Anybody use DMTs diafolds?

N

NateHodge

Joined
Apr 30, 2018
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I keep a couple in my backpack for work in case I need to sharpen a knife in the field. I had a single sided diafold red that I gave to a friend in west texas and ordered a double side coarse/fine from Amazon. When I got it, the handle was different and the sides were marked with corresponding micron/mesh unlike my other diafolds. I have googled images and havent found the first diafold like this one. Did I get a knockoff or is it legit and just a new design for them? Id like to know before I put my higher end knives on them. Thanks
 
I don't have any 'new' ones; mine are all 8-10+ years old I think, but have been aware DMT has some new design tweaks for some, if not many, of their sharpeners. Newer Dia-Folds have clear plastic handles, instead of the Black/Blue/Red/Green/Tan in the older ones. They also have a 'HARD COAT' version (marked with an 'HC') that looks a bit different, and with a more wear-resistant coating over the nickel substrate and a small area of uninterrupted surface at the end, for touching up tips & such.

I don't think I'd be worried too much about knock-offs, for these.
 
Yeah, all of mine have clear plastic handles except this one.

JOeqkLi.jpg
 
I admit, that handle looks weird. For some odd reason, I seem to think I've seen it before.

Searching Google (search string: "diafold ergonomic handle"), I see a 'sponsored' ad listing at top of results page for Home Depot (via Google shopping) picturing a Diafold looking like that (viewed edge-wise, looking at the handles; that vendor pic below). Looking at the description via the ad link, they describe the handles as:

"New smoky colored, ergonomic folding resin handles"

shopping


Oddly enough, when going to Home Depot's own store domain, the DMT Diafold they list in stores has the more typical straight handles. I now wonder if this model may've been one tweaked for sale only at Home Depot at some time, but maybe not carried anymore. Noticing it's priced a LOT cheaper than DMT's standard double-sided Diafolds, too. Strange. I can see the concern. If uncomfortable with it, I'd send it back and shop elsewhere for a new one.
 
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Have old and new coarse/fine diafolds. New one has clear handles, old has colored. Just new design pretty sure. I might be wrong, but not sure how much market there would be for DMT knockoffs.
 
Diafolds are great, I used mine for years (still do, in the field) until I discovered DMT's bench hones. Doubt if there's much profit in knockoffs and wouldn't worry about it.
 
I disagree. Buying on amazon can be a crap shoot. It’s more difficult to determine the true identity and origin of the product: has the design/packaging changed or is it not the authentic item.

(Many high end companies make low-end versions of their products for Home Depot —one reason I won’t shop at Home Depot for anything I plan to own long term. The fixture may appear identical on the exterior and have plastic fittings on the inside instead of metal in the “real” one.)

Recently I was looking for a health-related item on amazon, and there were so many products with nearly the same listed name (all similar but with slight variation upon further inspection) that it was impossible to be sure which was the one I needed. I went to the manufacturer’s website to be certain.

OP, I can certainly understand your skepticism. Did you contact DMT, email them a photo? I bet they would not want spurious products online. Though it seems odd they would change the handle—why not just fake the whole thing?

ETA: the item you received looked different from the one pictured on amazon?
 
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Wouldn't surprise me if it was an item contracted only for Home Depot; especially considering it's now priced at just over half what the standard-line DMT Diafold costs (in 2-grit format) from most retailers. I mentioned earlier, I feel like I've seen it before. Maybe it was in the HD stores for a while, as I've visited them pretty frequently for years, and always with an eye towards their inventory of sharpening gear in the tools aisle. Was always looking for the Norton Economy stones in SiC, before HD stopped carrying those in favor of DMT's products. But if I did see it there, it's been a while, at least a couple or three years or more. Might've been a poor seller in their stores, in that format. And now some volume discounter/reseller might be unloading the old inventory sitting in a warehouse somewhere.

After reading & posting in this thread yesterday, my curiosity prompted me to send an inquiry to DMT, via their contact page. I didn't send a photo, or a link to the 'seller' shown in Google's search results (sometimes vendors' contact forms don't like attachments or links in such messages, discarding them as spam), but asked if they'd ever made/sold a Diafold with those 'smoky ergonomic handles' of an odd shape. I'll wait & see if they get back in touch. If they do, I'll post here what they tell me.
 
This just in, from my inquiry to DMT. They sent me an email. Much quicker response than I anticipated, too. Here's what they say:

"(...)
Thank you for your inquiry.

The folding sharpener you describe was created exclusively for Home Depot. You can purchase it there is you would like.

It is definitely a DMT product.

Let me know if you have any further questions. Have a great day."
Click to expand...

So I'd say, no worries about this being a knock-off of some kind.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
This just in, from my inquiry to DMT. They sent me an email. Much quicker response than I anticipated, too. Here's what they say:



So I'd say, no worries about this being a knock-off of some kind.
Click to expand...


Thanks! I messaged them on their FB page and havent got a response yet. I like the design and the mesh/micron markings are nice. Id buy another one if I could get it in EF/EEF.
 
NateHodge said:
Thanks! I messaged them on their FB page and havent got a response yet. I like the design and the mesh/micron markings are nice. Id buy another one if I could get it in EF/EEF.
Click to expand...

You're welcome. :thumbsup:

I'm glad you're happy with it. DMT has a pretty good reputation for backing up what they've sold. Made me glad they didn't hesitate to clarify it's genuine.
 
I was earlier under the impression I'd seen this sharpener some time ago, and assumed it was maybe old, discontinued stock being liquidated. Visited Home Depot today and noticed it's in the store now, complete with the different-looking 'smoky ergonomic handles'. So maybe it's not discontinued. Looking at it up-close in the store, it looks pretty decent.
 
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