# Thoughts on Diamond Machining Technology ceramic honing rods?



## Rotary (Mar 10, 2011)

I'm leaning toward picking up a 12" DMT CS2 ceramic honing rod, and wonder if anyone has any thoughts on these as compared to others that are floating around out there. I already have the small 8" Idahone that came with my E.P. Apex and like it pretty well, but it's just a little too small for some of my knives. 

I've done a bit of searching and it seems that the DMT (7 micron, 2200 mesh) is finer than the most comparable Idahone . . . perhaps a bit too fine? Except for my Carbonexts, my knives are mostly VG10. Nothing too exotic; I don't have any true carbon (yet). I'd probably also use it on my wife's Calphalon set (she's scared to death of the Japanese knives). Obviously, I'm just looking to true edges rather than remove a lot of steel.

Thanks for any thoughts!


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## unkajonet (Mar 10, 2011)

Dave (as in Dave Martell, resident jedi at http://www.japaneseknifesharpeningstore.com/) sells the 12" idahone. There's also the Dickeron polish smooth steel by F. Dick (no jokes, please. They really exist). It's a smooth steel, so it's strictly for truing edges. IHMO your best bet would be to look into learning how to strop. Dave has a nice kit that would do the trick. You'd have to learn freehand type techniques using a strop, but if you're eventually looking to get into carbon blades, you might as well bite the bullet and start learning now (this applies to stones also).

Good luck!


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## mikemac (Mar 10, 2011)

I would rather use rock hard felt w/ DIA spray myself...


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## ThEoRy (Mar 10, 2011)

At 2200 it may be a slight bit finer than my black ceramic from mac at 2000. However at such a minimal difference it becomes a moot point. But you must remember this, the diamond is going to be more jagged regardless of grit. So I'm thinking the grit may be higher but the black ceramic is going to be smoother.

Also, diamonds are usually more expensive and fall off over time. Of course you could always get the borosilicate glass rod AND the black ceramic like me.


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## Rotary (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks to all for responding. 



ThEoRy said:


> Also, diamonds are usually more expensive and fall off over time. Of course you could always get the borosilicate glass rod AND the black ceramic like me.



Does DMT actually use diamonds in the ceramic rod?!  I didn't get that impression, but they don't give an awful lot of details about it on their website . . .


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