How to Clean & Care for Sharpening Stones: Diamond, Ceramic, Resin & CBN (Don’t Be Scared!), by Dan for All on YouTube. 31 min 27 s.
- Video length
- 31 min 27 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Sort your stones by type first: electroplated diamond, ceramic, diamond resin or vitrified, and CBN. Each needs a different cleaning approach, so keep them separate on the bench.
For an electroplated diamond plate, brush off the metal particles with a stiff nylon brush. Rinse with water or a light oil so the swarf carries away instead of packing into the surface.
Clean a diamond resin or vitrified stone by scrubbing it with a brush and water. Cleaning exposes fresh diamonds, so the stone cuts better afterwards.
Flatten a resin stone with 220 to 400 grit silicon carbide sandpaper on a flat glass plate. Wet the paper and rub the stone in even passes until the pencil marks disappear.
Alternatively, rub the stone on a diamond lapping plate such as a 600 grit plate. Use light pressure and rotate the stone so it wears evenly.
To flatten a ceramic stone, draw a pencil grid across the face. Rub it on a diamond lapping plate until every pencil line is gone, which shows the surface is true.
Check flatness by laying a straightedge across the stone and shining a flashlight behind it. Any light showing through means the stone is still dished and needs more lapping.
Dry the stones fully before storing them. Keep them in a dry place, and store resin and ceramic stones so the faces are not rubbing against each other.
Know when to retire a stone. Resin, vitrified and ceramic stones are worn out when the backing plate shows through. For electroplated plates, replace them if cleaning no longer restores the cut.
Tips and common mistakes
Ceramic stones wear fastest where you sharpen, so check them for dishing more often than other types.
Use water or oil when brushing diamond plates so metal particles lift off instead of scratching the surface.
Do not press hard when lapping on sandpaper or a diamond plate, as uneven pressure can make the stone worse.
Keep a pencil handy for the grid trick, since it is the quickest way to see where a stone is still high.
Questions
How often should I flatten my stones?
Check flatness with a straightedge after every few sharpening sessions. Ceramic stones usually need flattening more often because they wear fastest where the blade runs.
Can I use sandpaper instead of a diamond lapping plate?
Yes. Silicon carbide sandpaper on a flat glass plate works well for resin and vitrified stones. Use a fresh sheet and keep it wet for even cutting.
How do I know when a stone is finished?
On resin, vitrified and ceramic stones, the backing plate showing through means it is done. On electroplated diamond plates, replace it when cleaning no longer brings back the cutting speed.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
