diamond sharpening plate.

[bourbon]

Hi everyone, I have just bought a 'Faithful' diamond plate. Simple question, Do I put any fluid on it or use it dry? I'm not used to having sharp tools,(lol)

 

[MattRoberts]

The fluid is simply to help carry the swarf away. You can use it dry, but it will soon become clogged and less abrasive.

You can get lapping fluid, or you can just use WD-40 or even a mineral oil like 3 in one.

 

[bourbon]

thank you for that, Makes a lot of sense when you think about it.

 

[ED65]

Diamond plates are one of the sharpening surfaces that work well dry. As they have no pores and the material itself isn't really wearing (adding to the clumping quality of the waste) the swarf remains a dry dust and only the occasional brush or wipe can keep the surface clean enough to still cut efficiently.

But diamond plates are versatile, they can be used with any type of honing liquid if you prefer to work wet. From the most basic, spit or soapy water to something like Windex, to anything in the oily family, white spirit at the light end through baby oil somewhere in the middle to heavier oils like 3-in-One or liquid paraffin.

If it's still bare now I'd try it that way first, you can try any liquids and go back to dry at any stage if you decide to.

 

[bourbon]

thank you, I guess I need to experiment and try both, I have tried dry, won't hurt to try a bit of oil. And see what works for me. :?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I use isopropyl on my diamond and my natural stones - it's so easy to wipe clean compared to oils.

 

[MatthewRedStars]

I use a drop of water on mine - and then rinse it under the tap after use. Never had any issues, but I always make sure I dry it thoroughly; I imagine any trapped filings could rust.

 

[custard]

Hi everyone, I have just bought a 'Faithful' diamond plate. Simple question, Do I put any fluid on it or use it dry? I'm not used to having sharp tools,(lol)

Use a fluid to float away the swarf and prevent the stone clogging up, but what fluid to use?

Few people use a completely diamond stone based sharpening regime. Diamond stones are generally used in conjunction with something else, be it scary sharp paper or oil stones or water stones or stropping. Be guided in your choice of fluid by these other sharpening media...you don't want oil transferring to water stones for example.

 

[Osvaldd]

thanks, Custard. You solved my dilemma. I just got a 400G diamond plate and washita stone, Im going to use mineral oil for both.

 

[Jacob]

I think diamond and other grinding/honing materials seem to cut a lot faster when wet, so there's more to it than just carrying away swarf.
By 'wet' I mean very wet - surface well flooded.
I use 3in1 oil thinned with white spirit, or just white spirit alone

 

[Eric The Viking]

I sharpen our kitchen knives under a slightly running tap, using cheap diamond plates ("medium" and "fine" - whatever that means). I find it works faster and I get a better edge that way. The plastic backing bits fell off years ago, but the cutting surfaces still work OK. I have mostly stopped using a steel, as I find it's too easy to dub over the edge, and I now don't need to do a proper regrind as often. But I can get a wicked edge and need to be careful*.

Each to their own...

E.

* I took a chunk out of a finger on Monday, whilst drying a newly sharpened blade when I was distracted for a second - (spot the *****).

 

[Sean Hellman]

Use whatever you want, but bear in mind that water does need to be dried off the plate after use. It is the metal in the plate that rusts and can degrade the plate after a while. Some plates are a lot worse than others. Diamond plates do clog, not really from the swarf but from anything else that is being abraded off like small resin particles especially from using softwoods, dirt, rust etc. If using dry a pencil erasure works well for cleaning.
I tend to use meths on my plates and other sheet abrasives, it evaporates off and I usually do not have any clean up to speak off to do.

 

[will1983]

I use cheap window cleaner on mine, when I'm done I just give it a quick wipe with a piece of kitchen roll.
I usually give the edge of my tools a quick strop on some MDF with green honing compound smeared over it.

Sharpening is one of those things where there's thousands of ways to do it and they usually all end up with the same result so just do what you want and what works for you.

EDIT: you may find that the stone is very coarse to start with and can easily make a mess of your nice already semi sharp tools. So if you have a box of old knackered chisels or plane blades (the junk we usually buy from boot sales for a couple of quid) waiting to be restored I suggest you use those on it first to get over the initial coarseness.

 

[Suffolkboy]

as sean helman said. If you use it dry the easiest way to clean the swarf out is with a pencil rubber.

 

[Ttrees]

I like water on my finishing plate as I use an oil stone beforehand.
I like WD-40 but normally use a much cheaper alternative spray.
For the price of tiny can of WD-40, you can get an alternative from a poundshop in a HUGE can the size of your arm.
I like using an oily bunch of shavings and keep piling on more shavings as it compresses to nothing.
After giving the blade a clean from the oil stone, spray water on the plates and this gives me enough oil on the diamond hone as not to rust.

 

[ED65]

I just got a 400G diamond plate and washita stone, Im going to use mineral oil for both.

A word of caution, one oily honing fluid doesn't work equally well across the board. Mineral oil AKA liquid paraffin should work great for your Washita but it may prove to be too thick for your 400# diamond plate, causing a noticeable 'bounce' due to its viscosity (more evident once the diamond plate has worn in).

For finer oilstones and diamond plates a lighter-bodied fluid is often found to be preferable, assuming you don't hone dry.

Edit: why is P A R A F F I N a substituted word here??? :?

 

[Osvaldd]

what lighter oil would you recommend then?

 

[Jacob]

Purafin or white spirit added to 3in1 bike oil. There's no magic involved.
Avoid the rip-off honing fluid "Honerite' which actually costs more by volume than a good Irish whisky, it's a blatant con trick - it'd make more sense to use 12 year old Redbreast* (no ice or water)!
*"The nose consists of ginger and summer fruit on an oily, nutty carpet. The palate is full and continues with the nuts, giving credence to almond with a suggestion of orange. The finish is long, satisfying and plays with baking spices."
PS p a r a f f i n! :lol:

 

[Ttrees]

Does paraffin smell awful like 3 in 1?
I won't use that as I have porous skin, and its a bit thick anyways.
Agreed any oil I've seen will clog the diamond hone.
That's why I like WD-40 or cheaper substitute, as it wipes off the iron easy,
but it will still leave just a hint of oil on the diamond plate.

 

[rafezetter]

Glass cleaner - cheap poundshop stuff.

No issues after several years of using.

Paraffin - wtf?