DMT D8EE 8-Inch Dia-Sharp Continuous Diamond Extra-Extra Fine
The DMT Difference
Diamond Uniformity, Coverage, Surface Flatness
DMT uses micronised monocrystalline diamonds, precisely sized for a more uniform diamond surface. No other diamond sharpeners offers micronised monocrystalline diamond and most offer the lesser grade poly-crystalline diamond. Mono-crystalline is like an ice cube made up of one particle holding its form while poly-crystalline is like a snow-cone made up of many small particles that get sheared off during use.
Coverage: DMT’s process assures the most diamonds per square inch in the industry providing a more durable sharpening surface.
Surface Flatness: DMT bench stones are engineered flat, assuring even contact with the knife or tool.
Choice of Diamond Surfaces
Interrupted or polka dot surface for which DMT is famous has slightly recessed holes that will collect metal fines (swarf) removed during sharpening to prevent loading. Fast sharpening action; not recommended for pointed or very small tools.
Continuous surface presents a more conventional looking sharpening surface. Fast sharpening action; able to use on small surface edges.
HardCoat, DMT’s newest proprietary surface, is able to withstand the rigours of ceramic sharpening, providing an even longer service life to the sharpener.
DMT Commitment
DMT is committed to providing the best diamond sharpeners in the marketplace. If the sharpener is found to be defective, we will replace it.
Benefits of The DMT Difference
- Precise Diamond Sizing for Consistent Sharpening and Longer Life
- Best Diamond Coverage for Longer-Lasting Service
- Flat Surface for Even Sharpening
- Choice In Diamond Surfaces
- DMT Commitment- Replacement If Found To Be Defective
8-inch Dia-Sharp Bench Stone Many Uses
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HomeJust a few examples of edges around the home this model can address: Chef Knife, Paring Knife, Boning Knife, Fillet Knife, Utility Knife, Putty Knife. | GardenJust a few examples of edges for use in the garden this model can address: Hoe, Axe, Machete, Spade, Trowel, Shovel. | Outdoor/SportsJust a few examples of edges for outdoor and sporting activities this model can address: Folding Knife, Fixed Blade, Machete, Pocket Knife, Fillet Knife, Skinning Knife, Multi-Tool, Hatchet. | WoodworkingJust a few examples of edges for woodworkers this model can address: Marking Knife, Chisel, Plane Iron, Utility Knife, Draw Knife. |
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| Knife and Tool Edges Able to Address | Straight, Convex | Straight, Convex, Small and Pointed Tools | Straight, Convex, with Base able to take sharpener to surface | Straight, Convex, Small and Pointed Tools | Straight, Convex, with Base able to take sharpener to surface | Straight, Convex, Small and Pointed Tools |
| The Differentiating Feature in Bench Stone Models | 6-in. x 2-in. sharpening surface, available in Plastic (.5 lb) with mounting capability or Wooden box (.6 lb.) | 6-in. x 2-in. sharpening surface, available in single and double sided, narrow profile to fit in tool box,( .84 lb.) | 8-in. x 2.63-in. two-sided diamond surface to step through honing process, comes w/non-skid mat (.51 lb.) or with a base (1.07 lb.) | 8-in. x 3-in. single sided, only bench stone offered in all 6 diamond grits, (2.45 lb.) | 10-in. x 4-in. two-sided diamond surface to step through honing process, comes w/non-skid mat (1.21 lb.) or with a base (1.7 lb.) | 10-in. x 4-in. sharpening surface, offers long, smooth stroke sharpening, (4.2 lb.) |
