Thread: Used DMTs

Originally Posted by eKretz

Ditto what DaveW says. The nickel plating thickness is a huge determinant of how well the diamonds stay embedded. On some plates I've seen it is way thinner than it should be IMO. Check these out:

https://scienceofsharp.wordpress.com...late-break-in/

https://scienceofsharp.wordpress.com...eak-in-part-2/

I'm glad to see those pictures at the bottom. One of the things that always comes up with tools when I suggest oilstones are optimal for someone who wants something that makes sense in the context of work is "well, diamond plates are better than oilstones". I noticed long ago that when you're using a DMT, you get odd random deep scratches, that cosmetically is annoying. For woodworking, I don't know if they really matter, but it always struck me as odd that even when you use a broken in DMT or other monocrystalline plate, you get some scratches that are difficult to remove - now I see why.

I don't get the same thing from a broken in eze lap, but even the ezelaps are pretty aggressive when they're new (DMTs are all mono crystalline and ezelaps are a combination of mono and poly).

I don't get the same thing from atoma, either, but the way the atoma diamonds are arranged in piles makes them fantastic for lapping stones, but a bit funny feeling for honing things in the larger particle sizes. Like honing on a zipper.

Do you see and consider those as an option

Thin Square Sheet Flat Diamond Stone | eBay

I have both DMT and cheap chinese plates and for hones lapping i dont see much diference i quality

Originally Posted by RusenBG

Do you see and consider those as an option

Thin Square Sheet Flat Diamond Stone | eBay

I have both DMT and cheap chinese plates and for hones lapping i dont see much diference i quality

I have inexpensive chinese plates, too, at one point someone was selling a milled chinese plate 8mm thick with two sides on it for $19 on ebay with a rubber base (the type of base that costs that much itself) and I have one of them and it's as good as a DMT diasharp, and close to flat (not perfect, but close enough).

A well respected jeweler/machinist/instrument maker/tool maker/diemaker (he can make just about anything) that I know says those inexpensive chinese diamond sheets are the way to go if you have a lapping machine (he has some high dollar lapping machines). If you had a substrate to glue them to, I'm sure they'd be fine for hand honing, too.