because I tried it, with a big DMT 8000 grit hone, and had to go back to uchigomori stones to fix it..
BTW, the synthetic diamond abrasive technology is not yet really mature. Sooner or later, someone will come up with some sort of cheap solid diamond grit whetstones, and run everything else off the market, but that day isn't here yet.
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