WE130-2017: any changes?

Graphite I have used both the pre-2017 stone handles and the newer 2017 stone handles. The newer handles are now made of a different plastic, ABS, to allow for easier molding and mold release of the handles to help ensure better consistent tolerance in the molding process.  The guide rods have been changed to a slightly larger diameter to tighten the tolerance for a slightly snugger fit with less gap or slop.

I have used both the older pre-2017 handles and the newest handles, extensively and I can feel a smoother improved sliding action with both these era stones with the new rods.  I can not feel a discernable difference between the two stone handles, older and newer, to say that one handle is tighter than the other.

You asked this question: Was that because the rod diameters also changed, or just because the tolerance was wrong on the pre-2017 stone holders?

I can say that neither handle or the guide rod ever had a problem that hindered the action or precision of the sharpener or caused it to not work well.  There was never in my experience any thing about WEPS that was “wrong”.  All changes I’ve seen made to the WEPS are to improve the precision to a higher level than it was already at.  These changes are more due to more precise manufacturing and machining. Were talking 1000’s of an inch changes in rod diameter.

The holes in the plastic handles, (both eras), are solid and continuous the length of the stone handle.  There are no gaps or spaces which would allow the holes to enlarge with wear.  Both new and old handles fit the newest rods equally well.  I know of only one or two user situations where the older stones were a little too tight to slide freely and the issues were easily remedied.  I have 40 pairs of handles both old and new, including a new full set 50/80 through 1500/glass blank and 2 pairs of glass platens for strops, I recently purchased in the last two months.  Everyone works without any issues with the new rods, old and new, alike.

I believe I have addressed and answered all your questions.  I did not answer your initial post because I didn’t have the answers to the questions as worded.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Mark76, Organic

I have found that the smoothness benefits from wiping the rods done with a “Swifter” dry cloth or paper towel whenever the stone handles feel off; sticky or draggy.  I follow the dry towel with a wipe of a small swatch of a silicone/oil rag that I cut out of the larger one.  It’s the kind of impregnated rag used for wiping guns.  For me, this restores the slippery feel with the “oooeeeep” whistle sound TCMeyers also experiences.

Every once in a while I pull a swatch of the oil rag through the stone handles bore hole with a loop of dental floss that has a paper clip for a weight on the end.  I drop the narrow pinched paper clip done the bore hole, grab it at the bottom then pull it through twice going opposite directions.  This lubes the plastic up for a couple of knives adding to the slipperiness.

2 users thanked author for this post.

sksharp, Organic

jabas2000 wrote:

This is what I mean by a bumpy road.

My new rods do have that same appearance, as your pictures, but I can’t feel it.  Possibly your rods weren’t buffed smooth after being cut down on the lathe.  Give WE a call I’m sure they’ll take care of you.

The upper rod in the first photo shows some very pronounced grind marks, almost not visible on mine.  The “wavy” pattern on the lower rod shows some harmonic artifact from the final machining process.  I doubt that they are contributing to vibration, as the difference in diameters at those points is probably less than 1/10,000 of an inch.  Like any two surfaces sliding against one another, the high and low spots (even at less than 1/10,000″) will quickly be revealed.

I’m pretty sure that the rods are machined on a cylindrical grinder, which is basically a lathe with a grinder attachment that moves along the axial direction, with minute adjustments at the end of each stroke to take the part to the next smaller diameter.  Machining on a lathe with a typical cutting tool requires a lot of side-force, which a rod of such a small diameter could not take over that long of a span.  Once the outside diameter is machined, the rod could then be chucked up normally in the lathe for the step down in diameter and threading.  Here, the length of rod cantilevering from the chuck is less than an inch and therefor not a problem.

I’m going to guess that WE’s machining vendor buys the rod stock as “TG&P” (turned, ground and polished).  I have some drill bits (letter-size F) which measure almost exactly the same OD (0.255″) at the shank as the new WE rods and are labelled as 0.257″, so there certainly are suppliers who offer HSS in that diameter, but WE uses stainless, which would not be a standard stock item.  Hence the less-than-stellar finish.  In any case, the rods in the photos should slide easily through any of the handles.  I’ve become attached to the “oooeeep!” whistle and now it’s something of a comfort to hear, although it does interfere with audible clues as to what’s happening at the point of contact between stone and blade.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Alan, Marc H