CBN vs Daimond SM rods?

[TkoK83Spy]

CBN or Diamond aren't "accessories" and should be a part of everyone's sharpening stable. If you ever want to reprofile and thin out your blade, or repair a chip...you cut your time in half using those over the brown stones. It would take A LONG TIME to do either of those things with a Sharpmaker brown stone.

[Dreaded]

As a toolmaker I use diamond grinding wheels on carbides, and ceramics, CBN I use for tool steels. In theory diamond isn’t ideal for use on ferrous materials. The slow speed of hand sharpening doesn’t create enough heat to be detrimental to diamond which is why they both work in sharpening rods. IMO go with CBN.

[Wartstein]

CBN or Diamond aren't "accessories" and should be a part of everyone's sharpening stable. If you ever want to reprofile and thin out your blade, or repair a chip...you cut your time in half using those over the brown stones. It would take A LONG TIME to do either of those things with a Sharpmaker brown stone.

+ 1

I was really happy with my basic sharpmaker and "only" the brown and white rods, but since I got my CBNs it's clearly an even better system!

On the other hand I personally would have no use for the ultra fine rods (but I am not an "edge junkie" at all)

[Bill1170]

I hardly ever use my fine and ultrafine rods anymore. Finish bevel on diamonds, microbevel withe the browns. Pops hair off the arm and slices paper no problem. I prefer the tooth you get from that progression.

All the stones are good to have though. Some steels work great at the high polishes of the fine and ultrafine. It's good to have variety!

Same here. I use the fine rods on my ZDP Delica and Stretch; that steel loves a refined edge. My other knives perform best off the medium rods in my experience.