| Home Applications | Kitchen Knives, Fillet Knife, Box Cutter Knife, Pocket Knife, Putty Knife, Paint Scraper, Screwdriver, Scraper Knife, Straight Razor + | Kitchen Knives, Fillet Knife, Box Cutter Knife, Pocket Knife, Putty Knife, Paint Scraper, Screwdriver, Scraper Knife, Straight Razor + | Kitchen Knives, Fillet Knife, Box Cutter Knife, Pocket Knife, Putty Knife, Paint Scraper, Screwdriver, Scraper Knife, Straight Razor; with base: shovel, sidewalk ice scraper + | Kitchen Knives, Fillet Knife, Box Cutter Knife, Pocket Knife, Putty Knife, Paint Scraper, Screwdriver, Scraper Knife, Straight Razor + | Kitchen Knives, Fillet Knife, Box Cutter Knife, Pocket Knife, Putty Knife, Screwdriver, Paint Scraper, Scraper Knife, Straight Razor; with base: shovel, sidewalk ice scraper + | Kitchen Knives, Fillet Knife, Box Cutter Knife, Pocket Knife, Putty Knife, Screwdriver, Paint Scraper, Scraper Knife, Straight Razor + |
| Garden Applications | Spade, Trowel, Machete, Axe, Hoe, Shovel, Dibble, Cultivator, Pickaxe, Grubhoe + | Spade, Trowel, Machete, Axe, Hoe, Shovel, Dibble, Cultivator, Pickaxe, Grubhoe + | Spade, Trowel, Machete, Axe, Hoe, Shovel, Dibble, Cultivator, Pickaxe, Grubhoe + | Spade, Trowel, Machete, Axe, Hoe, Shovel, Dibble, Cultivator, Pickaxe, Grubhoe + | Spade, Trowel, Machete, Axe, Hoe, Shovel, Dibble, Cultivator, Pickaxe, Grubhoe + | Spade, Trowel, Machete, Axe, Hoe, Shovel, Dibble, Cultivator, Pickaxe, Grubhoe + |
| Outdoor / Sports Applications | Pocket Knife, Tactical Knife, Machete, Multi-Tool, Hatchet, Axe, Ice Pick, Broadheads, Pitons, Fillet Knife + | Pocket Knife, Tactical Knife, Machete, Multi-Tool, Hatchet, Axe, Ice Pick, Broadheads, Pitons, Fillet Knife + | Pocket Knife, Tactical Knife, Machete, Multi-Tool, Hatchet, Axe, Ice Pick, Broadheads, Pitons, Fillet Knife + | Pocket Knife, Tactical Knife, Machete, Multi-Tool, Hatchet, Axe, Ice Pick, Broadheads, Pitons, Fillet Knife + | Pocket Knife, Tactical Knife, Machete, Multi-Tool, Hatchet, Axe, Ice Pick, Broadheads, Pitons, Fillet Knife + | Pocket Knife, Tactical Knife, Machete, Multi-Tool, Hatchet, Axe, Ice Pick, Broadheads, Pitons, Fillet Knife + |
| Woodworking Applications | Chisel, Plane Iron, Marking Knife, Utility Knife, Outcannel Gouge, Scraper, Skew Chisel + | Chisel, Plane Iron, Marking Knife, Utility Knife, Carving Gouge, Carving Knife, Veiner + | Chisel, Plane Iron, Marking Knife, Utility Knife, + | Chisel, Plane Iron, Marking Knife, Utility Knife, Carving Gouge, Carving Knife, Veiner + | Chisel, Plane Iron, Marking Knife, Utility Knife, + | Chisel, Plane Iron, Marking Knife, Utility Knife, Carving Gouge, Carving Knife, Veiner + |
Portable Sharpeners
DMT offers an assortment of very portable, hand-held sharpeners that provide easy storage in home, shop, truck, back-pack or RV. Made to sharpen an array of knives and tools while portable enough for on-the-go sharpening. Interrupted surface models include Diafold, Mini-Sharp, 4-inch Diamond Whetstone; continuous diamond surface stones include 3-inch Credit Card Style, 4-inch stones and Mini-Hone sharpeners; one Double Sided Diafold is available in the HardCoat diamond surface, designed to withstand the rigours of ceramic knife sharpening.
Sharpening Steels
Most steels are designed to align a knife’s blade, but DMT diamond sharpening steels in 10-, 12- and 14-inch models will both align and hone the blade. All are continuous diamond surface but one 12-inch model is offered in DMT’s HardCoat diamond surface, specifically designed to withstand the rigours of ceramic knife sharpening. For those who wish to sharpen with ceramic, DMT offers a 12-inch ceramic steel sharpener.
