HI MARK!
To be honest, I have tried several times to put edges on cheap knives and the results are always a waste of time…you can’t get a burr to build up and even if somehow a miracle occurs and you get what passes for a burr, the edge you get finally is not worth the time you spent getting it. So the short answer is, don’t waste your time. The only positive is that you are helping to break in your diamonds, but that is better done on decent steel.
I understand what you say about the difference in the width of the edge as it approaches the toe of the blade in some instances. I am sort of a practical guy and so my folders are all users and if there is a variance in edge width along the blade, I don’t really care that much so long as the edge is sharp…I not as particular about my folders as I am about my fixed blades. If this happens with the fixed blades I care about, I adjust/move (keeping the same depth) the knife to a different position in the vise and work the belly of the blade near the toe.
Clay has a better explanation and it may even be somewhere here on the Forum or even better in one of his YouTube videos. I will look and you look too, maybe we can find what we are looking for.
I have found that I can tell when to stop with one grit of paddle and move on to the next finer grit by listening to the paddles sing to me as I sweep back and forth. You can hear when the diamonds/stones have pretty well done their job. There is a noticeable difference in sound and the feel of the diamonds cutting action. It is almost Zen but it works for me.
I am happy if I have helped you Mark. That is what this old guy is around here for. Good to know I helped you decide on the WEPS too.
Cheers :cheer:
Leo
