What Sharpeners To Buy...diamond Or Arkansas Stones

[David Bruce]

I recently got into leatherworking and need some recommendations on what sharpeners are best for keeping my swivel knives and awls sharp. I have read differing opinions and would like to know what others use. I currently have a Norton double sided oil-stone and a home made strop.

[Glendon]

Personally I like water stones for leather tools. Oil stones are a bit messy with leather around in my opinion. I would love to have a diamond stone set, but the are pretty expensive.

[Tree Reaper]

Japanese water stones are what I use for sharpening planer blades.

For swivel knife blades, I just keep them sharp with green compound.

[electrathon]

DMT diamond plates. Go to Leather Wranglers and read about sharpening.

[David Bruce]

Thanks for the tips. Electrathon, I've read about the DMT plates and I actually looked at the Leather Wranglers site ( I would love to try out their swivel knives). Why do you prefer the DMT plates? Which are best to sharpen and maintain awls and swivel blades? I was thinking about getting a 3-pice boxed set of Arkansas Stones (coarse, medium and fine). I want to get whatever system/combo will give me the sharpest tools.

[Cedri]

David I've sharpened many many many woodworking tools and have found that there is really no difference in the end if you master the technique. It is going to end up personal preference in the end. Oil and water stones can be messy, you need to have a dedicated space away from your work area, this is true for leather / woodworking / the kitchen LOL. Diamond stones are really good at (what I call roughing in) the initial flattening/shaping. I've progress to ceramics or arkansas stones for med/fine and have honed with sandpaper (1500 - 2000 grit). One thing about water stones, you have to be careful or you will gouge them as they tend to be very soft.

[electrathon]

DMT plates are solid and do not have the holes filled with plastic like the cheaper plates do. They are also very flat. Diamond plates also will not gouge if you stay in one spot too long. I always use simple green as a lubricant on my stores. It keeps the stone from loading up and keeps the cutting edge cool as you are sharpening. As to grit, I finish with my 1000 grit diamond plate, then go on to green rouge.

[Tree Reaper]

You can dress a water stone pretty quick with a carbide flattening stone.

[rawcustom]

I sharpen lots and lots and lots of every kind of edge from axes to my own straight razor. Although I cheat with my belt grinder for some to get things started, I definitely don't have to.

This is my setup:

3"x8" DMT Extra Course (full surface diamond coating)

3"x8" DMT Coarse (full surface diamond coating)

Spyderco Bench stones (2"x8") Med, Fine, Extra Fine

Homemade Strop

I have arkies, and japanese waterstones, and each can be effective, but nothing is as easy and fast as my diamond to ceramic method. I don't like to finish on diamond because I feel it is too effective at cutting, even at the fine grits. A properly stoned edge will increase hardness from the work hardening of the sharpening process. I feel diamonds being effective cutters don't work harden as well as the ceramic. The end result is a slightly sharper, slightly longer lasting edge. Regardless of what you decide for your final edge you should at least get an extra coarse DMT. So much of the battle on a dull edge is establishing the bevels to meet, and diamonds cut to it in 1/4 of the time of anything else.

[BDAZ]

Diamond is essential for setting the edge on ceramic blades.

Cya!

Bob