Sal, any chance for new CBN/Diamond rods?

[Surfingringo]

I know this has been asked before but I'm curious if there are any plans for more CBN (or diamond) rods in finer grits? The Sharpmaker is my primary sharpening method and it is a helluva tool, but I find there is just too much gap between the diamond rods and the mediums. The edge I get off the diamonds seems to be around 300 grit and the brown/medium rods give me a finish that I would equate to something in the 1200 range. My favorite edge to work with, especially in my fillet knives, is around 600-800 grit. I usually end up just free handing my fillet knives because there is nothing in that range for the sharpmaker. Seems like that is a pretty popular finish for an aggressive edge with high edge retention for slicing. Just wondering if y'all have any plans to bridge that gap? You would definitely sell a couple of sets to me. Anyone else in for some 600 grit diamond rods for the SM?

[Evil D]

Well, I can't say I've had a very positive experience with the diamond rods, so I'd be very leery about buying another set. I would however be interested in additional grit ceramics.

[Liquid Cobra]

I'd be in for a set even though I almost always finish on the the ultra fine stones.

[Surfingringo]

Well, I can't say I've had a very positive experience with the diamond rods, so I'd be very leery about buying another set. I would however be interested in additional grit ceramics.

Thats too bad man. I have had mine for a couple of years and reprofiled dozens and dozes of knives and they are still going strong. I have never used the corners though.

[Evil D]

Well, I can't say I've had a very positive experience with the diamond rods, so I'd be very leery about buying another set. I would however be interested in additional grit ceramics.

Thats too bad man. I have had mine for a couple of years and reprofiled dozens and dozes of knives and they are still going strong. I have never used the corners though.

I bought them specifically for the corners, to use on recurves and such. I didn't feel like I was using too much pressure but I guess so. It's kind of a downer.

[bearfacedkiller]

I would love to see a set around 120-180 myself.

[aesmith]

Anyone else in for some 600 grit diamond rods for the SM?

If that's same as DMT Fine (Red), that's a good grade for a diamond sharpener.

[elena86]

I know this has been asked before but I'm curious if there are any plans for more CBN (or diamond) rods in finer grits? The Sharpmaker is my primary sharpening method and it is a helluva tool, but I find there is just too much gap between the diamond rods and the mediums. The edge I get off the diamonds seems to be around 300 grit and the brown/medium rods give me a finish that I would equate to something in the 1200 range. My favorite edge to work with, especially in my fillet knives, is around 600-800 grit. I usually end up just free handing my fillet knives because there is nothing in that range for the sharpmaker. Seems like that is a pretty popular finish for an aggressive edge with high edge retention for slicing. Just wondering if y'all have any plans to bridge that gap? You would definitely sell a couple of sets to me. Anyone else in for some 600 grit diamond rods for the SM?

AFAIK brown rods give aprox.600 grit finish.I may be wrong though :)

[Cliff Stamp]

[quote="Surfingringo"The edge I get off the diamonds seems to be around 300 grit and the brown/medium rods give me a finish that I would equate to something in the 1200 range. My favorite edge to work with, especially in my fillet knives, is around 600-800 grit.[/quote]

In general more available grits are always nice for the consumer base, however there are a few things you can do to make a coarse grit produce a finer grit finish :

-use ultra light contact (as in 5-10 grams)
-use a lot of lubricant (try heavier ones which will coat the abrasive, a heavy mineral oil for example)
-cross the scratch pattern

or do a combination of grits :

-grind one side of the edge only with the medium, leave the other side with the diamonds
-grind both sides with the medium, but do very few passes so as to not completely eliminate the scratch pattern

If you do a little experimenting you can use the mediums to generate any scratch pattern between the diamond and mediums. The same is true when you sharpen, don't completely reset the edge with the diamonds, and then do a little work with the mediums.

It takes a bit of finagling at first but if you do it a few times it becomes fairly easy.

[JD Spydo]

Well, I can't say I've had a very positive experience with the diamond rods, so I'd be very leery about buying another set. I would however be interested in additional grit ceramics.

I mainly use my Spyderco 204 Diamond rods for stock removal more than anything else. Especially when I have a really banged up and dinged up blade that's been put through hard use. I haven't used any type of diamond abrasive for finishing in a long time. I also wish that Spyderco would come up with a coarse or extra coarse stone for the 204 Sharpmaker for rapid stock removal.

[Cliff Stamp]

[...] I also wish that Spyderco would come up with a coarse or extra coarse stone for the 204 Sharpmaker for rapid stock removal.

I used to be not very interested in that until I recently used example of brazed synthetic mono-diamond abrasives in ultra low grits. These are very different from what you see in DMT and other manufacturers, they are industrial products and designed for very harsh and demanding applications. I have used them for example to recut 36 grit silicon carbide dressing stones to restore the aggressive cutting ability. That isn't something you would want to try to do with an XX-coarse DMT as it would likely tear the plate apart.

[awa54]

[...] I also wish that Spyderco would come up with a coarse or extra coarse stone for the 204 Sharpmaker for rapid stock removal.

I used to be not very interested in that until I recently used example of brazed synthetic mono-diamond abrasives in ultra low grits. These are very different from what you see in DMT and other manufacturers, they are industrial products and designed for very harsh and demanding applications. I have used them for example to recut 36 grit silicon carbide dressing stones to restore the aggressive cutting ability. That isn't something you would want to try to do with an XX-coarse DMT as it would likely tear the plate apart.

Cliff, what are your feelings in regard to Eze-Lap diamond plates?

[Cliff Stamp]

Cliff, what are your feelings in regard to Eze-Lap diamond plates?

I can't speak to the current EzLap's as the last one I used is more than 10 years old. At the time I compared a few DMT's to a few EzLap's :

-DMT's were more consistent

-EzLap's had much greater wear rates

At the time I concluded it was due to the EzLap using poly diamond for the abrasives and were more prone to fracture along the crystal planes. However I had a small sample size (a few of each) so it wasn't a very reliable conclusions. I did contact both manufacturers and only got a response from DMT and that more than anything solidified my choice to use DMT as I strongly value manufacturer interaction.

[Henry - get both]

I have thought about this for a while. I am in favor!

I recently switched to the white rods because the brown rods don't offer an aggressive edge anyway.

[awa54]

Interesting... I have several small eze-laps that are at least ten years old, they are noticeably less aggressive than when they were new, but keep cutting long after DMTs have worn out due to plating failure (this especially shows at the edges of the stone, as a DMT can be ruined by a single overzealous attempt to rework a blade heel... don't ask how I know this).

I have two eze-lap stones that came with very rough spots on the ends when new, both smoothed out with use, but as you say the DMT stones I have used and owned all had excellent surface regularity from the beginning.

I was just thinking that a bonded/infused product like the eze-lap would stand up to heavy handed corner use in the Sharpmaker better than the existing plated design.

What product was your previous comment based on? is it a stone that's available to the retail buying public?

[Cliff Stamp]

I have two eze-lap stones that came with very rough spots on the ends when new, both smoothed out with use, but as you say the DMT stones I have used and owned all had excellent surface regularity from the beginning.

That's the problem with small sample testing, you are prone to false positives hence why I didn't hold much confidence in mine. I have lots of such DMt stones, I bought a 12" set recently, the coarse one is pretty mangled :



All those shiny spots have no abrasive.

What product was your previous comment based on? is it a stone that's available to the retail buying public?

Yes, just do a search for brazed monocrystalline diamond abrasives. To clarify, I don't think anyone makes a DMT style plate, but you can adapt common industrial pieces for use.