I used to have an older model Swix ski edge sharpener that did a pretty effective job of keeping a sharp edge on my skis but in the decade or so I took off from downhill skiing, lost that tool. So I came to Amazon looking for a replacement and unfortunately decided to go with this DMT tool. I've used it several times with minimal improvement to my ski edges and now the tool is mostly worn out. I don't recommend it. PROS: - One can easily change the edge bevel angle from 1 degree to about 5 degrees by rotating the dial on the bottom. - It's small enough to be easily carried in one's pocket (any sort of pocket, really - it's about 1.5" x 1.5" x 1") - Diamond-coated sharpening steels can be replaced. - I believe it's made in the U.S., which is becoming rare with tools in general, let alone with small ones made partially of plastic. CONS: - Does very little. I used this tool on two pairs of skis, an adult's 175cm pair and a kids 140cm pair that had fairly dull edges, I'd say I'd rate them a 5/10 on a sharpness scale where 1 is nearly round and a 10 is race-ready on ice and could cut a finger run too carelessly down the edge. After spending 10 minutes on each pair with the DMT Burr Doctor, if I was generous, I'd say I brought them up to maybe a 6/10, but to be honest, that could be entirely my imagination wanting there to be some positive impact from my efforts. This device will NOT change a dull ski to a sharp one nor even give one any significant extra edge in between runs when one finds the ski to be slipping on the ice. The Swix sharpener I used to own did not bring the edges up to a fully-sharpened, fully tuned level which requires a file for the initial sharpening of the edges, but it did a much better job than this DMT device. I've got a pair of high-end K2's sitting in my basement that I bought in 1993, used them probably 70 times without ever getting a professional tune, haven't used them since 1997, and the edge on them from my old Swix sharpener is still much sharper than what I could generate on my newer skis with this DMT Burr Doctor. - It's too small to use comfortably. The tool is about the size of a golf ball with flattened ends and it fits a bit too closely in the hand, does not provide quite a wide and stable enough of a platform as one is pulling it down the ski edge, and it never gave me confidence that it could both keep the proper edge angle (particularly when doing the side edge rather than the wider base edge) nor protect my hand against the edge if I pulled it off-course too hastily. - Diamond coating on the sharpening steel seems too fine and wears off quickly. I've used this tool twice each on two skis and the diamond abrasive coating on the steel appears to have mostly worn off - it's mostly smooth both to the eye and to the touch when I run my fingernail over it. While the steel can be replaced (I believe the replacement costs as much as the entire tool does new when one adds in $6 S&H ), this is the sort of tool that should last for years of use, not literally for less than 60 minutes of use, before the steel/stone needs to be replaced. - Inadequate instructions for use. The cursory instructions that came with it basically said nothing more than "Turn dial to adjust edge angle. Run Burr Doctor down edge of ski." I went to the DMT website looking for more detailed instructions and found that they have very good, clear and detailed instructional videos for what appears to be all of their diamond-coated sharpening products, all of their products that is, except this tool. It should have instructions that clearly state in which direction the edge angle is applied, what benefit or advantage there is to having a different-than-90-degree angle on a ski or snowboard edge, and gave detailed general instructions on using the tool from start to finish. CONCLUSION: If you want a small ski edge sharpener, I don't recommend this product. It's not particularly easy to use, does very little to change the edge of a ski, and wears out quickly. Quite frankly, the only reason I gave it 2-stars instead of one is because I might be using it for a slightly different than intended purpose, given that it is called a "Burr Doctor" instead of "Ski Sharpener." If it was used merely to remove burrs from the edges of freshly sharpened skis after the initial rougher passes with a file, or else used to maintain a sharp edge on a pair of skis that have been properly sharpened very recently, it might do that reasonably. However, the product description does describe it as a "snow sport edger" and as having a "Coarse diamond to transform a dull edge" which I think reasonably can lead one to conclude that is a ski or snowboard edge sharpener. Unfortunately, this product fails in the role of a pocketable tool for sharpening dull ski/snowboard edges. I paid $18.22 for this tool from Amazon (its price has since come down, fluctuating as Amazon's prices often do) and don't feel like throwing away more than the cost of a very good twelve-pack of microbrew, so I plan on contacting DMT and seeing what they have to say about their product - supposedly their tools have unlimited warranties or guaranties, so maybe I got a defective product that they'll replace. I'll come back and update this review once I've seen what DMT will do for me.
