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Captain Furious

A ticking time bomb of fury
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Guys/Gals,

I just picked up some new DMT stones this year and am at a loss on how to clean them? I have a brass toothbrush and tried using that but it didn't work. Any ideas? Thanks.

Bill
 

Plai

Paul Lai
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From the DMT FAQ

"To maintain your sharpener, you should clean after each use with water and wipe dry. After several sharpenings, use a mild kitchen abrasive cleanser and a nylon scrub brush (an old toothbrush works well too). Make sure the sharpener is dry before putting it away."


But I suspect it's leftover wax that's the problem. Alcohol or mineral spirits is often mentioned on these boards.
 

Mendieta

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Guys/Gals,

I just picked up some new DMT stones this year and am at a loss on how to clean them? I have a brass toothbrush and tried using that but it didn't work. Any ideas? Thanks.

Bill

I use a solution of 50% isopropyl alcohol and water in a small container. I use it to hydrate the stone while sharpening edges and also to clean it after I am done. But I am pretty new to this. I really followed directions from @Jacques , @KingGrump and others.

The stones don't look clean but the solution seems to take excess metal shavings and other materials picked up while sharpening ...
 

skifastflylow1

Booting up
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I wash stones with a light application Bar Keepers Friend when they get dirty. It is a gentle cleaner you can find a most supermarkets.
Daily usage is cleaned with water/alcohol mix.
 

mdf

entering the Big Couloir
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I keep diamond stones lubricated with isopropyl during use. If there is enough sludge to see I wipe it off with a paper towel. If they look particular dirty I give them an extra spritz and a quick pass with a small nylon brush (similar to a toothbrush). I used a brass brush years ago till I realized it was silly, and just increased chances of dislodging the diamond particles. At the end of a session, I clean them with the same brush and dish soap and warm water, then dry them.
 

Jacques

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Guys/Gals,

I just picked up some new DMT stones this year and am at a loss on how to clean them? I have a brass toothbrush and tried using that but it didn't work. Any ideas? Thanks.

Bill

As said above, use lots of fluid when polishing. Dip the tool with stone very often. Use the brass brush and scrub in the solution.
When the stone gets clogged with wax, use a wax remover to clean.
To avoid that as much as possible, be sure the edges and base are free of wax before you do the work.
 

Wilhelmson

Making fresh tracks
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I keep my stones in a small jar of alchohol/water and have an old toothbrush to brush off the dark grit. Then occasionally wash them in the sink with dishsoap and brass brush.
 

Polo

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When the stone gets clogged with wax, use a wax remover to clean.
To avoid that as much as possible, be sure the edges and base are free of wax before you do the work.

Not scraping the wax off the edges and not pulling the sidewall back are the two biggest issues I see with people gunking up their side edge tools. If your files or diamond stones are getting gunked up with crud, it's almost always excess wax that didn't get scraped off or it's sidewall material because you didn't pull it away from the edge.

Hot water, a light splash of comet and a old toothbrush works as well as any for cleaning diamond stones.
 

James

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I keep diamond stones lubricated with isopropyl during use. If there is enough sludge to see I wipe it off with a paper towel. If they look particular dirty I give them an extra spritz and a quick pass with a small nylon brush (similar to a toothbrush). I used a brass brush years ago till I realized it was silly, and just increased chances of dislodging the diamond particles. At the end of a session, I clean them with the same brush and dish soap and warm water, then dry them.
Why isopropyl, which I presume you use the cheaper 50% version?
For the brush, a toothbrush to dislodge the metal. If you have a spray bottle a quick spray and a brush can be done in the guide while stoning.
 

mdf

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I prefer a lab wash bottle - puts the liquid right where you want it.
Something like https://www.zoro.com/lab-safety-sup...sN6d1-2kPYam9Ct18_bpMRiNSaCuIuR4aAsvcEALw_wcB
Z31-G_fo5oy.JPG
 

James

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Why the need for carbon atoms in one's stoning fluid?
 

Polo

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I'm kind of a OCD mess freak and don't like excess dripping all over so I use an eye dropper and put a couple drops of my special mix on the stone while it's clamped in the guide, zero mess.

I use a mix of distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and a couple small drops of Dawn soap then give it a good shake before use. The soap helps the solution stay on the stone without running right off and kind of aerates the solution a little so the little particles coming off the edge as you're working it sorta float instead of concentrating in one spot on the stone. After use, a quick dip in water and the stuff floats right off and is clean.
 

BGreen

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Denatured alcohol or a citrus wax remover and a stiff nylon brush. If that doesn’t work, I have stronger solvents.
 

CalG

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Why the need for carbon atoms in one's stoning fluid?

Carbon is the building block of life! You need to add life to your skis to keep them "lively".

It's common sense!
 

mdf

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Mineral spirits and a small wire brush.
You aren't going to hurt the diamonds with steel.
I am not convinced. Sure, diamond is harder than steel, but it isn't just one big hunk of diamond. Steel is harder than the matrix holding the diamond grains.
 

Tom K.

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Mineral spirits and a small wire brush.
You aren't going to hurt the diamonds with steel.

Similar here. I use a brass brush about the size of a toothbrush.

Helps conserve packing space on road trips! :D
 

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