Thread: Full Hollow Stainless Steel Bevel with DMT 8EE?

Are you sure it needs that much work?
If it really does, I'd say it will be fine. That hone punches above its weight with its cutting abilities. Couple that with a new Dovo, which will need very little doing to it & you really should have more than you need there.
If you're familiar with the Sharpness Tests, you should be able to determine where it is. Try the Thumb Pad Test. If the bevel is already set, as it probably is, there's no point re setting it.

The reason I ask, is that I want to purchase as little as possible to start with. I have done a fair bit of knife sharpening in my time, but I am not used to the fine grits that are used with razor sharpening, so I need to buy new honing equipment. I am considering the DMT 8EE, and making myself a balsa wood 4 sided stropping paddle with some various pastes.

If I really need to buy extra stones, I am considering a Naniwas 1k and 12k, plus the DMT8EE, and then some pastes. Also, IF I really need the Naniwas, I am considering a DMT 8C for lapping.

Do you guys reckon I can get away with only the DMT 8EE and pastes? Apparently the DMT8EE is the duck's nuts and can cut a bevel like a Norton 4K stone, so I might not need anything less than this for now.

I have a lot of experience shaving with straights, but it has always been disposable blades, so I have a vague idea what a sharp blade should feel like, but my little DOVO Full hollow stainless steel is blunt as a brick if I compare it with the disposable straight blades I use.

Originally Posted by leadingedge

Apparently the DMT8EE is the duck's nuts and can cut a bevel like a Norton 4K stone, so I might not need anything less than this for now.

It cuts well, but it leaves an horrendous scratch pattern that will take a hellishly long time to remove with a 12k stone. I used to shave off the DMT8EE, but the edges are not exactly refined, & it's not something I'd want to do now.

I don't have the experience with pastes to know what they'd do after the DMT. I have Dovo black & red, but they're a fall back & for occasional touch ups.

I guess you prefer to do it yourself to avoid international shipping. Don't know what else is available to you out there, but what about the standard Norton 4/8?

Yep, "The die is cast!" We have zero hones available to buy here in Hong Kong, unfortunately! The Norton 4/8K, as you suggested, is also pretty far up my list of possibilities... Question: does the 8k of the Norton have the same end result as the 8k of the DMT 8EE?

Though I've not used the Nortons, I'm confident the answer is no. The DMT's are renowned for the aggressive pattern the diamonds leave. Far toothier than the 8K rated stones of alternative manufacturers.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

The DMT's are renowned for the aggressive pattern the diamonds leave. Far toothier than the 8K rated stones of alternative manufacturers.

+1. that is my impression from using one of them. I reserve it for tougher stainless following bevel setting and follow the plate with higher grit waterstones on the rare occasions I've used it.

It seems like my best bet will be to only use a DMT 8C (325grit) to lap with, then get a set of Naniwas: 1K, 3/8K and 12K. Or perhaps substituting some of them with Norton stones.. That DMT 8EE might be a bit an the rough side of things!

First off I would bet with enough determination you can get any stone to work BUT....

I have to agree with Ben and Jimmy here, the DMT's in general are a bit harsher cutting stones, which normally is a bad thing with SS razors...

IME when honing SS razors I want to get off the harsh cutters as fast as possible and get to the higher grits quickly... SS is more abrasion resistant so it needs to be slowly pushed to ultimate sharpness rather than trying to rip at it..

Now all that being said if all I had was a DMT8EE and nothing else in front of me, I would work it to death to get the razor shaving by using lather, dish-soap, or any other thing I could think of to "soften" the DMT's cutting action on the final stages....

Any of the Synthetic Sets would be a good choice but I would also push the Naniwa option the highest as that is my Goto set for the SS/Inox blades I hone up...The Naniwa's seem to get a very SMOOTH edge out of them...