DMT Dia-Sharp

[brothers]

Here's my plan. I'm going to use DMT (diamond) hones for part of the periodic edge maintenance,

in this order -

D8EF; 9 micron; 1200 mesh

D8E; 6 micron; 4000 mesh

D8EE; 3 micron; 8000 mesh

before going over to the Naniwa 12000 and the Escher.

[EL Alamein]

Gary, Big Warning here - anything below the 8k plate will chip the living daylights out of your edge if not properly broke in (round off those diamonds). Heck, even the 8k plate will chip the edge if not properly broke in.

I wish I could offer more advice on the breaking in process but I can't. I bought my 8k plate years ago used and it didn't take much more use from what I remember to break it in, thank goodness. However, I recently bought a 4k plate to replace my 4k Norton and it is still not broke in after months of using it as a flattening stone on a 1K Norton. I would not trust that 4k plate DMT to set an edge yet. The 1k Norton does a much better job at leaving a smooth edge. With a now properly broke in 8k DMT plate I can jump from the Norton 1K to it and get an excellent smooth Poker straight edge. I could shave off the 8k but choose not to as it still needs some refinement. Crox will work well to smooth out the edge and make it much keener. I personally use a Gokumyo 20k ceramic hone to finish now (no pastes whatsoever) and the edges are pure bliss IMHO. The Gokumyo 20k edges also last longer than the Crox finished edges but not by much.

At such a refined state you will need to smooth the edge out frequently due to micro-chipping and corrosion. I use a breadknifing technique (back AND forth with just the weight of the blade a few times until all microchips are removed) on a fine hone like a coticule and then touch up on the 8K plate until keen followed by the Gokumyo 20k hone again (20 to 30 passes are sufficient). Takes maybe a half hour of work but lasts a few weeks (2 to 3 weeks). I *think* a taut strop with some pressure works better for daily maintenance with this sort of set up as a slack strop daily may produce the micro-chips sooner. Haven't had a lot of time to test this though.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Best,
Chris

[brothers]

Chris, I'm much obliged. That's just the feedback I was hoping to receive before I did something that would mean more harm than good. I'm staying with the stones until a much later date.

[Oscar11]

Why? What do you use now before the Naniwa 12k and the escher.

[brothers]

Why? What do you use now before the Naniwa 12k and the escher.

For the past couple of years, it's been this (with occasional minor variations):

DMT D8E 1200
Naniwa 2000
Norton 4000
Norton 8000
Naniwa 12000
Thuringian or Escher
Swaty

[Oscar11]

Brothers, looks like a pretty good line up already but experimenting is half the fun. Let us know how it works out for you.

[brothers]

Chris, I still have my (hopefully) well-broken in DMT D8C and D8EF.

[EL Alamein]

Chris, I still have my (hopefully) well-broken in DMT D8C and D8EF.

Gary, that's good IMHO and I wish you great luck and success with them. I like the DMT plates because they are the closest thing to true flat I'll ever get and they'll never appreciably change in that regard (I only use my 8k right now as previously alluded to). To me, that aspect makes honing much easier in some ways. I always examine an edge off of a DMT plate under 100X magnification to ensure there is no chipping. For someone else who may be interested in doing this I'd advise that once you see consistent results in the form of poker straight edges then you needn't check if you don't want to. From there it's all feel. Oh and once a bevel is set you're good to go for a long time with just touch ups on the 8K and finer after the initial polishing.

I'd be interested to see the results of others in this regards. Good luck!

Chris

[brothers]

Before yesterday's evening shave, I touched up the Hess Fortyfour. I took a chance and started out with the DMT D8EEF (8000) for a few strokes, checked with my 60x loupe and didn't see any visible microchips. Moved to the Naniwa 12000, then the Escher, and ending up with a 3-2-1 sequence on the Swaty, before removing the tape and taking a few laps on the bench strops, (leather + Flexcut Gold and balsa + CrOx), then the strops. Got a good test shave. Looking forward to the next.

[EL Alamein]

Before yesterday's evening shave, I touched up the Hess Fortyfour. I took a chance and started out with the DMT D8EEF (8000) for a few strokes, checked with my 60x loupe and didn't see any visible microchips. Moved to the Naniwa 12000, then the Escher, and ending up with a 3-2-1 sequence on the Swaty, before removing the tape and taking a few laps on the bench strops, (leather + Flexcut Gold and balsa + CrOx), then the strops. Got a good test shave. Looking forward to the next.

Excellent! It's good to hear your 8k DMT didn't leave any chips. It is an excellent touch up medium and I go back to mine every few weeks for a few laps followed by my normal polishing routine. Good luck to you with it!

Chris

[brothers]

Chris, when I came to the Clauss, the normal touch up didn't bring the edge back like it should have. I examined the edge and there were some areas that were too far gone to touch up. So I backed up to the very well broken in DMT D8E and worked on the edge until it was wiping arm hair away, but rough. I followed that with the Naniwa 2000 and then the Norton 4/8. That's the stone that slows me down, had to get a pan of water to soak it in, then on to the Naniwa 12000, Escher, Swaty then the strops, etc. That razor's back in business, but this routine just eats up the time, doesn't it? I have hopes that some day the DMT stones will make it a lot easier. Gokumyo 20K is on my wish list at some future date.

[EL Alamein]

Gary, yeah what a time eater. You did the needful, though and got the edge so good on you.

Sometimes I find myself "chasing the edge" as it were with a simple touch up. It's these times when I realize such that I like to drop down to a 1k and reset the bevel. From there polishing on an 8k DMT is a cinch. Then I take it to the Gokumyo for a final polishing. Works a treat. Just a shame that things can get that way and you have to invest that time to just get a touch up. Seems to happen more often these days probably because the edge we're creating is more like an extremely refined industrial edge. This happens to me though when I've done several touch ups. I *think* its just the initial bevel degrading to the point where it needs to be reset because it gets pushed to the max and starts to wire and fold because it's just not strong enough.

In the old days when I was a kid and just starting out with this I wonder how I made it 4, 5, 6 months with an edge without having to hone. I theorize that the stone I was using (a borrowed Arkansas white stone at the time) was not as fine, more akin to a 1K stone or slightly sharper. I'm sure I loaded that stone on more than one occasion (but the saving grace was that it "cleared" because the fillings rusted and fell out thus renewing the stone - I speculate though). It therefore imparted a more lasting edge. And, of course, I just did one pass so there was less wear and tear on the edge. There were no pastes or any kind of finisher treatment involved, just a good stropping on my one and only strop.

Using a Belgian hone only for years also had this kind of effect - didn't feel I had to hone nearly as often I as do now. One does get addicted to the uber fine edges that modern instrument impart - so smooth, close and comfortable. Those Belgian created edges were as comfortable but not quite as close.

Anyway, I think I'll just have to persevere and just hone more often. If I learn to recognize a maxed out bevel sooner then I'll be just fine. Hope you find the same.

Good luck!

Chris

[brothers]

Chris, thanks for the encouragement. I can see that your current routine is simple and effective, and that's what I'm shooting for. I'm always looking to get a better understanding of the blades and the edges, and how to use the tools it takes to keep 'em sharp.