Diamond plates for sharpening?

Tom,
I don't do the diamond plate thing as I don't "jones" for see-through shavings from hand tools.  But
Do a  search here on WC for "Unicorn" sharpening.  You'll like what you find.

Tom.......DMT, Trend, Atoma are brand names of diamond plates that have some credibility in the market.......I recommend that you embark on an effort to educate yourself about diamond plate sharpening.......watch a lot of videos on YouTube on the subject......get to know the presenters.......some are worthwhile.......some are not. Remember that if diamond plates were the clear best way of sharpening, then everyone would be using diamond plates.......clearly, there are many different sharpening preferences out there.

I have used a diamond plate (DMT) and still use diamond paste (TFWW/Lee Valley) on LV-Lee Valley steel plates) along with experimenting with powdered diamonds. The DMT wore out pretty quickly--I use the back with a fine diamond paste--which I think you will discover is common. It's why I went to applying diamond stones to a substrate.

Currently, I will use diamonds for initial bevel/edge reshaping; and, then go to a couple fine ceramic stones and finally, stropping. After hundreds of dollars and a good source for bench dead weight, this is the easiest for me to do. I'd love to go to David Weaver's Unicorn Method. It works better than the old timer's Arkansas magic stone and alligator-rumpus strop.

Mark Mandell wrote:

Do a  search here on WC for "Unicorn" sharpening.  You'll like what you find.

https://www.woodcentral.com/forkbb/topic/50000017/Searching%20For%20Unicorns%20In%20A%20Field%20Of%20Abrasives%20And%20Wood
https://www.woodcentral.com/articles/New/articles_958.php
https://www.woodcentral.com/forkbb/search/advanced/unicorn/%2A/%2A/0/0/0/1

I used to use DMT, but they are expensive and seemed to wear out quickly.  I just bought some of the cheap ones that are the talk of the town, and they seem pretty good.  You get 4 or 5 for about 20 bucks.  I notice some of the high end sellers like The Norwest Passage are now selling them.

The best thing where I find diamonds irreplaceable are strops for which I use a medium paste.  That is the only way for some tools.  I learned that here

I agree with the idea that if they were so great, everyone would use them.  If you really want great, invest in power.  I spent my first year of woodworking over 40 years ago, on the floor sharpening on water stones.  I own pretty much every method.  And use them all to some extent. But all along, if you want fast invest in power.  You didn't say you did, but if you do...  i got pushed into that by wood turning, and tool making.  Even the best, more refined Japanese tools are power sharpened at the factories.