Tanking issues

[Virtuoso]

I recently hit 85 on my death knight tank. Until 85 I had no issues with tanking except for the 81-83 grind due to geared 85's running in the LFG's.

I have had issues with tanking some 85 dungeons and heroics. My main issue is taking damage. I know that the cata dungeons do provide monsters with marge large damage capabilities however I feel I am personally taking a lot more than other tanks (including DK's) that I had seen tanking while play my main.

I have taken a look through numerous different DK cata tanking guides, a lot of which have conflicting information in that some say stack mastery where as others say stack parry and dodge or stamina and strength. I was hoping to get a little advice or help in regards to how my DK currently sits.

Item Level: 344 (made up of rep gear, JP gear and some heroic gear I gained from DPS'ing heroics).

Health - 129k unbuffed and up 160k buffed.

Dodge: 11.36%
Parry: 11.51%
Mastery: 16.52
Expertise: 28

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Now I don't generally have issues with threat however I have lost it on a few occasions when I am worrying more about keeping myself alive by stacking blood shield when I take more than the healer can handle.

Based on those stats, is there anything I should be changing? Or does that look to be pretty standard so far?

In terms on gems, I have a few stam, str, parry and mastery gems.

Thanks

[Pacans]

Meta gem: Stamina + armor value
Red gem: Parry + mastery
Blue gem: Mastery + stamina
Expertise is way too much - 19 is enough and I have seen DK tank with even less but its more how are u comfortable with
Reforge parry to Dodge (to keep as close them as possible because parry comes from strength too). Use DK weapon enchant Shordshattering as it adds 4% parry which at starting gear is pretty huge boost. Reforge expertise to Mastery or hit (depends on Your play stile, I would choose mastery). DK is most sensitive tank on player skill as its based on Blood Shield and loads of CoolDowns.

[Reev]

Meta gem: Stamina + armor value
Red gem: Parry + mastery
Blue gem: Mastery + stamina
Expertise is way too much - 19 is enough and I have seen DK tank with even less but its more how are u comfortable with
Reforge parry to Dodge (to keep as close them as possible because parry comes from strength too). Use DK weapon enchant Shordshattering as it adds 4% parry which at starting gear is pretty huge boost. Reforge expertise to Mastery or hit (depends on Your play stile, I would choose mastery). DK is most sensitive tank on player skill as its based on Blood Shield and loads of CoolDowns.

You're intended to use CC on most trash pulls until you are geared a little better. Have your groups been using CC?

[Tengenstein]

are you keeping Frost and Scarlet Fever up?

[Michultradk]

You should post your armory link.

1) put the Shattering forging on your weapon.
2) If you have strength gems, you're doing it wrong. You will never use str in tanking gear, chances are you have a few pieces of DPS and/os PvP gear, but I could be wrong.

You should be using a mix of hybrid gems, Mastery Stamina / Mastery Parry / or pure version of Mastery. What enchants are you using?

3) Its very important for a DK to use their Cool Downs often, for every pull of trash you should have something to pop. This could be the difference in life and death of a DK tank. Use Bone Shield, Vampiric Blood on every CD. Pop your Ghoul and sacrifice him when your HP dips low. Make sure you are eating the food of your choice, I use Mastery now, but after you change forges you may try Dodge.

Lower your Expertise some (you have a piece or 2 of DPS gear on, unless you are reforging for Expertise, if you are, stop), your gear should have Mastery/Dodge/Parry, always try to reforge excess stats to Mastery if the gear has none on it. A number to shoot for is 12-18 Expertise.

You should have no threat problems, list your rotation and tell us what you do.