stone grading experiment

[Ken S]

Seeing diamond stones used by Ionut and Wootz to dress the Japanese stone, I have wondered if a set of two or three diamond stones (DMT calls them diamond files) might serve as replacements for the stone grader.

My initial results using a 1000 grit diamond plate were successful enough to order several and give them to forum members to broaden the testing sample. Wootz has described using them.

I wanted to expand the technique. DMT makes a set of three with 325, 600, and 1200 grit. These are the size of a credit card, two inches or 50mm wide. I had a two foot length of tho inch wide metal stock on hand. I made up three eight inch lengths and glued the diamond files onto them. These fit into a Tormek square edge jig like a plane blade would fit.

Today's initial results are a work in progress. I have more work to do. Looking at the scratch pattern on chisel bevels, initial results indicate that the scratch pattern of the Tormel stone grader at 220 is more coarse than the pattern of the 325 grit diamond file. The 600 grit diamond file and the stone grader used for a middle coarseness ("600 grit") seemed very similar. The 1200 grit diamond file had a smoother scratch pattern than the stone grader graded fine (1000 grit).

Based on these not thoroughly tested results, I can see possible uses for a very fine diamond credit card size file when a finer stone might be wanted.

These diamond files held in square edge jigs should keep the grinding wheel more flat.

At this point, I do not see diamond files replacing the stone grader. I do see them as a useful complement for the stone grader.

The coarsest way to use the SG remains just after using the TT-50 truing tool.

Ken

[timpaulgeorge]

Ken-thanks for your plethora of contributions!
If I'm reading this correctly, you couldn't see much of a difference between the 325/600 grit scratch patterns and the 1200 grit was noticeably finer than 1000 grit stone grader?
What was lacking about the diamond stone grading process that you would say they would not replace the stone grader?

[John_B]

Ken,

Do you have any followup information on this method for dressing the SG-250?

Also do you have a link to the diamond plates you bought? I am most interested in grading the SG-250 finer than the stone grader.
I bought a second leather wheel and 1 µm paste for honing after using the Tormek paste. I have a couple of test knives I am going to try.

[Ken S]

John,

Here is the link to the duamond file cards:

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-D3EFC-Dia-Sharp-Extra-Fine-Diamond/dp/B00006IIO3

Sorry, I have not had a chance to work more with these. As I recall, the extra fine card was the most effective. It seemed to make the SG smoother than the stone grader. The coarser diamond cards didn't make as much difference  as I had hoped.

Wootz first posted, using a very inexpensive 1000 grit thin diamond card held in the SE jig with a plane blade. The DMT plates seemed like an upgrade for very little more money. I glued them to pieces of aluminum plate with JB weld.

Just as diamond wheels are changing grinding, I believe diamond graders will change stone grading. It's just an idea at this stage and needs more testing.

Ken