Warning- DMT aligner design flaws

[snorkem]

I got a DMT aligner for christmas and i have used it on about 5 knives to completly reprofile and sharpen them. So many things are wrong with this sharpening system it makes my head spin. For one thing, the clamp when clamped to the knife blade, can be tightened or looseneda great deal, this effects the angle +- about 4-5 degrees. so when going to touch up a knife, if the clamp is not as tight as it was before it will be a complete reprofiling session. Another flaw i encountered is that on 2 of my smaller kitchen knives i was physically unable to sharpen one side of the knife. The clamp which was screwed all the way in was not letting the knife sharpen at the set angle. The reason i asked for this was because

1. diamond stones, good for everything right?
2. guided sharpening, easy way to sharpen at a specific angle. turned out to be much harder then expected.

I am now giving in and buying a spyderco sharpmaker. I really should have gotten this one in the beginning. When i get around to selling my dmt aligner i will buy the sharpmaker with the extra extra fine rods and 2 strops from a forum member. I geuss i should have listened the first time people told me to use the sharpmaker.

 

[THG]

What kind of blade? Clamps are known to not work as well on FFG blades, for example; the point of contact between the clamp and the blade is very small compared to say a saber-ground blade.

What does

The clamp which was screwed all the way in was not letting the knife sharpen at the set angle.

mean?

 

[chococrazy]

1. diamond stones, good for everything right?
2. guided sharpening, easy way to sharpen at a specific angle. turned out to be much harder then expected.

1. Different stones work best on different types of steels, although daimonds are generally though to be universal.
2. You are screwing it in wrong. Remember there are 2 screws just loosed the bottom screw, and you can tighten the top screw. This may also solve your wobbling problem.

 

[Jason B.]

Sounds a little like user error and expecting too much from a system.

 

[THG]

Sounds a little like user error and expecting too much from a system.

Yep... Every system has a learning curve. That includes the Aligner AND the Sharpmaker. There is no magic system that you hook it up, pass the knife or stone a few times, and boom you have a sharp knife.

Learn to sharpen.

 

[stitchawl]

Yes, I wound up adding a coin under the rear screw to give me more clamping force. The screw could have been made 5mm longer so I could easily sharpen 3" paring knives... but those are the ONLY ones I've had any problem with.

I still think it's the best-for-the-buck clamp system. Certainly the cheapest ($10) It won't replace my EdgePro, but then, it was never meant to.

Stitchawl

 

[udtjim]

I am a dedicated user of the aligner and have never had any of the problems you listed with yours.

Any time you resharpen a knife you should use the sharpie on the edge if you want to repeat the angle.

If you want to get rid of the aligner setup, Let me know.:thumbup:

 

[FlaMtnBkr]

I am a dedicated user of the aligner and have never had any of the problems you listed with yours.

Any time you resharpen a knife you should use the sharpie on the edge if you want to repeat the angle.

If you want to get rid of the aligner setup, Let me know.:thumbup:

Just curious but the sharpie trick lets you know where you are removing metal. But how would you adjust a few degrees since the angles are pre-determined and you can't make a couple degree adjustment to line it up correctly?

I have the lansky version which is quite similar and was never very impressed with it. It does work but not as well as some of the other ones. For me at least.

 

[iambored388]

you are not going to be able to reprofile on the sharpmaker FYI. Well i guess you could but it will take a ridiculous amount of time. So long that it probably will not be worth it.

 

[cbwx34]

I got a DMT aligner for christmas and i have used it on about 5 knives to completly reprofile and sharpen them. So many things are wrong with this sharpening system it makes my head spin. For one thing, the clamp when clamped to the knife blade, can be tightened or looseneda great deal, this effects the angle +- about 4-5 degrees. so when going to touch up a knife, if the clamp is not as tight as it was before it will be a complete reprofiling session. Another flaw i encountered is that on 2 of my smaller kitchen knives i was physically unable to sharpen one side of the knife. The clamp which was screwed all the way in was not letting the knife sharpen at the set angle. The reason i asked for this was because

1. diamond stones, good for everything right?
2. guided sharpening, easy way to sharpen at a specific angle. turned out to be much harder then expected.

I am now giving in and buying a spyderco sharpmaker. I really should have gotten this one in the beginning. When i get around to selling my dmt aligner i will buy the sharpmaker with the extra extra fine rods and 2 strops from a forum member. I geuss i should have listened the first time people told me to use the sharpmaker.

I've used both... going from the Aligner to the Sharpmaker is a step back IMO. Your biggest issue seems to be sharpening at a specific angle. The trick is consistency. It's not difficult to set the Aligner the same between knives. Just pay attention to "where things are" and repeat. You'll be a lot closer than the 4-5 degree error you claim. In fact, you could see that as an advantage... being able to make slight adjustments to the angle. Most clamping systems have their limits on knives they can do. If for example, you can't sharpen a small knife at the lowest angle, just move up a notch and sharpen it. In most cases the angle difference won't be noticed when you're cutting.

If you want to move "up"... I'd consider the EdgePro if you want to stay with a guided system, or start looking at freehand options. But I think you'll find the Sharpmaker has its limits too, and more of them.

Yep... Every system has a learning curve. That includes the Aligner AND the Sharpmaker. There is no magic system that you hook it up, pass the knife or stone a few times, and boom you have a sharp knife.

Chef's Choice!

cbw

 

[Knife Outlet]

I'm not a fan of diamond abrasives either but I'm certain I could put a better edge on a knife with the DMT Aligner than you could put on the same one with a Sharpmaker. I suspect you failed to grind the bevels completely to one of the set angles. the reason the clamp fixture sharpener will do better is its ability to keep a consistent angle throught the whole process.

The sharpmaker is touch up tool. Think of it something like an abrasive steel. it isn't good for grinding at all. The Aligner, on the other hand will grind bevels all day. You just need to finish the job.

 

[wongKI]

I find the Lansky clamp better than the DMT. Maybe it's just me, but the lowest angle of the DMT isn't as acute as the lowest angle on the Lansky.

Changing around the angles is actually pretty easy. Just move the clamp a little, and wiggle the hones up and down to make sure you cover the whole blade.

 

[razorback1595]

Just curious but the sharpie trick lets you know where you are removing metal. But how would you adjust a few degrees since the angles are pre-determined and you can't make a couple degree adjustment to line it up correctly?

I have the lansky version which is quite similar and was never very impressed with it. It does work but not as well as some of the other ones. For me at least.

for a couple degrees that would mean placing the knife further in the clamp or more in front

 

[Gadgetaholic]

I'm not a fan of diamond abrasives either

I am curious as to why? What aspects do you dislike about diamond abrasives?

I have very little experience with sharpening, but my DMT diamond stones seem to be impressively good at sharpening steel to me.