DMT Aligner Kit

gajinoz

gajinoz

Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Messages
11,650
Just got the DMT Deluxe Aligner kit. Excellent bit of sharpening gear. Started out with my Opinel #6 to see how it would go. Nice carbon blade, pretty easy to sharpen. In about two minutes, (and this included working out how best to use it), I had the Opinel reprofiled to the aligner setting and shaving sharp.

OK, moved on to the SnG with its S30V. I needed to remove some small nicks in the edge on this one. No problem for the DMT. 5 minutes later I have a reprofiled, nick free, shaving sharp SnG.

Now for the Calypso Jnr and its ZDP189. Easy, fast, hassle free. Once again, in 5 minutes I'm shaving what hairs are left on my arm with the Calypso.

This thing is a breeze to use and set up. You need no more pressure than the weight of the sharpening stone and it just slices away the metal.

Best buy in ages. Go get one.
 
That's crazy talk. I get shaving sharp edges using a small round stone I retrieved from a local brook. I even polished the edge of my straight razor with it. Better even than stropping.






Oh, all right. I don't use a river rock, I use Spyderco stones: Sharpmaker rods and a DoubleStuff.

Are you sure all these great results are from the DMT and not from your superlative experience?
 
Well, I'd like to think it was my vast expertise and boundless talent, however much of the credit must go to the DMT kit. It really is that good.

On the down side it would, I think, be a bit of a pain in the arse to use on larger fixed blades. All is not lost though. The clever buggers at DMT have designed the guide part so you can use it to maintain a constant angle on any knife when sharpening on any normal bench stone.

I plan to buy a couple of DMT stones soon.
 
The DMT is a neat piece of gear. You can use it with the stones that are made for it, or use it on bench stones, sandpaper and even Esav's river stones!

Alone, the clamp sells for $10. There is no weight to it (which is why it rides in my backpack when I'm camping, along with three small pieces of sandpaper) and almost indestructible when handled correctly. I think it's the 'Opinel' of sharpening systems! Best bang for the buck!

Stitchawl
 
Thanks.... I've been trying to decide on whether to get DMT benchstones or go with the Aligner. Cost is a big issue but the Aligner's features are really what's pullin' me in! Small and compact, three different grits, ability to use clamp / angle on other surfaces, multiple angle settings, and DIAMONDS for reprofiling.

Think I'll pick one up.
 
I am also new to sharpening and was thinking of getting one. Do you also have to raise a burr before you move to the other side? or do you just systematically move up from coarse to fine....

The more I read about sharpening the more I realize I have no idea...
 
gajinoz said:
On the down side it would, I think, be a bit of a pain in the arse to use on larger fixed blades.
Click to expand...

I have looked at that problem and thought "this clamp system wont work here" so I put a stone in the holder and used it freehand on the knife (KA-BAR Kukri Machete). The result was the Kukri back to 'shaving sharp'.

I have all 6 diamond hones (XX Course => EE Fine) + curved hone + tapered diamond rod = there isn't much that I can't sharpen with my DMT gear & strop.
 
gus68 said:
I am also new to sharpening and was thinking of getting one. Do you also have to raise a burr before you move to the other side? or do you just systematically move up from coarse to fine....

The more I read about sharpening the more I realize I have no idea...
Click to expand...

Generally speaking, unless you are touching up a blade, you would need to raise a small burr, particularly if you are reprofiling. When you have one, move to the other side and raise a small burr again. Now change side again and with a few LIGHT strokes remove the burr. Now you can go to the fine stone and begin refining and polishing the edge, no more burrs are necessary. After a few strokes on each side with the fine stone, go to the extra fine and polish both sides of the blade with a few more light strokes. Start shaving your arms. :)

The trick here is LIGHTLY stroking the stone over the blade. Little more than the weight of the stone is required.

Practice makes perfect.
 
I've been considering buying one. Do you use just the stones or did you use them w/ other stones (ie sharpmaker stones) or a strop afterwards? can you post pics of the edges for me? Thanks a lot!
 
MY plan will be to use the aligner for my light reprofiling jobs.... Course, fine, then extra fine.... then the white sharpmaker stones and finally stropping.

Depending on how polished you want the edge, you could add more slight grit changes in between the stages.

My main issue is that I need diamonds to reprofile... the "refining" portion of sharpening much easier, IMHO. Reprofiling with the brown sharpmaker stones is a losing battle.
 
nickE10mm said:
MY plan will be to use the aligner for my light reprofiling jobs.... Course, fine, then extra fine.... then the white sharpmaker stones and finally stropping.

Depending on how polished you want the edge, you could add more slight grit changes in between the stages.

My main issue is that I need diamonds to reprofile... the "refining" portion of sharpening much easier, IMHO. Reprofiling with the brown sharpmaker stones is a losing battle.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. I also want to get an UF stone as every time I sharpen something I think "boy those ultra fine stones would be really handy right now.".
 
nickE10mm said:
MY plan will be to use the aligner for my light reprofiling jobs.... Course, fine, then extra fine.... then the white sharpmaker stones and finally stropping.

Depending on how polished you want the edge, you could add more slight grit changes in between the stages.

My main issue is that I need diamonds to reprofile... the "refining" portion of sharpening much easier, IMHO. Reprofiling with the brown sharpmaker stones is a losing battle.
Click to expand...

This is all very well except you would need to make sure the angle you reprofiled them to on the Aligner was EXACTLY the same as what you are using on the Sharpmaker.
 
gajinoz said:
This is all very well except you would need to make sure the angle you reprofiled them to on the Aligner was EXACTLY the same as what you are using on the Sharpmaker.
Click to expand...

Very good point. In fact, I modified one of my DMT settings so that it would perfectly match up with the Sharpmaker. I just filed away a bit of the material on the guide post notch so it would sit at a different spot. And now... spot on!

Stitchawl
 
gajinoz said:
This is all very well except you would need to make sure the angle you reprofiled them to on the Aligner was EXACTLY the same as what you are using on the Sharpmaker.
Click to expand...

Yea.... but I'd really be doing my main bevel with the Aligner and then the small microbevel with Sharpmaker so all I would have to do is make sure the angle is a bit higher.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
...
Are you sure all these great results are from the DMT and not from your superlative experience?
Click to expand...

The Aligner is great for a beginner, easy to use and constant results.
I added Extra Course to the kit.

It easely reprofiles D2 (if you get Queen slippies)
 
I've had one for almost 10 years. I think it's great, but these days I only use it to reprofile. Sub 30 degrees on the aligner, then a couple of passes on the sharpmaker fine rods at 30 whenever the edge needs it. Takes a few seconds, great system IMO. A friend had a badly chipped (unuseable) Buck knife. I restored it with the aligner. It took a little time (3-4 beers maybe) since the knife was so bad, but it shaves now.
 
Just ordered myself an Aligner.... hopefully it will be here by Saturday or so. I've got some reprofilin' to do. :)
 
nickE10mm said:
Yea.... but I'd really be doing my main bevel with the Aligner and then the small microbevel with Sharpmaker so all I would have to do is make sure the angle is a bit higher.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do on my Sebenza and SnG. I used my Edgepro to profile them down to 30 then go to work on the Sharpmaker at 40 to put a microbevel on there. This makes the Sebbie an incredible slicer with the advantage of a robust edge. Even the SnG, which gets used quite hard from time to time, will go for quite a while between touch ups.
 
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