Mono vs. Poly Diamonds and Emulsions Explained.
Here are some answers to common queries about the differences between Mono-crystalline and Poly-crystalline synthetic diamonds and emulsions containing these two abrasives.
Specifically surrounding the context of stropping.
Please remember that this information is not for every heavy industrial or high-pressure tooling application these particular diamonds might be found in -
where they both have the potential to behave very differently.
Mono-crystalline characteristics.
Mono-crystalline synthetic diamonds are made in two ways, a High Pressure-High Temperature process and in a Chemical Vapor Deposition process.
They’re known to be practically defect-free and are single-crystal structures more likely to resemble naturally occuring, non synthetic diamonds. One of the reasons their so popular.
Mono-crystallines single-crystal structure makes them larger with much more predictable, defined fracturing plains and are noticeably longer-lasting.
Having naturally occuring cleavage planes in their crystal structure, this allows them to chip in a quite controlled way along these fracturing plains, breaking up during the corse of normal use.
This micro-chipping renews the abrasive function of the diamonds sharp, defined cutting edges, becoming refreshed acting like new diamonds, quickly removing steel like new.
This is done while still maintaining consistency in size to their specified micron rating.
Due to this process they are known to have great cutting performance, giving your blades edge the ability to get, and hold its crisp bite for a long time. They are especially good at making a more toothy, clean and linear, micro scratch pattern on your bevel.
Giving a competently refined, thinned out apex giving a magnificent mirror polish with bite.
Mono-crystalline diamonds aren't just found in high quality stropping emulsions, but they are commonly used as the sole abrasive found on most diamond sharpening stones, produced by many of todays top-teir diamond stone manufacturers.
This is mainly due to their cutting longevity and overall preformance.
Poly-crystalline characteristics.
Poly-crystalline synthetic diamonds are solely manufactured in laboratories, meaning by defult their quite more exspensive to produce then Mono-crystalline diamonds and because of this are comparatively less common.
These diamonds are characterised by clusters of countless incredibly small diamonds that are bonded together to form complex, random, unpredictable shapes and cutting edge directions - looking something like fragments of shattered safety glass when seen under a microscope.
They can be known to cut fairly aggressively at first due to their inherent extreme hardness. Also, their mutli faceted - meaning the diamonds have many cutting edges that are facing all different directions and just one diamond can bite into the bevel multiple times, in the same single pass.
The downside is a less refined and cleanly stropped edge leaving somewhat unpredictable results.
In theory, these harder bonded diamonds facets are more friable breaking apart over time with use, meaning they create new cutting points - like Mono-crystalline diamonds, these renewed edges produce irregularly shaped, even tiner diamonds.
In practice though, they’re extremely tough - much too tough and hard-wearing to reliably fracture and break down into new fragments under the applied pressure, produced by the force delivered by any method of stropping.
Due to their hard, small, wear-resistant particals they give a softer progression and these attributes mean they leave a pronounced, smoothed-out bevel.
Although, after only mild use their small size means loose material fairly quick, with their fine fragments becoming dislodged and ultimately removed from the surface of the strop.
Though it must be noted that they too, also leave an extraordinary polished stropped edge, which is why their is a certian level of admiration for them.
These diamonds can be found in similair applications like other hobbies and their associated tools, like stone carving or artisan jewellery making.
Where high hardness and wear risitance is preffered.
IN SUMMERY.
These two synthetic diamonds are the pinnacle of micron stropping abrasives and will give you the best edges and sharpest apexes possible, especially over other types of stropping compounds.
Below are some condensed dot points of their main, differing, strop focused attributes-
Mono-crystalline diamonds.
• Each particle is a single, solid crystal, with their own defined cleavage planes and naturally shaped, sharp edges.
• As they wear from stropping, they break along their natural fracturing planes, constantly exposing fresh, keen cutting edges.
• The edges cut cleanly, slicing into hard steels efficiently, with concentrated, linear scratch patterns.
• Excellent for longer, fast and consistent material removal, giving refined mirror polished edges that hold their crisp bite over time.
Poly-crystalline diamonds.
• Clusters of countless, micro, synthetic diamond particals bonded together with multi directional cutting edges.
• They lack larger fracturable cleavage planes, but under very high pressure can be broken down into even finer particals.
• Theoretically creating new micro-edged fragments, smoothing and polishing the steel, rather than cutting and refining it, due to their inherent hardness.
• Good for lighter touch-ups and high mirror finishes, giving the polished cutting bevels a smoothend surface.
"Both these synthetic diamonds are premium stropping abrasives, capable of putting a wicked edge on your blade -
but the choice depends on your preference: whether your after fast, clean cutting particles, with a refined progression, that leave a linear sctratch pattern, that has a crisp bite and remarkably polished edge or wether your wanting smaller, harder, wear-risitant, finer cutting particles that are gentle on your edge, giving a soft progression, with a multi-directional scratch pattern and produce more of an excellently polished, particularly smoothed-out bevel."