DMT aligner: Tips?

If you're using a system (the aligner), then you'll have to raise your angle and give it a few 1-1 passes to get the burr to go away. Do this with the EF stone, if you have one. Then go back to your coarse stone and do 1-1 passes until this microbevel goes away (unless you want a microbevel, which is fine.)

This is the only method that works for me to get rid of burrs on clamp systems. Otherwise, the burr just flops back and forth.
 
SteelSnob said:
Can a good stropping take care of the bur?
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I don't strop myself, but I think all a strop would do is align a burr. If the burr is small enough, it might knock it off. But if you're using the Aligner, then you're probably working up a big nasty burr. A strop isn't going to get rid of that.
 
I cut a piece of leather to fit the aligner and use a abrasive diamond compound and it gives me a completely smooth edge after a while. It seems to work. If there is a definite wire edge would the edge automaticaly roll when I use it?
 
If you're using a system (the aligner), then you'll have to raise your angle and give it a few 1-1 passes to get the burr to go away. Do this with the EF stone, if you have one. Then go back to your coarse stone and do 1-1 passes until this microbevel goes away (unless you want a microbevel, which is fine.)
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Thanks THG, this helped, I'm not there yet but hair is starting to come off.
 
just keep on with it. I had a hard time getting edges sharp in the first few days. What I do is thin my edge somewhat using the next lower angle than the one that grinds into the edge by using the coarse with light strokes alternating 5-7 strokes per side. Then when I can take a few hairs off, I work the next highest grit size(fine for me) until I see the scratch pattern is even under bright light. Then I shift to extra fine until scratch pattern is even. Just alternating sides with very light pressure. Then I adjust the guide to the next higher angle and sharpen with the fine stone for 5 strokes per side repeating twice. Then i alternate sides until the scratch pattern is even. Then I shift to extra fine alternating sides with light pressure. This ought to be hair popping sharp by this time.
 
just keep on with it. I had a hard time getting edges sharp in the first few days. What I do is thin my edge somewhat using the next lower angle than the one that grinds into the edge by using the coarse with light strokes alternating 5-7 strokes per side. Then when I can take a few hairs off, I work the next highest grit size(fine for me) until I see the scratch pattern is even under bright light. Then I shift to extra fine until scratch pattern is even. Just alternating sides with very light pressure. Then I adjust the guide to the next higher angle and sharpen with the fine stone for 5 strokes per side repeating twice. Then i alternate sides until the scratch pattern is even. Then I shift to extra fine alternating sides with light pressure. This ought to be hair popping sharp by this time.
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Just to clear, when you say 'next lower angle' you mean going from a 20degree to a 15 degree (for example), and when you say next higher angle, are you going back to the original setting, or going to the one above that, say a 25 degree?

Thanks

gus
 
SteelSnob said:
I cut a piece of leather to fit the aligner and use a abrasive diamond compound and it gives me a completely smooth edge after a while. It seems to work. If there is a definite wire edge would the edge automaticaly roll when I use it?
Click to expand...

It's possible that although you see a smooth edge, it's actually a very well-aligned burr. This happened to me once. I was using only a red F stone. I didn't even go to EF. The burr was aligned so well that it was beyond any sharpness I had ever gotten my knife; it was splitting splits of splits of splits of hair. But I could even see in the light that it was still a wire edge.

One cut, and the wire edge rolled.

So just find out whether you have a wire edge or a good edge.
 
Ok good. Thanks for clearing that up. I don't get any rolled edges so apparently it's working. I just keep going until both sides of the edge are completely smooth and I go a little longer after that just in case.
 
Clamp systems require you to grind new bevels to the angle you choose prior to sharpening. Nothing will work until you do that. Get the coarse stone and grind until you produce a burr in both directions with no pressure. Then you can start sharpening.
 
gus68 said:
Just to clear, when you say 'next lower angle' you mean going from a 20degree to a 15 degree (for example), and when you say next higher angle, are you going back to the original setting, or going to the one above that, say a 25 degree?

Thanks

gus
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I think there's a 4 degree difference between each notch. What I do is, I find a setting where the stones cut into the grind at the lowest angle that still hits the edge. Assuming this setting is number 4, I go up to number 5 to thin the blade, then when I've polished this bevel, I go back to the number 4 setting. Hope this works for you.
 
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