Diamond sharpener questions


CarbonEvergreens

CarbonEvergreens

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I know there are tons of resources on sharpening and I have looked through just about all the posts that show up when you search "diamond sharpening techniques" but I still cant seem to get a good edge! I bought a smith diamond sharpener and it has a coarse and fine side. I am pulling the blade towards me at the correct angle, not pushing too hard, and making sure I am maintaining the angle. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?
 
Use a bit of water to float away the dust. FWIW the "fine" side of the smiths is closer to medium in my opinion. Also depending on the hardness of the blade, be gentle, it's easy to fangle up a softer steel, like an Opinel. Ask me! Hope this helps.
 
I use baby oil on my diamond sharper it really makes a difference in how it works. If its dry it just will not bring the edge up as well.
 
Try sharpening into the edge instead of pulling the edge across it. Correct angle affects things a lot. Try to see if your hitting the edge by coloring it with a sharpie pen.
I'm assuming that your using a paddle type of sharpener with diamond both sides ? If so , they're good tools if used accordingly.
 
I use a diamond stone exclusively.
The trick, I found, is to use wet/dry sandpaper 400 - 1000 grit AFTER the diamond stone.
The diamond stones are just too coarse to give you a shaving sharp edge on their own.
what they excel at is cleaning up knife edges and prepping them for polishing.
They're great because they don't cup like traditional stones and almost never wear out with regular use.

Just make sure you lubricate the stone with water, dish soap, or oil and you'll do fine.
Good luck brother.
 
It could be your knife. On some knives I can get a hair spliting edge. And other knives I've worn out stones, sharpeners and the knife itself trying to get it to take an edge. Try your technique out on a knife you know will take an edge.

'drif
 
If you're trying to get a "hair popping" or "paper push-cut" edge on just a coarse and fine diamond stone you won't get it...

I use a fine / extra fine grit on my knives and then follow it up with a leather strop. That's the only way I've been able to get a sharp enough edge. Water works just fine for me as a lubricant on the diamond stones.

I would check out the "student practice" thread for Sharpening your knife in the Bush Class section of this forum. I'm sure you'll find a method that works for you.
 
Wow these Smith's must be really coarse if edge wont cut paper after use-but even that doesn't make sense so maybe they are just weird

I have no experience with them.

if you have a hard enough abrasive and a steel enough knife then there is one variable left in the equation....

I thought of another so that leaves You and enough time to cut the steel sharp, so if you have used enough time; then it is you. Dont give up

a lil dish soap helps with diamond plates over plain water. oil okay I guess?
 
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I have also been using diamond hones for years, there's lots of good info here, try moving the stone over the blade. I cant get the angle right if I run the knife over the stone. Also I get my knive razor sharp just using a corse and fine hone. It takes extra work with the fine hone, and anything additional you do will help, like stroping or finishing with a fine stone to polish the edge.
 
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