Bench / Counter Stones
DMT offers a nice selection of diamond bench stones from 6- to 12-inch lengths of varying widths to accommodate home, sport and tactical knives along with a mixture of DIY and woodworking tools. Models include interrupted, continuous and one DuoSharp model in HardCoat diamond. Models include Diamond Whetstone, DuoSharp and Dia-Sharp bench stones.
Guided Sharpeners
If you are unsure about sharpening, try one of DMT’s sharpening systems to assist with proper sharpening angles. All systems revolve around the 7-angle adjustable blade guide utilising either 4-inch diamond whetstones in the Aligner models or Double Sided Diafold Sharpeners in the MagnaGuide line. The blade guide can also be used with DMT’s bench stones.
Care and Use of DMT Diamond Sharpeners
All models are designed to be used dry or with water so there are no messy oils and extensive clean up to worry about. Always clean the DMT sharpening surface after sharpening. Rinse surface with water and wipe dry. After several sharpenings, clean more thoroughly with a mild abrasive and brush; rinse surface with water and wipe dry.
Always put away dry and store in a dry environment. Use leafing (paper towels, cloth, plastic storage bag) in between your bench stones to prevent abrasive sides from rubbing.
- Use Dry or with Water
- Clean and Wipe Dry
- Store Dry
About Sharpening with DMT
Get the Most out of your DMT Sharpener
There is a ‘break-in’ period for your diamond stone. Initially, it will feel especially rough but will smooth over time without impacting performance. Let the diamonds do the work; just light strokes with the edge to sharpen, same number of strokes each side. Approximately 5 or 6 strokes per side (depending upon condition of edge) compared to 30 strokes per side on a conventional stone, saving time and extending the life of the knife or tool. Start with a coarser grit for damaged or dull edges and work to finer grits. The work the edge is to do will help you determine the grit needed: Rough work, end with coarse grit (cutting cardboard); finer work, work through finer grits (food preparation).
- Initial break-in
- Light strokes to sharpen – let the diamond do the work
- Faster than conventional sharpening methods
- Rough work – coarser grit
- Fine work – finer grit
| Weight: | 1 kg |
| Dimensions: | 35.56 x 16.51 x 8.89 cm; 1 Kilograms |
| Model: | D8EE |
| Part: | DMTD8EE-BRK |
| Colour: | Grey |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Acme United Corporation |
| Colour: | Grey |
| Quantity: | 1 |
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
Super fast and no more mess. All you need is soapy water. I love it so much I bought 2 different grits.
This stone has cut sharpening time on badly blunted blades by at least 50% over water stones. Wish I had purchased it earlier.
This stone has cut sharpening time on badly blunted blades by at least 50% over water stones. Wish I had purchased it earlier.
This stone has cut sharpening time on badly blunted blades by at least 50% over water stones. Wish I had purchased it earlier.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
Thought it was 1000+ grains, only 600, my bad. Works great for axe and other arround the house tools.
I was a little apprehensive before purchasing this stone after the reports of it not being a true 3 micron 8K abrasive, that there were some larger abrasive diamonds in the mixture, and would require some “break in ” period before performing as an 8K stone. The stone arrived with a sticker that indicated that a break in session was done at the factory by DMT prior to shipping, as well as a note that indicated which side of the stone the diamond abrasive had been deposited. Good thing they tell you which side to use, because the bottom looks identical to the top. Don’t let that fool you into thinking they didn’t apply the diamond layer….it’s there! Reports are true….out of the box, including the factory break in, this is by no means a true 3 micron diamond plate. However, the level of refinement out of box is, by my guess, around a 2k-3k level or 6 micron. This is actually a very nice working edge with excellent slicing aggression as well as good push cutting ability. The more it’s used, the more it will wear in closer to the 3 micron rating. It has been my experience that the DMT EF 1200 mesh (9 micron) stone has the same issue….larger diamonds scattered in the mix and also needs a “break in ” period before it gives a consistent 9 micron finish. All of their diamond plates are extremely aggressive when new, and wear in over time with a better feel and better performance. Recommend a light coat of mineral oil during use with this stone, and the others. If you need a fast, efficient method of refining a sharp edge with wear resistance steels, this plate will work well, just keep in mind the initial limitations.
