DMT Dia-Sharp Knife Sharpening Stone

Diamond Combination Extra Fine D6EF

DMT Dia-Sharp Knife Sharpening Stone Having used carborundum and Quachita stones to sharpen my knives for the last few decades it was a tough sell to get me to try diamond stones when they first came out. Their ability to restore edges in record time, without clogging or dishing, seemed completely unreasonable. Years later when I tried one out with a critical sneer, it took me just a few minutes to admit there's something better than Arkansas novaculite.

This combination diamond whetstone from Diamond Machining Technologies is all the good things that were promised, in a size large enough for efficient work. For occasional maintenance of high quality cutlery like Shun's Damascus steel products, this is a better option than the Japanese waterstones many people use. You'd need a rough and medium grit stone for major repairs, but if you keep an eye on edges and catch trouble before it goes too far, this stone will be enough. The fine side will give your blades a razor sharp edge; the extra fine side is for perfectionists who think they can tell the difference.

Although you can use this stone dry, I don't recommend it. Wet it down with water and rinse it off occasionally or you may have problems with clumps of steel shavings. The first few times you use it, it will cut fast, but the surface wears down a bit, exposing even more diamonds, and the results get a little slower and a little better. Then, the wearing away of the stone stops--no more dished stones that only touch the edge of the knife in two places.

Put a folded cloth or even a paper towel under the stone if you use it on any surface you care about. It will scratch just about anything, including expensive marble counter tops.