I just got one of these and it works great. I can't sharpen blades freehand very well and this system worked flawlessly. The edge I got was close, if not identical to the factory edge, which was very sharp. I usually miss the bevel somewhere along the edge when I freehand. The curve towards the tip is the trouble spot, it never has the same geometry. The Magna-guide made this a no-brainer and kept the angle exactly the same along the entire length. I looked at the edge under a micrcroscope[!] and it was uniform along the entire length. [And yes, S30V steel is more uniform than non-powder steel, you can see it under magnification.]
I also bought a DMT Angle Mate for use at work. This is a simple plastic wedge, but it worked very well and I got much better results using it that I would have sharpening freehand. If you have trouble sharpening at least get one of these.
Years ago, I bought a Lansky system which used the same principle. The clamp wouldn't fit thick blades however, so it never got used much. The DMT Magna-guide is a real improvement.
I also bought a DMT Angle Mate for use at work. This is a simple plastic wedge, but it worked very well and I got much better results using it that I would have sharpening freehand. If you have trouble sharpening at least get one of these.
Years ago, I bought a Lansky system which used the same principle. The clamp wouldn't fit thick blades however, so it never got used much. The DMT Magna-guide is a real improvement.