Smith's DCS4 4" FINE & COARSE Diamond Combo Sharpening Stones

by Smith Abrasives

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Smith's DCS4 four-inch by one-inch fine (750 grit) and coarse (325 grit) combo diamond Sharpener is an excellent general-purpose hand-held sharpener that will be appreciated by woodworkers, hunters, fisherman, and craftsmen. Monocrystalline diamond on a unique interrupted surface speeds abrasive action and remains clear and efficient. A micro tool-sharpening pad on each of the two color-coded stones allows for sharpening very small cutting edges and knife points. Sharpening grooves on each stone for sharpening pointed tools. The stones store in the compact soft-grip rubber handle. Diamond stones are fast, always remain flat, are indestructable and require only water as a lubricant. For more than 100 years Smith's has been in the knife- and tool-sharpening business. Smith's prides itself on its industry reputation as the edge experts, and today they offer a full line of easy-to-use sharpeners from all five major sharpening categories: 100 percent natural Arkansas stones, diamonds, ceramics, bonded abrasives, and carbides. Smith's offers its customers the best-performing sharpeners in the category at the best price.

Product Description

Smith's Diamond Combination Stone. Includes course and fine stones. Use the course Stone for badly beaten-up blades, and the fine Stone to put the finishing edge and polish on your cutlery. Also features a sharpening groove for your fish hooks or tools. For safekeeping, the Stones can be stored in the soft-grip rubber handle. Get yours Today! Smith's Diamond Combination Stone

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009YV6L
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: DCS4
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,738 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #11 in Home Improvement > Power & Hand Tools > Hand Tools > Sharpening Stones

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy sharpening set, February 8, 2009

By 

East TN Patriot "Aspiring academic" (Tennessee, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smith's DCS4 4" FINE & COARSE Diamond Combo Sharpening Stones (Tools & Home Improvement)

This set is a really handy set for the outdoorsman. It is small, lightweight, well-made, and has features that are perfect for keeping your items sharp in the field. The stones are stored into the handle until needed saving space in your pack, tacklebox, or glovebox. The stones snap in securely and after several months of use the halves still snap together securely. The handle has a rubberized coating for a better grip and has a lanyard hole so you can hang it from your pack or neck. The surfaces are perfect for a wide variety of sharpening options. The majority of the surface is a perforated diamond surface to help prevent clogging, but it has a small solid area for sharpening small items & blades that may get hung up in the holes. There is also a fishhook sharpening slot. These features are on both sides. The "coarse" side is very aggressive, which you probably won't use much around the house, but is perfect for knives and tools that get hard use outdoors and lose their edge. The "fine" side puts a very nice edge on your items that is more than suitable for most cutting needs. It is also a perfect size that gives enough surface for sharpening even large knives & tools, but not too large to make it difficult to carry. Even after months of use, this set still works great. For an all-in-one compact system, it's perfect.

One point some folks need to know, if you plan on just using this to keep kitchen knives sharp, this may not be the best one to buy. The coarse side is very coarse, so if you keep your knives reasonably sharp, you will probably never use it. You would be better served getting a set of stones that are "Fine" and "Very Fine" since those will keep household knives razor sharp.

For an all-in-one sharpening set for the outdoor sportsman, this can't be beat!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superior sharpener, June 12, 2007

By 

J.M. "Mr. DIY" (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smith's DCS4 4" FINE & COARSE Diamond Combo Sharpening Stones (Tools & Home Improvement)

What else is there to say? I've had this particular one for years and have used it quite regularly on my knife and many other blades. The most impressive would be that I have for years now, sharpened box cutter style blades to extend their life. To put it into perspective the fact I can put an almost scalpel like edge to high carbon steel for years; with the same tool and stay nearly as good as new without deforming is amazing. I also like the small solid spot for sharpening small things like ¼ chisels or one of the various exacto knife tips. The small grove in it is perfect for sharpening fish hooks and stitching needles.

Diamond stones are the only way to go if your not a traditionalist.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical Sharpener, May 20, 2011

By 

M. Ross "Bacchuskitty" (Orange, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Smith's DCS4 4" FINE & COARSE Diamond Combo Sharpening Stones (Tools & Home Improvement)

I think this is a useful and practical sharpener, but tends to be a jack of all trades: It offers flexibility but doesn't do one thing exceedingly well. Here are some observations based on my experience:

Pros:

Combination of Coarseness: I like that this tool comes with both a coarse and fine stone. I have various knives and blades in various conditions: Sometimes a fine stone is just not enough to bring back a neglected edge to where it should be and I find the coarse stone is just what I need. While I think the descriptions are reasonably accurate, this stone does take a learning curve to master. Initially, both sides act coarser than they should be, as the diamonds break and wear to a more consistent surface. It will seem, then, that it quickly loses its effectiveness, when in reality it is just breaking in.

Utility: On both sides of the stones, there is a flat patch for very small blades, which is nice. There is also a groove on both stones for sharpening points of, say, fish hooks or needles. I'm not sure how often I'll be sharpening my fish hooks, but it's a thoughtful feature. The cover turns around to form a handle and, though made of plastic, it has held up well and doesn't allow the stone to shift when sharpening. Unlike a more traditional stone meant to sit flat on a surface, this one is best held at an angle, keeping the tip held on a surface with the handle. This is how I've been using it and find that works best for me. The relatively small size of this sharpener requires a different technique than having a large stone to work on, using both hands on the blade, when the stone sits on a flat surface. Overall, this stone is able to sharpen a broad range of edges, whether on knives, wood carving tools, etc.

Effectiveness: I have found this stone to be effective sharpening a range of tools, from my high carbon kitchen knives, to my EDC folder, to my stainless multitool blades. It works, and I've been happy with it.

Cons:

Size: I'm not sure this is a con, but I find this tool somewhat awkward to use. Ideally, I prefer sharpening my tools, whatever they are, in the comfort of my shop, using both hands, on a large stone. With this, you just can't do that. Ah, you say, it's not meant for that! True... but I find myself, more often than not, sharpening my knives back at home after backpacking or camping, rather than on site where I can't do as good a job at it. I like its versatility and I do think it works really well. It's just that... this usually isn't the one I reach for. Would I use this one when I'm at home versus the larger stones on my bench? No. Would I take this one backpacking? No, because I'd be going into the back country with sharp blades to begin with and I'm certainly not going to carry something this heavy unless it's essential. Would I keep it in my truck? Mmmmm.... maybe, but 9 out of 10 times I'd be bringing my blades back home to sharpen anyway. Would I want this if I had to bug out due to zombie attack? Well, of course I would!!! But that hasn't happened yet and I'm starting to wonder if it will...

Other Thoughts:

This is a good quality, multi-purpose, compact sharpener at a pretty decent value. There are plenty of purists out there who would howl at the thought of allowing their blades to touch anything but crazy-expensive exotic water stones. Whatever. Unless you've just dropped your (or your kid's) college tuition on a blade that will never, ever be used for fear of getting a nick on the edge, this sharpener will work just fine and will give you a decent-to-near-scalpel edge if you use it properly. (with or without stropping for you edge geeks)

The question is, is this the right tool for you? Personally, I find myself reaching for the stones that are dedicated to my bench top most often, and so this one ends up living in my camping gear. If you are short on space, though, or find yourself with a more portable lifestyle, this sharpener may be for you. Four stars for a quality sharpener at a great price.