used the 8000 grit extra extra fine a good few times and no problems so far,reports of some failing after little use seem to point to hit and miss quality,puts a nice polish on the edge of knives
As delivered, these stones have a lot of manufacturing “gunk” on them, and when new can be pretty sharp, i.e. grading lower (coarser) than marked. The stones break-in with use, and I actually break them in before using on anything of any significance.
To break these stones in and clean them up, spray with 50/50 solution of Simple Green and Water. Use this as a lube for the stones all the time, it just works better than water or dry. Take a hardened piece (nice if it is the width of the stone) of 440C (I use a old knife tang) and run it up and down the stone, in circles or whatever, but try to cover the whole area. Keep adding Simple Green as needed, wipe the stone and steel off when it gets dirty (it will) and you should start to feel the stone smoothing out. There are little pieces of dirt and manufacturing eccentricities in the coating they put on them and you need to work that off. Once that is off, the stone will exhibit a much more uniform texture that you would expect. At the point that the surface is uniform, the stone will still grade a little rough, but will smooth out with use. Keep using the Simple Green solution to keep the stone and work clean. When breaking-in, pay significant attention to working the edges of the stone, this is important as this area can be a little rough. Even using the Dia-Lap 120 to chamfer the edges doesn’t work all that well. If you are lucky enough to have a stone that they didn’t get coated all the way to the edges, don’t send it back; I wish they made them all that way. The stone should exhibit a uniform gray/silver appearance when properly cleaned and broken-in.
Just what I expected . Excellent bench stone for the preparation to move on to the finer grits.
Just what I expected . Excellent bench stone for the preparation to move on to the finer grits.
Effortless razor sharp edge. Work my way up through a couple water stones, then to the 1800 diamond, then this one. Works like a boss!
Effortless razor sharp edge. Work my way up through a couple water stones, then to the 1800 diamond, then this one. Works like a boss!
I rely on these DMT diamond plates. I started out in the 60’s and used to use Arkansas stones but these give better results in less time without the oily mess. A spray bottle of water and a paper towel is all you need. These diamond plates are fantastic for sharpening extra wide hand plane blades and jointer and planer knives. They’re also great for kitchen knives, scissors, etc. I sharpened some chisels with coarse, fine, and extra fine followed by a strop with jeweler’s rouge and got the keenest blades of my life. These are a lifetime investment and well worth it.
Awesome durable stone! I’m only using this for levelling my Japanese whetstones. Does the job very quickly!
Awesome durable stone! I’m only using this for levelling my Japanese whetstones. Does the job very quickly!
Works great. Bought course, fine, and super fine. The fine had some larger diamonds that caused bigger scratches. I think it just needs to be broken in.
Works great. Bought course, fine, and super fine. The fine had some larger diamonds that caused bigger scratches. I think it just needs to be broken in.
Overall impressed with how much sharper my reed knives turned out… A very good investment!
Overall impressed with how much sharper my reed knives turned out… A very good investment!
Overall impressed with how much sharper my reed knives turned out… A very good investment!
I use the XX Fine with soapy water to sharpen scissors after I use the X Fine. Cleans up nice. I ordered and received this item in two days. Very happy.
I use the X Fine with soapy water to sharpen the ride line on convex scissors and then polish with the XX Fine. Cleans up nice. I ordered and received this item in two days. Very happy.
I use the XX Fine with soapy water to sharpen scissors after I use the X Fine. Cleans up nice. I ordered and received this item in two days. Very happy.
I use the X Fine with soapy water to sharpen the ride line on convex scissors and then polish with the XX Fine. Cleans up nice. I ordered and received this item in two days. Very happy.
