Anyone tested sharpening with the DMT clamp with regular table top bench stone? I saw a video of it by DMT and it got me curious. Wonder if this method will produce a consistent bevel compared to free hand or other guided systems.
Depends on what you mean by 'consistent bevel'...
If you're referring to the width of the bevel remaining consistent from heel to tip at a fixed edge angle, that depends mostly on the primary grind of the blade (thickness behind the edge, mainly). As is usually the case, the thickness of the steel behind the edge varies at least a little bit on almost all knives. In order to make an even-width bevel along the full length, the held angle has to be varied to compensate for the varying thickness behind the edge (almost always a steeper/wider angle near the tip, for example, because the steel near an upswept tip is closer to the spine, which is thicker on most blades).
Having said that, it should be easier to adjust (somewhat) to compensate for such things, with the DMT clamp & bench stone combination, because the clamp only limits how LOW the angle can go; the whole apparatus can still be lifted to adjust the angle higher, if necessary, as in true 'freehand' fashion when lifting the handle for sharpening an upswept tip. By contrast, it's more difficult to compensate with a rod-guided setup, on which the rod's guide slot limits how much the blade can be lifted AND lowered to adjust the angle (& this is the whole purpose of a rod-guided system anyway, to minimize variation in held angle).
I wouldn't worry too much about maintaining a perfectly even-width bevel, and instead focus on making the bevels as clean & FLAT as possible, which is what the guided clamp will do for you, and making the bevels intersect at a thin-as-possible apex, which results in SHARP.
That can be done quite easily with the clamp & benchstone, if you choose to use it.
David
