Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but maybe they are a woodworker's too!  Most woodworkers are today familiar with the acknowledged fact that diamond sharpening products work quickly, with less effort, less mess and with no observable deterioration over many years of use, when compared with traditional methods such as oilstones, wetstones etc.  We have used diamond products ourselves for many years now and, despite the fuss generated by introductions such as Japanese waterstones etc., we remain convinced that for the practical woodworker without too much time to spare, diamond is the way to go.  We believe ourselves to have been fortunate therefore to have found suppliers of good quality diamond-coated sharpening products who offer a range of innovative products for the woodworker at prices which we feel are very fair.  See also our very comprehensive Holzer diamond range.

Diamond sharpening products work even better if a honing fluid is used to help remove the detritus as sharpening progresses.  Water may be used, but of course this can mean that your tools are later subject to corrosion if you do not dry them thoroughly.  Likewise your diamond stone itself could be damaged by water staining.  There is a very effective solution to both these issues in the range of corrosion protection products created by Shield Technology.  We strongly recommend the use of HoneRite Honing Fluid, with active corrosion inhibitor, when using a diamond sharpening stone, both to make your life easier when honing and to prolong the life of your tools.

This set of three diamond-coated slips is ideal for sharpening chisels, plane irons, knives and similar tools.  Sized 50 mm x 150 mm (2" x 6" approx.) but only about 6 mm (1/4") thick they can easily be dropped into a tool box for carriage to site or for secure storage in the workshop.  The set comprises three slips graded coarse, fine and extra fine so that sharpening (and flatting the backs of edge tools - don't ever forget to do this step) can be progressive from fast bevel production through to refining the smoothest of micro-bevels.  Mounted on a firm surface to eliminate any bending they will sharpen most edge tools to perfection if lubricated with a little water - and dried thoroughly after use.  Not as bulky, and certainly not as pricey, as diamond bench stones, these are an ideal place to start your experience of the fast, easy way to hand sharpening through the use of diamonds.

Well it might be useful if a credit card hone was a means of honing your credit card "for superior performance" but that's not quite it!  We offer a choice of small hones.  The Trend credit card version is 25 micron/45 micron.  We also offer the Trend 3 inch Double Sided Pocket Stone also with 25 micron/45 micron diamond on the two faces: this handy, walleted, tool is a compact 87 mm x 25 mm x 0.7 mm so can easily be slipped into a pocket or toolbag. All of these products are perfect for touching up knives, gouges, router cutters and other edge tools without having to get the sharpening system out.  Keep one in your pocket and you'll never have to suffer blunt cutting tools again.  See also the Holzer diamond hones .