A Grand System
- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 02/06/2019 at 5:34 pm by
.
-
I’d pick the WE130 without a base ($575), then add these stones: 50/80, 800/1000 and 1500/glass ($245) w/6 micron diamond film. I’dd also add two pairs of aluminum handles ($70) which I’d lap flat on 400 thru 1500 grit sandpaper. I’d load these with 3, 1.5, 1.0, 0.5 micron diamond film. I find my aluminum handles work just as well as glass platens.
Film abrasives are a consumable, so I haven’t included the price for them. Neither is a base, which you can make out of any of a number of materials, such as breadboards or metal plates. Look for a weight of about 7 or 8 pounds to get a really solid base. You might also take a look at a PanaVise as a mounting option, but that adds to the dollar amount and will require some fabrication.
You have $110 left, so I’d next, assuming you have an old laptop or PC available, buy a USB hand-held microscope. Carson has a very nice one (MM-840) for $42 on Amazon. The WEPS is a precision system and you’ll want to see what you are doing at a precision level.
You’ll probably need the remaining $68 to pay sales taxes, but if you can sneak it past your spousal budget management, I would buy a DXL360S digital angle cube on Amazon for $65 .
When you’re ready to continue adding to your tool kit, I’d buy the Low Angle Adapter ($75) and a pair of 12″ guide rods ($30), as well as one or two stropping packs. If you occasionally need to sharpen blades thicker than 3/16″, you’ll want the 1/4″ vise jaws for $75. Most of the guys here have added the Tormek Small Knife Adapter (Amazon $35) for those cases where the blade is quite small or narrow, or where no other mounting method seems to work.
Please understand that this is just my approach, based solely on my experiences and that other equally qualified users here would rather put more into stropping.
Hope this helps…
5 users thanked author for this post.
The 1200 / 1600 ceramic will get you a very similar result to using just the 1500 diamond. Keep in mind that the 1500 diamond plate will be much more efficient and will require far fewer strokes to get the result.
3 users thanked author for this post.
I’d start 100/200, 400/600, 800/1000. Then, I’d suggest the 1500 diamond with 6µ diamond lapping film for the glass blank side. Then I’d go with 2 sets of leather strops, with diamond emuslions: 4µ/2µ, then 1.0µ/0.5µ. Then call it finished. This is a good all around progression to achieve a very sharp and fairly polished edge once the diamond stones are broken in and you have learned and developed good wicked edge sharpening technique.
Later on down the road, after you have gained experience with a variety of knife types and styles and you want to delve deeper into achieving a more polished bevel, you might want to add a wider progression of diamond lapping films into the protocol.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)3 users thanked author for this post.
Paul,
Considering from where i started to where i have ended up on my WE sharpening journey. WE100, WE120, WE130, finally a Gen3 Pro. I think i would see how much a Gen3 PRO with 10″ rods, without case would cost. It already comes with 100-200, 400-600, 800-1000, this is a great starting point and for some an ending point for quite awhile. The ease for setting and changing angles on the Gen3 Pro are worth the extra cost to me, will handle most all ordinary sharpening needs. And an absolute joy to do Tom’s convex edge method. The angle cube, 1500 diamond, AAG would really round out this system. Later after you have gained sharpening experience then you could add some strops. Just my opinion
3 users thanked author for this post.
The 1500 git stone has become my favorite and I’d trade both of my ceramics sets for one pair of 1500’s. I use 1500’s on every knife I sharpen. Disclaimer: I wrecked both pairs of my ceramics by lapping them on a 1200-grit plate, so I don’t have any affection for them.
2 users thanked author for this post.
I agree with Pinkfloyd. I forgot convexing edges was on your wish list. The Gen 3 Pro is the only model Wicked Edge that allows you to simply convex knive edges. It will take attention to detail and convex edges are a tedious, laborious, process, but it’s not hard to do with the Gen 3 Pro.
tcmeyer has a Youtube video showing how he does this.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)3 users thanked author for this post.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.