Diamond Machining Technology (DMT) MAGKIT-4 Diafold Whetstone Sharpening Kit With 2-Sided Diamond Sharpening Stones

The first kit I received was not sealed in any way. I opened it up, and several of the sharpening stones were scraped up. Clearly the kit had been used, and I had ordered a new kit (not used). So I returned that kit and asked to have a new one shipped to me. The next kit arrived and the handle was sealed with a zip tie. I opened it up, and this kit seemed to indeed be brand new. Now that a had a new kit, I used it to sharpen a 2.5" long x 1/2" wide Swiss Army knife blade. I started with a setting of 7, but that won't work on a 1/2" blade (even though the instructions say it should). The stones will scrape the blade clamp part of the guide before contacting the blade. So I switched to a setting of 6, which should give an angle of 21 degrees on a 1/2" blade. This ended up being the perfect angle for that blade. I was able to achieve a sharp and even edge, of which I am very satisfied. It is sharper than when it was new, I am sure of that. I am not experienced with sharpening knives, so I found the guide very helpful in achieving the angle I wanted. Trying to get a 20 degree angle by free handing it would have been very difficult for me. Despite getting a used kit at first and one issue with the instructions, I'm giving this 5 stars. Mainly because I was so successful at sharpening.

Awesome sharpener. Its a little hard to use on slim blades but thats only using the the blade holder. If you feel your good enough to not use it then you won't have any issues. Perfect little case that keeps everything organized and can easily be tossed in a pack or car to keep with you when out and about. Comes with all the stones youd need to fix a damaged blade and bring it to hair splitting sharp.

Before getting into the product review, I first have to compliment DMT on their customer service. The first sharpener I received had a defect. A replacement was sent out the same day. The sharpener itself is a mixed bag. the diamond stones, are typical of DMT products and are of very high quality. I liked the magnetic holder and found it easy to use. The knife holder is of decent quality, though if you plan to sharpen knives less than 1/2 inch in length you will have trouble (in my case a very small pocket knife.) The system works fine on wider knives. My main complaint is the quality of the plastic used on the adjustable rods and tubes that determine the sharpening angle. this was the source of the original defect that DMT kindly corrected. The system is designed for a small tab to run in a groove for adjustment, and then lock in place by twisting so the tab enters a small slot that holds it in place...theoretically. Unfortunately, the plastic making up these components is of poor quality so the rods are difficult to adjust, and the the tab itself seems like it will wear prematurely or break off entirely. Bottom line: I was able to get very sharp knives, but I'm not sure how long the unit will last.

This is the best shapener! I mainly use this for my edc's. The key is to let the stone do the work. I see reviews where the guide moves and what not. That is because they are using to much pressure. You have to gently glide the knife. I actually do the opposite. I glide the stone and leave the knife in a stable position. This takes a little practice. Once you get that movement down this kit is foolproof. Just make sure the knife is flat at all times on the stone. It will sharpen to better than brand new in my opinion. Be patient, take your time, move through all of the various grades of stones. Blue and red stone help remove material. Green sharpens finer , and the light brown is comparable to stropping where you get that super sharp effect just like you get from a factory new knife.

Great kit for travel or field use to quickly resharpen your knives. Watch the YouTube videos once and you're set. You can get other grits to add on if desired

CONS: - Quite chintzy plastic vise compared to Lansky's metal vise. - Ok quality plastic diafold swing arms, but I question their longevity. - Kit should cost much less due to marginal quality. - No markings on "stones" to identify grit sizes. Simple color coded base substrate. Could be done easily, but is lacking. - XX Fine performs marginally due to rickety vise. - Very entry level in quality i.e. Occasional use vs. frequent use. PROS: Strong magnet to hold bevel guide rods onto "stones". - The diamond mesh is stout enough to handle gentle use. - OK for smaller pocket knives, but not wide or very long kitchen knives. - The diamonds and removed steel grime/paste mesh design are balanced well - Would be a very good entry-level starter kit for youth to practice & learn - IMO - Achieves some GOOD sharp edges if you're patient, slow, & keep the bevels CONSISTENT! (consistent angle & repetitions both). - I FINALLY got my EDC DAMASCUS blade razor sharp using this jig. I've tried diligently to get an edge on it. Whet Stones, Sharpening gizmos, etc. Nothing would touch it until now. is Damascus steel really "that" strong/hard? .

I had a DMT guide set prior to this, but I'm somewhat disorganized and managed to lose part of it. Having this all set up in a hard case has eliminated that. The guide is fairly basic, but effective, and of course the stones themselves work well. I have a hard time keeping a consistent angle when I sharpen freehand, so this works much better for me and I end up with a much more consistent edge on my knives. If you like to keep your own steel sharp but don't want to drop a ton of money, this is an effective kit for a decent price.

I had originally purchased a lansky but this product smokes it, from ease of use to diamond stones for a cheaper price you can sharpen your knife like a razor.