I use the XX Fine with soapy water to sharpen scissors after I use the X Fine. Cleans up nice. I ordered and received this item in two days. Very happy.
I use the X Fine with soapy water to sharpen the ride line on convex scissors and then polish with the XX Fine. Cleans up nice. I ordered and received this item in two days. Very happy.
Reu une journe d’avance. Bien content du produit va me servir a planer mes pierres a aiguiser.
Th DMT plate is good.
There are few diamonds sticking out front he surface. Be sure to nok it down before honing.
Th DMT plate is good.
There are few diamonds sticking out front he surface. Be sure to nok it down before honing.
Th DMT plate is good.
There are few diamonds sticking out front he surface. Be sure to nok it down before honing.
I use this stone to flatten waterstones and this thing cuts really really fast. Literally 10x faster than the DMT coarse plate, saves me tons of time since i work in a sushi restaurant and my waterstones need flattening every few days.
Only downside is because the grit/mesh is so low, it can leave streaks where the diamond cut. You can minimize it by rubbing with a circular motion or better if you have a higher grit stone or diamond plate to finish. Also the price is high.
I use this stone to flatten waterstones and this thing cuts really really fast. Literally 10x faster than the DMT coarse plate, saves me tons of time since i work in a sushi restaurant and my waterstones need flattening every few days.
Only downside is because the grit/mesh is so low, it can leave streaks where the diamond cut. You can minimize it by rubbing with a circular motion or better if you have a higher grit stone or diamond plate to finish. Also the price is high.
I use this stone to flatten waterstones and this thing cuts really really fast. Literally 10x faster than the DMT coarse plate, saves me tons of time since i work in a sushi restaurant and my waterstones need flattening every few days.
Only downside is because the grit/mesh is so low, it can leave streaks where the diamond cut. You can minimize it by rubbing with a circular motion or better if you have a higher grit stone or diamond plate to finish. Also the price is high.
Always my favourite stone to knock down any tool or mis-treated kitchen knife. Offers the most flexibility on-site tune up of wood working tools. Professional carpenter/tradesman and would not use any other brand than DMT. Prices have gone down since the last time bought it 10 years ago.
Definitely better than Chinese products. Would seriously advise to cut a 11 degree and 15 degree wedge on mitre saw to familiarize yourself with the knife angles most used. 20 degree angle would help register planer or chisel blades needing touch-up in the field. Fastest way to get the final edge on any metal or ceramic tool. For one that depends on sharp tools to do the final sharpening – the DMT line is a great asset to me
Always my favourite stone to knock down any tool or mis-treated kitchen knife. Offers the most flexibility on-site tune up of wood working tools. Professional carpenter/tradesman and would not use any other brand than DMT. Prices have gone down since the last time bought it 10 years ago.
Definitely better than Chinese products. Would seriously advise to cut a 11 degree and 15 degree wedge on mitre saw to familiarize yourself with the knife angles most used. 20 degree angle would help register planer or chisel blades needing touch-up in the field. Fastest way to get the final edge on any metal or ceramic tool. For one that depends on sharp tools to do the final sharpening – the DMT line is a great asset to me
As of now it works great, I bought this to help with re-profiling knives that are REALLY dull, or at least too dull to be fixed with a spyderco medium grit stone. Havent used it a ton since most of the knives that I have dont require its use, however the knives I have used it on were fixed quickly.
I have heard of the diamonds stripping out of it but I have not had that issue as of yet.
Also note, it says to clean it with powdered abrasive such as comet, that scratches up the back of the plate, so it may do the same to the front surface as well. Dont know if that will cause any real harm.
Replaced a lost traditional whetstone with this one. I used a sharpening rod for a while, but I think that’s how I put waves in the edge, so I stopped using it. This sharpener did the trick. It removed the waves and put a super sharp edge on my knives. It’s so nice to have sharp knives again. The weight of this is enough that it sits on the granite countertop nicely while I sharpen the blade. Yes, I recommend it and would buy it again if lost or stolen. Only had it a short time so I don’t know how long it will last, but I think it might be the last knife sharpener I ever need to buy.
