Diamond Plates size quality?

DMT is a big name in diamond stones. You can get them from Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen etc. They are also very useful for flattening water stones if you go that route. 8”x3” is a good size but I like 10”x 4” if I can get them (DMT does this size).

Diamond stone technology seems to be evolving. For a while perforated diamond stones seemed to dominate but lately I am seeing unperforated ones on the market.

Even diamond stones wear out so I would also recommend investing in a good bench grinder and some good wheels for when you have to hog off a bunch eg when a chisel gets dropped or you decide to change the primary angle of the bevel.

Leonard Lee, the founder of Lee Valley Tools, put out a good book on sharpening some years back. A lot of excellent advice/info on tools, sharpening etc.

-- Dwight - "Free legal advice available - contact Dewey, Cheetam & Howe""

I used oil stones for years until I tried DMT diamonds. I now use a set of 4 diamond stones for honing.
I have a grinder for angle changes or big nicks. I learned to use a strop to keep an edge in good shape.
Learn to strop edges during or at least after use to save rehoning time.

-- Sawdust and shavings are therapeutic

Thanks guys, still trying to decide on getting the 4 stone kit at 8”x3” or springing for three 10”x4”. There’s $100 difference between the two so it’s a tough decision.

Chisels should be fine on the 8”x3” I’m more concerned about plane irons.

I have a set of 10”x4” DMT’s in Extra Coarse, Coarse, Fine, Extra Fine, and then I’ve got an 8”x3” DMT Extra Extra Fine. The 10”x4” is a good size for plane irons. The 8”x3” is ok, but you just take more and smaller strokes, which is ok with the 8000 grit that I’ve got it in. I’d say if you’re sharpening freehand, 8”x3” would be fine, if you’re going to be using a honing guide, the extra 2” would be useful.

-- Mos - Twin Cities, MN -- Stanley #45 Evangelist - www.youtube.com/MosquitoMods

I would not be concerned about sharpening a plane iron on an 8 by 3. I do my final sharpening on my number 7 iron on a 6X3 oil stone. Its just a matter of skewing the iron on the stone. I would not worry about that. I have used diamond plates for sharpening and I highly recommend them. I am also a HUGE advocate of you learning with all hand tools at first as well ;)

-- {Current North Bennet street school student}

I went ahead and got the 8×3s. I was able to pick up 3 Ez Lap stones off of Amazon for less than $100 so it was an easier choice. I can always switch things up later.

My chisels came yesterday and I’m eager to set them up and start practicing.

Another question: In the Sellers video he does his flattening and polishing of the chisel back using sandpaper on a flat surface (granite). Is that simply because of the surface area of the back of the chisel is larger? I’m not sure I get why he wouldn’t just use the stones and strop like he does for the bevels.

Actually, either way is good. I would dispense with stropping the back side unless you really want a mirror finish. I do, so I strop.
Only about 3/4”-1” of a plane blade needs to be flattened after their first flattening. For chisels, I never flatten the entire length.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton