EZ-Lap Diamond Needle Files - Poor Choice

glenn bradley

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I was excited to get my EZ-Lap diamond needle files from Lee Valley. Alas, the first attempt to clean up the teeth on a sawtooth Forstner style bit met with poor result. I assume this may be a bonding issue but, the diamonds rubbed off as opposed to cutting the bit as desired. I have had similar experiences with Trend diamond products and wanted to save folks from the bother (on either). My DMT products do fine but, they do not make a needle file like product except thier chainsaw round. I'll report back if I come up with anything.
 
That bring up a question, How can you tell when your diamond file are worn out? I've got some that I'm not sure about.
 
I've found LV to be very good about returns. Too bad, Glenn; usually LV quality is better than this.

Rob and company carry a bevy of wonderful products and are literally my favorite place to shop. I even buy things from Lee Valley that are made in the U.S. simply because they give such great service and I want to support that. These just happen to be not so hot ;-)

That bring up a question, How can you tell when your diamond file are worn out? I've got some that I'm not sure about.

You could give a few strokes on something that you are familiar with; an HCS drill bit, a burnished edge of hard maple, whatever. If you do not get an expected pattern of removal, it may be time to replace. I'm sure I'm not the first to report that diamond abrasives seem more effective in the finer grits with coarser grits showing wear more rapidly. I have a DMT "coarse" which is in the 320 grit/45 micron range and it has led a long and useful life and is still very usable. I have not tried diamond products coarser than that with satisfactory lifetimes. That's JME.
 
There was a review on Amazon or someplace from someone who found the DMT diamond plates unacceptable - terrible. Turns out he was trying to use them as sandpaper on wood. So I guess it depends on what you are trying to "cut." Perhaps a gunked drill that needs cleaning will simply transfer the gunk to the diamond thing, and not do a good job cleaning.
 
That bring up a question, How can you tell when your diamond file are worn out? I've got some that I'm not sure about.

I can't speak directly about files, but I have a couple of steel business card-sized diamond honing plates that my dad handed down to me after he'd used them to sharpen small knives for an undetermined time. Both plates had clearly worn-down areas in the middle where the steel was smooth and almost completely abrasive-free. I could not only see it, but I could feel it by rubbing a fingernail on the honing surface.
 
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