It’s a lot heavier than it looks, and than I imagined it would be. I’m not sure why it is, but I like it, and it stops it moving about on the bench.
Note: After the initial break in period it may seem that is no longer as coarse. I’m not sure why this is, but all diamond stones seem to do this. However I have been using this for a year now and it still removes steel very quickly.
Have the other big plates, Fine, Extra Fine, Had to have this one for OCD Sharpening sicknesssss. I look at edges with magnifying glasses. My D2 blades & San Mai VG Laminated require precision. I use the 6,000g sharpening belt, & now found 12,000g belts for WS. Problem with flat plates like this, great for straight edges, planer blades, chisels… But curved blades like the Blur, Skeketool CX or the like, it just eats curve away & tips, it’s specific to straight blades. Even after months of flattening stones & breaking this in, it’s still too course, but that being said, still finer than triangle ultra fine ceramic competitors rig.
I had to have it, but wouldn’t replace it with another, unless only sharpened chisels, but my DMT F/XF 2 sided with locking stand is irreplaceable.
Before returning my second defective stone I called DMT customer service and they were great. I am now quite satisfied. It’s an aggressive sharpening stone in a highly useful grit. I wish I hadn’t had to go through the trouble it took to get a good one, but I’m glad I did.
If you get a defective stone, which seems to happen with some regularity, don’t return it to Amazon. Call DMT at the number on the box and if they are as good to you as they were to me, you’ll be happy.
original review and first two edits:
This stone came with manufacturing defects – a mottled surface with actual thumbprints in it, and numerous scratches and other defects. These are so visible there’s no excuse for this getting through QC. It would probably sharpen OK but the marred surface is plain ugly. See my product pictures. I want to support American manufacturing but this reminds me of the 1970’s when you had to buy an import if you wanted a quality car.
I tried scrubbing the thumbprints and other mottling off with soapy water and a brass brush, but it didn’t work. Of course, scrubbing wouldn’t fix the scratches and gouges anyway. I’m returning this one for exchange and will update my review when the new one comes in.
Edit: the second stone came marred with a black hard residue that cleaned off leaving what seems to be a permanently discolored surface. Unlike the first stone the diamond surface seems to be OK, so I’m going to keep it, but I am disappointed at DMT’s poor quality control.
Edit 2: My blade drags on the discolored area and makes a noise as it runs over it. Not good, this one is going back too.
DMT’s packaging is also substandard. It comes in an over-large cardboard sleeve with the diamond surface partially exposed. At this price level a simple plastic storage box should be included, even if it adds a couple dollars to the price.
1. Repairing chipped and worn edges on chisels and planes. For this purpose it’s hard to beat. It cuts extremely fast, without very little pressure. I prefer this to a powered grinding wheel as it’s more controllable for me. A grinding wheel would be quicker in skilled hands, but that’s not an issue for me.
2. Flattening worn sharpening stones. My soft Arkansas stone needs a touch up once in a while, and the DMT stone does a very good job. I’m thinking of getting sone waterstones, and this will be very handy for them as well.
3. Flattening the base on used planes. The DMT cuts a lot faster than sandpaper, and is good for that initial flattening. From here I switch to 400 and 800 grit alumina-zirconia paper on my granite surface plate.
Some reviewers have said that this plate is slightly concave; I think mine might be a few thousandths off flat, but for my uses it’s not really an issue. For the price this is a good value with a number of uses in the wood shop. The trick to using this sharpener is (as we so often say) to let the tool do the work. Applying too much pressure will result in excessive wear. A light touch will cut smoother, too.
This extra coarse stone is great for shaping the blade. For example, I have a kitchen knife that was messed up by a grinder – the middle didn’t touch the cutting board. In just a few minutes this extra coarse stone straightened the blade and got a good bevel along the length. It still needed to be sharpened with the DMT Coarse and Fine, but with the cutting edge of the blade straight and the bevel good, sharpening was quick and easy. Example 2. I have a 1 inch woodworking chisel that I had messed up on a grinder (bad angle). I had spent a huge amount of time (over an hour) with a coarse DMT stone getting it partially fixed – from a crooked 30 degrees to 28 degrees. Now that I have the extra coarse, I got it to the desired 25 degree bevel in minutes rather than hours. Yes, it took quite a while, but nowhere near as long as I had already spent doing the first part of the job with the coarse rather than extra coarse stone.
