I like the DMT diamonds better than the Smiths but use both. In fact I took my Smiths yellow and orange diamond sharpeners to a buddys gun store and left them there so me and Stevo, a member here, can work on blades when time allows. I have a DMT folding that is blue (coarse) and red (fine) and a green that is extra fine, and a bigger red DMT bench. I also have various stones, but I am not that good with them but I think that is due to quality because I have a couple that are very old that were my Papa's and they do a better job. As to the convex, at the moment I use paper and mouse pad. I do follow up with stropping on an old barber strop. Just what I do.