Thread: How does one know when their DMT is worn out

Originally Posted by Utopian

The DMT 325 used to be the only thing any of us knew, so it was what was/is recommended. There are better options now. I will try to start a new thread about this soon with explanatory photos.

That Atoma 1200 is bad to the bone. My DMT 325 has lapped many a stone, synthetic & natural. Still does, and I start with it, then go to the Atoma to finish the job. Interested in the 400 or 600 Atoma. I've heard the 600 might be better for not leaving scratches but dunno by personal experience.

I have the Atoma 120, 400, and 1200. Given how well the 400 works, I would guess that the 600 would be just fine for lapping; and of course it is more fine than the 400.

The 400 is amazing for blade repair. If you need to hog steel off of the edge, the 400 does it fast and in a manner that surprisingly is not destructive. An average 1k hone quickly can remove the scratches left by the Atoma 400

Originally Posted by Utopian

I have the Atoma 120, 400, and 1200. Given how well the 400 works, I would guess that the 600 would be just fine for lapping; and of course it is more fine than the 400.

The 400 is amazing for blade repair. If you need to hog steel off of the edge, the 400 does it fast and in a manner that surprisingly is not destructive. An average 1k hone quickly can remove the scratches left by the Atoma 400

I cannot believe how great the 1200 is for lapping waterstones. Do you find it wears after awhile ......... I know they all wear ........ but does the 1200 last a decent amount of time under the stress of lapping ? Up until now I only use it in the final stages.

I cannot give a proper assessment of that. I have not used it very much for lapping, only for occasional razor work and a few trials for lapping but like you only did it for finishing the lapping.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

There you have it!

This is an interesting subject. Seems a 325 DMT is wholly recommended for flattening and maintenance of synthetic hones, yet is WAY too rough for the task until it has evened out to the smallest diamonds. Something smoother should be recommended to new guys using a diamond plate for this purpose?
A thought?

Might not be bad advice to start with an Atoma 400 or a 600 grit plate. But it seems to me the minimal learning curve for the DMT 325 doesn't mean we should shy away from it either. It doesn't take all that much to break in a DMT properly. A few laps with a hard tool (I used a chisel) then flattening out a Norton 1K was about all the break in I needed. Even if you didn't break it in properly, it wouldn't be all that bad to chase your DMT with 320 sand paper to smooth things out a bit further before progressing. Probably still more economical too, because you'd use a single sheet as opposed to several sheets. And I still chase the 325 with 600 grit sand paper anyway.

Kinda makes me think that rather than buying sand paper, I should be buying diamond plates...

I really find it hard to completely wear out a plate. I have many around here that have been here for years. Atoma, DMT, Trend and Shapton. They do get to a point where they don't lap/clean as quick as when they were newer, but I always find some use for them. Blunting points, fixing chips, slurry and on and on. A little soapy water now and then on them works pretty well to clean them up. I'm not sure that I have a preference at this point. I usually buy a new one every year or so and they get used daily.

I normally use them under running water and only after the stone I am cleaning or lapping is wet.

Have fun.

Originally Posted by Marshal

Might not be bad advice to start with an Atoma 400 or a 600 grit plate. But it seems to me the minimal learning curve for the DMT 325 doesn't mean we should shy away from it either. It doesn't take all that much to break in a DMT properly. A few laps with a hard tool (I used a chisel) then flattening out a Norton 1K was about all the break in I needed. Even if you didn't break it in properly, it wouldn't be all that bad to chase your DMT with 320 sand paper to smooth things out a bit further before progressing. Probably still more economical too, because you'd use a single sheet as opposed to several sheets. And I still chase the 325 with 600 grit sand paper anyway.

Kinda makes me think that rather than buying sand paper, I should be buying diamond plates...

If you're going to be doing a lot of honing lapping with sandpaper can get expensive over time. Not to mention the hassle of trips to the auto parts to buy the wet/dry.

Funny thing, Atoma plates are a completely different animal than DMT. You can use the higher grit plates to lap and they are great. DMT used to have a paragraph on their old FAQ that warned against using any plate of a higher grit than 325 for lapping, and they only recommended 325 under running water.

Here is the latest FAQ where thy have a 120 and a 95 grit specifically for lapping and no mention of a higher grit, but just a warning that if you wear out a higher grit plate from lapping there is no warranty.

https://www.dmtsharp.com/resources/dmt-faq/

My 325 is still going strong and I only use the 600 for sharpening knives or beginning setting tougher bevels.

Don't use an Atoma 1200 to lap a 1k stone. That will ruin it.... I know from experience. Mine has a bald spot right in the middle from doing that. Anything finer should be fine.

Yea, I'd wager that I spent enough to buy 2 or 3 DMT plates getting all my naturals straight. But I was still learning to hone, and HAD hit kinda hard so I was lapping things almost daily for a few months there. Now things have settled down and I'm just maintaining a small rotation of razors and haven't had the need to lap anything in some time. But it may have been cheaper to pick up a 600, 1k, and ~2k diamond plate, rather than putting 10 to 15 bucks worth of sand paper in my cart every few weeks.

Yup, when you think they are done, just clean it.

A stiff brush, short stiff nylon or brass and powder cleanser, I like Bar Keepers Friend. Sprinkle it on, work it in a bit and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then scrub it again with the brush.

It will revive an old plate in a few minutes. There are many great Diamond plates now on the market and they all work well.

It is hard to ruin a diamond plate, and I have tried…