Refreshing a diamond bench stone

[pmace]

I was watching a machining channel on YouTube yesterday and the presenter "restored" a diamond bore bit by running it with a bit of silicon carbide grit for a while to wear away the nickel plating a bit to expose more diamond. His theory was that once the diamonds wore down flush with the plating there was really nothing to abrade the plating away to expose more diamond. Adding carbide grit (or aluminum oxide) would wear away the nickel and not harm the diamonds. Anybody run across a good method of coaxing the last bit of life out of a diamond stone?

 

[monk]

such is so inexpensive these days, i'd simply buy another. then test your idea to see if it works. if it works, you'll still have a new backup. i got a "stone the other day at h freight . about 2 x 6"with four diamond grades. it was about 20 us bucks.

 

[rweigel]

As far as I know, abrading the topmost layer of diamond tools to restore their “bite” works ONLY for tools with diamonds in the volume, not just one layer at the surface.

Cheers

Ralf

 

[Chujybear]

Not all diamond stones are created equal.. i still have one in operation from lee valley that i inherited from myth dad about 25 years ago.. the grit is somewhat finer, but it still cuts fast. I’ve gotten new ones that were spent in a year.. and I’ve got some new ones that are good.. the idea of disolving some of the matrix around the grit seems like a sound one

 

[monk]

As far as I know, abrading the topmost layer of diamond tools to restore their “bite” works ONLY for tools with diamonds in the volume, not just one layer at the surface.

Cheers

Ralf

yes. that's known as , "sintered". that type is way more costly.

 

[MoldyJim]

Lapidaries use a soft bond aluminium oxide stone to clean and expose diamonds on stone cutting laps.
The grains break loose and tumble under the stone clearing swarf and wearing down the plating a little bit.
80 grit? white open structure stones.
I have used them fairly often without stripping the diamonds out on quality diamond plated stones.