KME frustrations...grrrrr.

[kane22]

As 777edge said, you can have some diamonds break loose from the plate, if you wipe your blade off when one is laying there you can put a scratch in the blade. Stoppers on the rod so you can't accidentally run your stone up over the blade is a nice thing to have also. When I looked they we out of stock everywhere. I used a cork from a wine bottle. Cut it in half, and drilled a hole through it. You have two stoppers that you can slide where you need them, but tight enough they won't move on their own when you're sharpening.

I really like my KME. I looked at all the sharpening systems that were out there at the time...less than what there are now, but I still think it's a good system. There's pros and cons to all of them.

 

[c7m2p3]

I used to have this issue it was almost entirely resolved when I started putting stoppers on the guide rod. I didn't *think* I was over stroking the stone but it is REAL easy to do on a small 4 inch stone especially when you are trying to set your edge on your coarsest grit. Start with that.

Second, mineral oil is probably better at keeping swarf off your blade face while you are working compared to soapy water. Soapy water is good but like others have mentioned, I have found that nothing beats straight up oil at longevity through the sharpening process.

Lastly: Consider washing your system with some water and trying it. Then, tape up your blade. Buy yourself a roll of black electrical tape and put a strip where the clamp contacts your blade face and then put a strip being the edge that you are working on. A bit of peace of mind that you aren't going to be wiping diamond particles on the blade face.

 

[Mako109]

I used to have this issue it was almost entirely resolved when I started putting stoppers on the guide rod. I didn't *think* I was over stroking the stone but it is REAL easy to do on a small 4 inch stone especially when you are trying to set your edge on your coarsest grit. Start with that.

Second, mineral oil is probably better at keeping swarf off your blade face while you are working compared to soapy water. Soapy water is good but like others have mentioned, I have found that nothing beats straight up oil at longevity through the sharpening process.

Lastly: Consider washing your system with some water and trying it. Then, tape up your blade. Buy yourself a roll of black electrical tape and put a strip where the clamp contacts your blade face and then put a strip being the edge that you are working on. A bit of peace of mind that you aren't going to be wiping diamond particles on the blade face.

I do use a stopper. Perhaps I'll try adjusting it to stop earlier, way before approaching the end of the diamond plate. Thank you.

 

[c7m2p3]

I do use a stopper. Perhaps I'll try adjusting it to stop earlier, way before approaching the end of the diamond plate. Thank you.

Yeah i know you mentioned that you do use a stopper and I don't mean to sound patronizing but its important on both sides. Easy to come off the stone on the edge leading stroke and the edge trailing stroke if you are using a scrubbing motion especially at the start to set your edge angle.

 

[Mako109]

Yeah i know you mentioned that you do use a stopper and I don't mean to sound patronizing but its important on both sides. Easy to come off the stone on the edge leading stroke and the edge trailing stroke if you are using a scrubbing motion especially at the start to set your edge angle.

No offense taken. I use one stopper, but will try another at the front leading (?) edge as well.

 

[kane22]

I used mine without stoppers for years, but I wish I would have used them from the beginning. It's easier to run off the edge with the stone than what you think it would be.

 

[scottc3]

"Gritomatic will also soon be releasing a brand new line of stone holders for the KME (and many other sharpeners) which would allow you to use any 6 or 4 inch stone on your KME."
Gish, I have version 2 of Gritomatic's stone holder coming right now to replace rev1...

 

[scottc3]

We will also have a clamp bar available soon for the KME unit on which you can install a huge variety of aftermarket clamps (and multiple clamps at once.)

Waiting patiently for kids use.

 

[777 Edge]

"Gritomatic will also soon be releasing a brand new line of stone holders for the KME (and many other sharpeners) which would allow you to use any 6 or 4 inch stone on your KME."
Gish, I have version 2 of Gritomatic's stone holder coming right now to replace rev1...

For now, we plan on selling both spring assisted stone holders and screw tightening holders. Some guys prefer spring type for quick swaps, and others seem to prefer the threaded stone holders. My personal choice is still the spring assisted type.

As far as future revisions are concerned, we will continually improve the current products where possible, listening to customers input and preferences.