Some of the other reviews said the plate was not flat. When it arrived I immediately compared it with my three other DMT diamond plates. The plate was flat (or I would have returned it). As I first used it, I could hear a slightly different sound the first time over each area of the stone. No surprise, it had to be broken in, so I made sure I covered the whole area. A couple small spots were still rough after the first pass, but were perfect after I ran the chisel I was sharpening over that spot 3 or 4 times. No big deal.
Overall I highly recommend the DMT extra coarse for shaping a blade (kitchen or woodworking). Much less likely to mess it up than on a grinder (or in my case, I was able to fix the blade after messing it up on a grinder)
The DMT regular coarse is excellent for the first sharpening – removing the scratches that naturally come from using an extra coarse stone. I originally got this coarse stone to flatten my waterstones – it does a good job of that, but is useful beyond just the waterstones, when I have to do serious sharpening work on a neglected blade.
The DMT fine (there is no medium) does a great job sharpening kitchen knives (at least razor sharp), and taking my chisels etc to the next level. If I am just touching up a sharpening job, this is where I start. Kitchen knives rarely go beyond this level.
The DMT micro fine was a disappointment for my chisels and planes. Instead I go to waterstones – 4000 grit then 8000 grit. Those give an almost mirror finish to the chisels. I called it a mirror finish until I got a 13,000 grit waterstone. Now that is my standard of sharp, for both the front and back of my blades.
i purchase the diamond sharp to sharpen my knives and to flatten my sharpening knives. it’s doing a good job
Easy to clean with some cream bathroom cleaner or toothpaste and a bristle brush.
Best price for this item I could find online.
Did take 6 days to arrive though. Although must add I took standard delivery option.
packing sucked-very heavy in bottom of a large box with paper on top. not impressed. second time its happened but noone cares. item is great-with patience and some skill-not alot this will put a great starter edge on a kitchen knife or bushlore knife. for kitchen its all you need-contrary to idea of a buffed edge. for finer finish use the finer diamond or cheaper use wet dry paper. excellent lifetime investment. unlike stones it doesnt wear.
packing sucked-very heavy in bottom of a large box with paper on top. not impressed. second time its happened but noone cares. item is great-with patience and some skill-not alot this will put a great starter edge on a kitchen knife or bushlore knife. for kitchen its all you need-contrary to idea of a buffed edge. for finer finish use the finer diamond or cheaper use wet dry paper. excellent lifetime investment. unlike stones it doesnt wear.
A quick note: the last time I looked, Amazon’s description says you can sharpen on either side of this plate (it is a heavy slab of nickle, and both sides look the same to the casual glance). But there is an arrow on one side of the plate pointing to the diamond impregnated side, and this is the side you want to use for sharpening — there is only one abrasive side to the plate.
After accumulating a few expensive VG-10 and SG2 steel Japanese Kitchen knives, I settled on maintaining them (once a week) with a Coarse, Fine, Extra Fine system of DMT plates. For finishing, I use this the Extra-Extra Fine finishing plate. It takes a bit of practice to use these properly, but once you get a system down, they are probably the least expensive or messy, most reliable system for sharpening high quality blades. There are generally four types of commercially available systems to sharpen your kitchen knives. Here is my (very) subjective comparison of systems:
1. Diamond Systems (e.g., DMT): Mess & Effort (Low), Sharpening Quality (Very High), Skill required (Moderate)
2. Arkansas stones: Mess & Effort (Moderate), Sharpening Quality (High, not good for steels >60HRC), Skill required (Moderate)
3. Japanese Waterstones: Mess & Effort (Very High), Sharpening Quality (The Best), Skill required (High)
4. Ceramic sharpening systems: Mess & Effort (Low), Sharpening Quality (High, touch up only), Skill required (Low)
I use dish detergent and water on the DMT plates to sharpen, having found that better than other solutions. It keeps everything clean as well. The DMT plates sharpen aggressively, so compared to the other systems, you will sharpen faster and with less effort.
