Angle cube variability/inconsistency and jumpiness
- This topic has 31 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 04/24/2020 at 11:39 am by
.
-
My grandson bought me an angle gauge from Harbor freight for Christmas. His heart was in the right place but we all know about those tools..NOT TRUT WORTHY. He is so proud to get me something I’ll use…buttttttt….it has no name. lolDoes it make that much of a difference?? Down deep, I truly already know the answer to that
1 user thanked author for this post.
Here’s what I’ve used and my Pros and Cons:
- Smart Phone: newer $1000 smart phones (inclinometer apps). Phones scratch easily holding them up against W.E. diamond sharpening stones and they are non-magnet so they have to be hand-held in position to use the app.
- iGaging AngleCube Digital Level – does pretty well. Readings roll a lot and hard to get two successive readings the same. Low resolution (+/-0.05º) and 0.2º accuracy. But, does the job with adequate precision.
- Accuremote Digital angle gauge – I think it’s the same as the iGaging under a different Brand. Same Specs, Magnets on 3 sides. Readings roll a lot and hard to get two successive readings the same. But, does the job with adequate precision.
- Wixey WR300 Type 2 – 0.2º accuracy. This inexpensive cube is not the most accurate or the lowest resolution. It does lock in fast and will provide successive same readings, quickly. Downside is it is only magnetic on base. So when magnetically attached to stones readings need to be added or subtracted from 90º to determine the Guide rod angles. Sort of a PIA until you get used to the math. This cube does a good job for the price.
- DXL360S Dual Axis Digital Protractor – By far the best resolution, (0.01º) and accuracy (+/- 0.05º) out of any cube I’ve used. Strong/powerful magnets for good holding. Sort of slow to lock in so it takes patience to use it. Worth the wait for the precision it provides. It is very sensitive to the slightest movement. It lacks a lighted LED. There are several different brand names and price points for the same/similar China made cube. Long and detailed and somewhat confusing multi-step calibration procedure.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)5 users thanked author for this post.
Leo you set your angles making gross adjustments first then microfine adjustments to fine tune your sharpeners angle settings to read the desired angle with your angle cube. Not the opposite way. Don’t use the sharpeners settings to set your desired precise angle settings.
The sharpener’s inscribed settings are simply an indication of the angles and a reference to use to know which direction you need to move the gross adjusters first, then the micro-fine adjusters last, to increase or decrease your angle settings.
Each side of the sharpeners are independent, that’s why each side has it’s own microfine adjusters to set the precise angles separately and independently.
You will find most knives don’t having matching bevel angles from side to side as they come from the knife maker. The Wicked Edge allows us to profile our knife edges so the bevel angles are precisely sharpened to the angle we choose and matching, side to side. That way using the zeroed out digital angle cube you can profile then sharpen that $900 knife so each side is precisely sharpened to 20°. Each subsequent touch ups will be easy to match this by recording your clamping position in your sharpening log.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)1 user thanked author for this post.
Leo the reason this happens has nothing to do with quality, it is a fact of Geometry. I am no expert on the subject but do understand why this occurs. The system is designed to be fairly accurate using the marking when the top edge of the bevel is 5/8 of an inch above the vise. As the knife get higher or lower the angle of the rod from the fixed anchor location to the top of the bevel will change. This is way you have the ability to fine tune the angle with the micro adjusters. To under stand this, mount a small knife or piece of bar stock or whatever in the vice so it is 5/8 over the edge of the vise. Set you angle with the rough setting and use your cube to fine tune it. Now mount another taller knife or item in the vice and read the angle on the cube.. you will see it changes the higher you get from the vice. As far as it changing, this is why we have to find the sweet spot of the knife so that angle does not change as much from end to end as the knife curves. Unfortunately there is still a little art involved in the sharpening of knives, even using a guided system.
2 users thanked author for this post.
as well if I move the stone along the blade the angle changes; I thought it was to be the same angle the whole length of the blade…Am I missing something?
If the blade is straight, the angle will remain the same along the whole length. It can begin to change, usually going to a lower, more acute angle, as you get to the belly and tip. That can be managed by the correct positioning of the blade. Here are some good resources about that:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URLVlcwDy6s&list=PLRm8x9sCbpw2tBlHCHKtQC3xeUkqYNbLH
- https://knife.wickededgeusa.com/forums/topic/how-i-find-the-sweet-spot-2-parts/page/2/
- Your instruction manual should have a page titled Correct Positioning which also covers how to adjust for the curvature along the belly of the blade
-Clay
1 user thanked author for this post.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.