Thread: DMT Grit for Flattening?

Thanks, guys... I'll most likely get the D8C 325, but AFTER Josh gets done with my barber hones!

peace,
denis

Doh!

Josh

I am also interested in the DMT.

One issue with diamond hones is that some of the cheaper ones are not flat enough for our purposes. I am sure Howard will get us only something which is good, though

Cheers
Ivo

I flatten, revive, and otherwise rehabilitate about 20 stones every week. These range from coticules, blue belgians, artificial stones, norton waterstones, arkansas stones, etc. I use a DMT8C to do this work. The 8C is an 8"x3" coarse, continuous diamond (no holes in the surface) with rubber feet on the bottom. I put it in the kitchen sink and adjust a stream of warm water over the end of the stone to continuously wash the swarf away. If a stone is REALLY dished, I drop back to a DMTXX, extra coarse stone to bring the high spots (usually the ends of the stone) down to the height of the middle of the stone. I then move to the DMT Coarse to take out the deep scratches from the extra-coarse stone.

The DMT Extra fine clogs up in a few strokes and you can't proceed without cleaning the stone. I don't recommend using the DMT Extra fine for lapping stones.

I like the DMT stones because they're so durable and they don't dish. Like I say, I do about 20 stones a week and have been for years and the stone is still fine. The DMT is a very high quality stone and is all you need to flatten stones.

what about using the fine stone rated at 600 grit? or is it unnecessary? after all some ppl go up to 1000 grit when lapping the norton

which mehod would be preffered:

to go from extra-coarse to coarse or to go from coarse to fine?

Eric,

I'm not sure how the 600-grit would work. I have tried the 1200, and it develops a very strong suction... The 600 would probably be a little better. I'm not sure it's necessary, though. I've been pretty happy with the surface left by the 320.

Has anybody else tried this?

Josh

holy quick reply batman!

if the coarse stone leaves a well enough finish then i guess it would make more sense to go from extra coarse to coarse. use the XC to get the stone flat and use the coarse to get it smooth.

thanks.

is an 8" x 2 5/8" (the size of the dmt stones) stone big enough to use as a flattening stone? my gut feeling tells me you want a stone that's larger than the stone you are flattening.

or is the size of the flattening stone a moot point?

is there some technique/special motion that you use when you are using a smaller size flattening stone? or just the regular figure 8's

Eric,

In theory, I agree with you. In practice, I haven't seen any problems using the smaller DMT hone on my Norton. I lapped it a couple of days ago using circular and twisting back-and-forth motions, and it seemed to work quite well.

I haven't lapped the Norton very much lately, though; the hones I use regularly are smaller than the DMT. Howard at theperfectedge.com uses a DMT to lap the Nortons he sells, I think.

Josh