Hi, I have some diamond coated flat files that I use quite often. When in a department store in japan last year, someone there was demonstrating a diamond coated knife sharpener like a flat file that he was using to sharpen knives. He kept applying water to this sharpener. I could not ask why since he did not speak english.
Do you think this was really necessary, and if so what purpose would it have served?
Water or, better, cutting fluids help by keeping both the abrasive and the object cool, and by keeping the abrasive surface clean. You get a better cut and extend the life of the abrasive.
The same is done with carborundum wheels, hardened steel cutting tools, etc.
Yes, you can do it without the cutting fluid, but the result is better with it.
Heat reduction (even though for hand-filing, that's usually not a major issue, it's still a good idea to keep a tool as cool as possible to prolong its useful life) and "floating" the removed mmaterial off the tool's working surface - Ever notice how sandpaper "clogs up" and gets useless, even though it's still good and scratchy? Those diamond widgets do the same thing. Applying water while in use makes that less of a problem, even if it doesn't fully prevent or completely cure it.
Diamond will stick to iron. The water stops it building up. It's especially noticeable in disk grinders. Since diamond disks re so cheap these days why not try wasting a couple? One using a light mist of water the other dry.
dunno, but water is also a lubricant, and a file dipped in water at times while being used - files better and with less effort.
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The water (in this case) simply keeps the metal pieces that are "shaved" off by the diamond bits from clogging up the diamond matrix. It basically cleans out the areas between the diamonds or keeps them from filling up, thus allowing the tool to work at it's best.
Without water, you get a diamond and diamond-filed-metal impregnated file.
With higher speed tools, it serves this purpose as well as cools the tool and the product. The "slurry" created also helps in the process of re-working the material.
Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R
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