Diamond stone cleaning

[Bluekingfisher]

I have been using a fine diamond stone for several years now to hone my blades. However, of late it has become less efficient. When adding water as a lubricant I noticed the water was beading on the surface on the plate, probably caused by contamination by oil, both the natural and workshop variety from my hands.

When I bought it ( at a WW show) the chap told me the best way to clear the swarf was to use a pencil eraser but even this is not cleaning the stone now.

I was thinking of using white spirit or petrol to clear the oil but worried this may affect the bonding material holding the diamonds to the substructure.

Any ideas anyone?

Thank you

David

 

[Richard T]

They don't last forever, could it just be wear?

 

[MIGNAL]

Might depend on the cost of the stone in the first place. If it was an expensive stone and only lasted a few years I'd be a little upset. My 8,000 G waterstone is near 15 years with probably another 5 or so to go. It gets used virtually every single day.
I have a cheap combination coarse/medium Diamond stone that I'm now using very frequently but it's only a few months old. So far I'm liking it a lot. I can put a card scraper on edge and go like crazy without fear of grooving the stone.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

They don't last forever, could it just be wear?

It was £65 if memory serves. I guess that could be considered more expensive that inexpensive?? I can't recall the guys name who sold it but I have seen him at virtually every show I have been to. he is a chap of about 60 or so but dresses like a younger man, tight jeans, cuban heel boots, north of England accent with long hair as per 2nd division footballer.................anyone know him :lol:

I only use it in a hobby capacity. I'm guessing its about 6 years old although for most of that time it has been in storage so I would have thought still some life left in it.

David

 

[custard]

he is a chap of about 60 or so but dresses like a younger man, tight jeans, cuban heel boots, north of England accent with long hair as per 2nd division footballer

Sounds pretty trustworthy, shouldn't be any quality issues there.

 

[MIGNAL]

£65 is a fair amount of dosh for a single stone. I'd expect that to be a DMT or EzeLap. 6 years of light hobby use equates to a poor life expectancy if the problem is due to wear.

BTW. The lubricant: Why does Sellers use Glass cleaner, rather than water?

 

[Bluekingfisher]

£65 is a fair amount of dosh for a single stone. I'd expect that to be a DMT or EzeLap. 6 years of light hobby use equates to a poor life expectancy if the problem is due to wear.

Yep, like I said, I think it more a case of needing cleaned, I was just hoping someone had experience of cleaning diamond stones and what to use to clean it?

David

 

[MIGNAL]

Don't know. I just use soap/water on mine and the eraser. One side is continuous and has the rust marks on it. Hard to get it absolutely clean. The other side has the patterning and seems a little easier.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I use the DMT polka dot stones. Had them for years and they still work well. Always used oil on them (3-in-1) and found that much better than water. Just wipe them with some paper towel to clean them.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS from your description of the bloke you bought yours from, yours is probably a Trend.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Mine looks the same, well almost the same both sides, I'll try some hot water and a detergent first to see how it goes.

David

 

[G S Haydon]

I'm with Paul Chapman. Oil works well on them and floats the particles better than just water. Perhaps this is why PS uses glass cleaner? A real good scrubbing would hopefully bring it back to life.

 

[iNewbie]

BTW. The lubricant: Why does Sellers use Glass cleaner, rather than water?

It only cost him a pound. The answer is posted on here - boy he sounds just like a fella who posts on here about sharpening and Guru's. :mrgreen:

Sellers Questions

 

[bugbear]

BTW. The lubricant: Why does Sellers use Glass cleaner, rather than water?

It only cost him a pound. The answer is posted on here - boy he sounds just like a fella who posts on here about sharpening and Guru's. :mrgreen:

Sellers Questions

Waterstones sound terrible.

The Japanese probably get no woodwork done at all

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dry%C5%AB-ji

BugBear

 

[MIGNAL]

BTW. The lubricant: Why does Sellers use Glass cleaner, rather than water?

It only cost him a pound. The answer is posted on here - boy he sounds just like a fella who posts on here about sharpening and Guru's. :mrgreen:

Sellers Questions

Nope. Still doesn't answer the question, as water costs practically £0 per bottle. That's significantly cheaper than glass cleaner.

 

[carlb40]

They don't last forever, could it just be wear?

It was £65 if memory serves. I guess that could be considered more expensive that inexpensive?? I can't recall the guys name who sold it but I have seen him at virtually every show I have been to. he is a chap of about 60 or so but dresses like a younger man, tight jeans, cuban heel boots, north of England accent with long hair as per 2nd division footballer.................anyone know him :lol:

I only use it in a hobby capacity. I'm guessing its about 6 years old although for most of that time it has been in storage so I would have thought still some life left in it.

David

That sounds like the guy who used to do the rounds years back when the DMT stones were first introduced to the uk. He used to be on QVC selling the stones virtually every week in the DIY hour with harry green.

 

[carlb40]

£65 is a fair amount of dosh for a single stone. I'd expect that to be a DMT or EzeLap. 6 years of light hobby use equates to a poor life expectancy if the problem is due to wear.

Yep, like I said, I think it more a case of needing cleaned, I was just hoping someone had experience of cleaning diamond stones and what to use to clean it?

David

I just use warm soapy water and dry it straight away. I have only ever used mine dry.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I suspect that diamond stones may be a wee bit different to ceramic stones, but I found that despite the manufacturer's instructions to use them dry, the ceramics glazed quite readily. Cleaning up was then a vigorous scrub with a pan-scourer in hot washing-up water. I've since used them with water as a lubricant, with a little washing-up liquid added to kill the surface tension, and this floats off the abraded metal very effectively, and I've never had to deep-clean them since.

I suspect that diamond stones are similar in this respect. The abraded metal stays on the stone, eventually clogging it to some extent, and it'll need a vigorous scrubbing in several directions with something like a stiff-bristle brush, and a thorough dunking in something to flush off the debris. Either that, or a thorough brushing off fairly regularly in use to keep the gaps between the diamonds clear. If you're in any doubt about what this treatment might do to the stone, try on one corner first.

 

[MIGNAL]

Bluekingfisher. Perhaps you should contact the manufacturer of your diamond stone and see what they say. Most of them answer technical questions fairly promptly. They should be well aware of what cleaners/ methods are effective and which products will lead to damaging the surface of the stone.

 

[iNewbie]

BTW. The lubricant: Why does Sellers use Glass cleaner, rather than water?

It only cost him a pound. The answer is posted on here - boy he sounds just like a fella who posts on here about sharpening and Guru's. :mrgreen:

Sellers Questions

Nope. Still doesn't answer the question, as water costs practically £0 per bottle. That's significantly cheaper than glass cleaner.

"Hello Ric,
I have used all manner of fluids for this but I wanted something that didn’t enter my body through the skin that was harmful. Many chemical-based products are. I tried glass cleaner one year, one that was harmless, and it kept the plates clean and free from clogging so I carried on with it. I actually don’t use fluid every time, perhaps one in five, but when I have ten sets of chisels and planes to sharpen I use liquid because doing so many inevitably clogs the plates, especially the finer plates. being as the makers recommend soap and water for cleanup I figured something similar might work well for sharpening too.

"

 

[Billy Flitch]

The diamond stone I have when it gets blocked up I take a small wire brush to it and give it a hiding cleans it up no bother. I`ve had it about five years and I`ve yet to do any damage to it.
Oil is about the worst thing you can use on any sharpening gear just use dish soap diluted with water, no problems.