Just got a DMT aligner..quick review

I don't know what the angles on the DMT measure but I know that they are not inclusive. I was sharpening my military at the number 4 setting which is ostensibly 28-30 degrees. I found out when I got my edge pro that the bevel angle on that particular millie was already at around 60 degrees after a few months at that setting.
 
They are edge angles, usually 1/2 of the inclusive angle.

If you were sharpening at 30 degrees on the DMT, it makes sense that the Edge Pro would show you 60 degrees, if the Edge Pro is showing you the inclusive angle.

Sorry if I didn't understand your question.

Actually ... you didn't ask a question. :)
 
HotSteel said:
They are edge angles, usually 1/2 of the inclusive angle.

If you were sharpening at 30 degrees on the DMT, it makes sense that the Edge Pro would show you 60 degrees, if the Edge Pro is showing you the inclusive angle.

Sorry if I didn't understand your question.

Actually ... you didn't ask a question. :)
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Yeh, it does seem that the angle markings on the DMT aligner are per side rather than inclusive.

BTW, the edge pro also does not show inclusive angles. I made that conclusion based on the angle indicators that are marked on the edge pro and calculated from there.
 
To be clear, the DMT aligner definitely does not get down to 17 degrees inclusive, however, it can be tricked to get down to around 25 degrees if you know what you are doing. I reprofiled my ZDP endura to an unknown degree under 25 inclusive by using table stones and sliding the guides on the stones. I kept a piece of tape on the edge of the guides the protect them from wear on the stone, or perhaps on the table(I don't remember).

Just yesterday, I refreshed a bevel I put on my Native that is definitely under 30 degrees using the aligner and aligner stones.

To be fair however, I am still using an aligner that doesn't have that blasted brass screw insert to screw things up. The trick I use is to flip the guides over and insert them backwards, and use the set screw to force the aligner to bend apart, creating a lower and lower angle. You can only go as low as the edge of the clamp will allow, by this I mean, the stone will eventually rest flat on the clamp rather than the knife. I ground the edge of my aligner flat to achieve another 1/8 of an inch or so.

You have to realize, that you have to find a happy hunting ground with what setting you place the guides at, and how far you screw the screw, and I don't take any responsibility for you lodging the brass insert loose.(stupid piece of crap brass screw!!!).

Anyway, the first time I did my Native, the black screw was in the way, So I did one side of the knife opposite the black screw, and then flipped the knife over in the aligner and did the other side. Yesterday, It dawned on me that I had an extra black screw with my stupid piece of crap aligner that has, I mean had the brass screw insert. I cut about a quarter of an inch off of that black screw and whala, the screw was out of the way.

I'm going to be highly upset if my aligner breaks and I can't get a hold of one of the original designs without the brass screw.
 
I get my knives sharp with the aligner,but I always get ugly,uneven,wavy bevels with it.
Any tips to what I'm doing wrong?
 
There may be any one of a few things causing that. First, lay your stone and hold flat on a table and check if your perfectly flat from the end of the rod to the back of the stone. Also, check if the rod is wobbly.

Of course, this goes without saying, but you have to clamp the knife in the same spot every time, tightening the screws exactly the same each time you sharpen.

Lastly, I hold my clamp so that I can place my index finger over the rod, holding it down and against the same edge of the guide hole. Learn how to apply pressure so that you are focusing the pressure directly over the knife edge, and not so that you are distorting the stone holder against the knife edge. By this, I mean that the stone holder will have a tendency to flex at the pivot point, and overall it isn't an exactly rigid device. You have to learn to apply pressure so as not to bend the holder/rod through the stroke.

I also found that if I allowed the guide rod to float freely in the hole when using the extra fine stone, it would go a long way to polish up the unevenness, and helps knock down any micro burr you may have. Contrary to popular belief, this system creates an extremely subtle convex bevel, and by allowing the guide to float freely on the polishing step, you can polish all of the bevel. It will still be a little wavy, but that is easily polished with stropping.
 
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I find it a very good sharpening system that, for want of a bit, could be an outstanding one.

It's easy to use, but you have to be careful at times, could be a little dangerous with some knives. It's not very good with small narrow blades, also the clamp and rods are poor quality (despite boasting to the contrary on the firm's web-video)plastic: the clamp does leave scratches on my D2 Queen knives and those rods' locking mechanism certainly does shear off or break far too readily. If they made it of tougher materials then the system would be really excellent.

I've certainly been pleased with the results on D2 which can be tricky to sharpen for me. With other steels stainless & carbon I've also been very pleased with results and ease of use. These diamond stones really are very good indeed in my experience.
 
I recently got a DMT aligner. I had been using a Lansky for years. I didn't really like the DMT clamp, so I've been using the Lansky clamp with the DMT stones and holder. I use the 20 degree setting on the Lansky clamp for all my knives, seems to work well. I also clamp the Lansky in my vice, which holds it securely. I like the DMT 4" stones and holder, by so far I like the Lansky clamp better.
 
I broke my aligner clamp by "forcing the clamp to bend" to get a lower angle. I could use the bottom notch then and get a really low angle but the fatigue eventually broke the plastic. Also, even with the EC diafold, it still took an obscene amount of time to do a reprofile. Entirely too much time for a system that had to be held in the hand and so much attached payed to prevent the wavy bevel problem. S30V laughs at the EC diafold, took me about an hour to get a decent flat 30 something bevel on the para2 so that I could use the sharpmaker on it.
 
I hope you didn't break it on account of my post. I used to screw my clamp till it bottomed out, but the thickest knives I had in it were a Spyderco Native, and a Spyderco Endura. I did that to ensure the angle was the same everytime. As far as finding the lowest angle when I inserted the guide rods backwards, I found a midpoint setting and then screwed the black screw in about midway to find the lowest possible angle.

Again, I still have the old clamp that has a fixed pivot point rather than the brass screw. When I tried one of the new clamps I had the screw nut insert pulled loose in less than a week.
 
No it wasn't on your account. Just one of those things. Seems you have to adjust the front screw as needed so that you bottom out the plastic screw. I'm using a lansky clamp right now the only bad thing about the whole setup IMO is that it's not holding the rod tight and you can get a degree or so of difference when sharpening and it makes for a little aggrevation if you arent sure to make sure the rod stays on the bottom of the slot the whole time.
 
A different sort of observation also... Everyone says that you should be able to shave with a blade when it comes off the coarse stone if you are doing it right. I was always like:confused: The other day I was sharpening using the Lansky jig with the EC dialfold and was fixing to switch stones and tested it. Easy shaving sharp at 120 grit. Stitches sharp as I refer to it. I tested it by shaving a piece of my thumb off and am quite impressed.
 
ssblood said:
A different sort of observation also... Everyone says that you should be able to shave with a blade when it comes off the coarse stone if you are doing it right. I was always like:confused: The other day I was sharpening using the Lansky jig with the EC dialfold and was fixing to switch stones and tested it. Easy shaving sharp at 120 grit. Stitches sharp as I refer to it. I tested it by shaving a piece of my thumb off and am quite impressed.
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HaHa. Yeah, that kind of edge can be quite aggressive. It is more like a toothy wire edge that you have managed to perfectly center. It will cut like the dickens, but the first thing you put it to the real test on, will often dull it quickly. None the less, it is what you want before moving on to the next step.
 
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