I have seen several complaints about DMT plates not being perfectly flat, but I think these are bogus. I have considerable experience inspecting optical flats (these usually need to be flatter than 1/4 wave, which is quite flat) and used the same techniques to eyeball my plates DMT WM8EF-WB 8-Inch DuoSharp Plus Bench Stone-Extra Fine/Fine With Base . The extra fine plate is easy to inspect, since rainbow refractions from the diamonds show off any ripples; additionally, the regular pattern of pits on the plates highlights any unevenness. My plates are very flat. But interestingly enough, not one of my knives (not even my brand new Miyabi) is perfectly flat; certainly not as flat as the plate. Even if there were ripples, I couldn’t see them being more significant than you would get on a worn waterstone or Arkansas stone. Maybe there is the occasional bad plate; just send it back and get a new one. The DMT system is in my opinion a much less error prone approach to sharpening than other options.
I use the MinoSharp Sharpening Guides 2-Piece Set designed by Global for Japanese style chef’s knives (~15 degree edge). Someone mentioned that they are afraid that these will grind down, and change the angle. Well, first, the tolerances are not that fine on the blade angle (anything from 9 degrees to 20 on a side is fine), and the correct technique should be to pressure the sharp edge of the blade, and let the sharpening guide just glide over the stone. If you do this, you will hardly even scratch the sharpening guide. You should see a very even line of sharpened metal around the blade (the first time you sharpen it, you will change the factory angle, and this will be visible) … a sign that the guide is doing its job.
I replaced the Arkansas stone on my Smith’s 50008 8-Inch Diamond Tri-Hone 1 with the DMT D8EE 8-Inch Dia-Sharp Continuous Diamond Extra-Extra Fine which slots right into the space (I epoxied it to hold it tight). The DMT system has a bit more surface area, and is a bit more aggressive, while getting the same near-polish. I finish with a strop. I mounted the Body Toolz Horsehide Leather & Canvas Barber Strop on a wood slat, coated with Green Chrome Oxide Compound, 6 oz.
Overall the cost is low for all the DMT plates you need: perhaps ~ $200. I prefer a strop over the steel, as it seems to gently and reliably straighten the final edge and seems consistent when finishing with the 4000-8000 mesh (whatever the actual fine-ness of your DMT D8EE 8-Inch Dia-Sharp Continuous Diamond Extra-Extra Fine turns out to be).
From what I’ve read and heard from DMT this will take some time to break in. The D8EE cuts fast and easily, not much pressure at all is needed. A little soapy water and a few strokes and you’ve got a very sharp tool to work with. I’ve only had this stone for a couple weeks but I have used it quite a bit (finish carpentry can be brutal on the edges of your hand tools). Despite there appearing to be a better polish on the bevel of my chisels with the extra fine duo sharp bench stone I find that the cutting edge seems sharper after I’ve used this stone. Basically it’s easier to shave the hairs off of a small patch of my arm or take light shavings off of end grain oak with the EEF sharpened blade than the EF sharpened blade. Not exactly scientific but I don’t have an electron microscope kicking around to check the blade out. This is an excellent stone that will only improve with age and use, without the hassles of water or oil stones. On top of the quality of this stone DMT customer service is fantastic!
I bought one of these stones and there was a small defect in the surface of the stone. My plane irons and chisels were catching on this defect so I called DMT directly. They asked me to send them the stone and they would examine it. But because I happen to live about 20 minutes from their facility in Massachusetts I asked if I could stop by. They said sure. So I went there and met Stan Watson (the guy in all of DMT’s videos), he took a look at it and found that it did indeed have a defect and replaced it on the spot!
DMT makes some fantastic made in the USA sharpening products and has second to none customer service!