 

[scottc3]

It will be interesting to see how many adjustment cycles the 2 plastic nuts and plastic screw stock yield before failure to lock on your KME frame, that is also on the way. I don't know anything about 3D printing plastics yet but your helping! I can't wait for stronger material printers. I wish your KME lock down frame was swing-frame interference clamped for quickly putting on and taking off, instead of using nuts. Is it the lack of repeatable spring in the plastic? I have one on the way, but need to mount knives using KME handle because of my limited function left hand.

 

[c7m2p3]

We plan on selling both spring assisted stone holders and screw tightening holders. Some guys prefer spring type for quick swaps, and others seem to prefer the threaded stone holders. My personal choice is still the spring assisted type.

As far as future revisions are concerned, we will continually improve the current products where possible, listening to customers input and preferences.

Really looking forward to the 6inch stone holder. Lots of great options out there for 6inch stones and I do prefer the longer strokes that one can accomplish with the 6inch variety.

 

[777 Edge]

It will be interesting to see how many adjustment cycles the 2 plastic nuts and plastic screw stock yield before failure to lock on your KME frame, that is also on the way. I don't know anything about 3D printing plastics yet but your helping! I can't wait for stronger material printers. I wish your KME lock down frame was swing-frame interference clamped for quickly putting on and taking off, instead of using nuts. Is it the lack of repeatable spring in the plastic? I have one on the way, but need to mount knives using KME handle because of my limited function left hand.

I think you're talking about the stabilizer which mounts onto your wooden base, or are you referring to the multi function frame?

Our thinking with the stabilizer, was to try and utilise as much as possible of the original KME parts and add a really affordable brace which pulls the front of the KME down enough to eliminate wobble. There can still be a slight amount of side to side movement, but not much. The tapered pivot also virtually eliminates all front-back and side to side wobble.

We have considered a whole different frame, to remove the KME handle and make it into a whole different, permanently mounted unit onto a base, but this would likely not be what most KME owners wants because this would convert it into a more fixed, larger system. It would also be significantly more expensive than the brace we decided on. However, if there is demand for a whole different permanently mounted base for the KME, we would consider designing one in future.

You might just find that our wobble free pivot alone improves it so much and eliminates the wobble so much that you may not even end up using the brace much. Give it a go and let me know please.

 

[scottc3]

Lock nuts n screw stock is the fine adjuster parts of multi function frame; stabilizer frame is bolt on clamp. I also have pivot coming as well.

 

[777 Edge]

Lock nuts n screw stock is the fine adjuster parts of multi function frame; stabilizer frame is bolt on clamp. I also have pivot coming as well.

Nice scottc3 , you got yourself the whole shabang!

We really are trying to keep the cost at a minimum to try and get maximum benefits so please do me a favor and let me know if you have any questions! Also please let me know how it all works for you. Especially the multi function frame, I love using that with my KME for fine tuning angles.

 

[HDEdges]

I had that problem yrs ago.. Found out the stones were bade.. Contacted KME.. They did nothing.. Waited a yr and replaced the stones.. Problem solved.. I bought and used diamond stones in the interim..
Not a KME fan..
Went back to my Lansky..
John

I have had similar customer service issues with KME, unfortunately. That said, I have only had the scratch issue with mine a couple of times. But it hasn’t happened frequently enough to dig in to the why.

 

[HDEdges]

As 777edge said, you can have some diamonds break loose from the plate, if you wipe your blade off when one is laying there you can put a scratch in the blade. Stoppers on the rod so you can't accidentally run your stone up over the blade is a nice thing to have also. When I looked they we out of stock everywhere. I used a cork from a wine bottle. Cut it in half, and drilled a hole through it. You have two stoppers that you can slide where you need them, but tight enough they won't move on their own when you're sharpening.

I really like my KME. I looked at all the sharpening systems that were out there at the time...less than what there are now, but I still think it's a good system. There's pros and cons to all of them.

I agree. I don’t have experience with the other high end systems. But the KME took me from a clueless sharpener to putting polished, extremely sharp edges on my blades within a couple sharpenings.

 

[jmh33]

I have had similar customer service issues with KME, unfortunately. That said, I have only had the scratch issue with mine a couple of times. But it hasn’t happened frequently enough to dig in to the why.

It was kinda funny that a while after I complained they pulled all their stones off the market and you could only buy their kits with diamonds,, Then later (I guess they found another supplier) their kits were available with different stones.. Thats when I bought new.. Even though I feel I got less than good service I still spent money from them..
If I had to do over I think I wouldn't.. JMO!!!
John