First WE, Ultimate WE
- This topic has 23 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 05/07/2018 at 12:06 pm by
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Hi Drew: Welcome aboard the WEPS forum. Lots of good advise here. I’ll touch on a couple here and let those who’ve bought there rigs more recently cover the individual sharpeners and what their features are.
If I was a user without a home base, I’d pick the 130. Find a base you can mount it on and clamp it to some other surface, like a table. Whatever you decide, I’d pick one with micro-adjust capability.
If you plan to do large knives, like machetes, I’d buy the optional vice jaws, which will accommodate blade thicknesses over 1/4″.
I you plan to do very low angles, get the Low Angle Adapter. Another good idea is the Tormek Small Knife Adapter, available on Amazon for about $40. It fits perfectly in the WEPS vices.
I have 14″ rods and love them. They don’t cause any problems other than having to reach farther to slip on a new stone. I understand that WE will make 14″ rods as a special order. I suppose that users who like to use alternating strokes would have to pay attention to the rod tips so they don’t crash. You’re better off to pay attention to the knife edge. The extra length will let you do longer blades and blades mounted very high. By the way, very long blades do not cause a change in bevel angles on blades which are fairly straight. The angle becomes a problem where the belly of the knife transitions to a more vertical line. Generally, you would do those very long blades in separate sections, When you get to the problematic tip, follow the “finding the sweet spot” guidelines.
I’d buy a good jeweler’s loupe ( greater than 10X) to help you inspect the blade edge for damage too small to see easily and to check your progress.
Good luck. Sounds like you have an adventure in your future. A lot of guys are going to be moaning about their “road not taken.”
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Drew The Pro Pack III includes the WE130 as it’s vice in that system. That model and the accessories included will give you almost everything you need. I would consider adding a 50 grit/80 diamond grit stone for machetes and axes. The inclusion of at least the 12″ & 13″ rod arms is handy and probably needed. I also have the 14″ rods and haven’t found the need to use them, yet. Also, like TCMeyer suggested, order a set of jaws to allow for clamping a thick knife. I would also order a “Tormek Small Knife Adapter“.
Definitely if you can swing it and it becomes available, (on back-order now) the Pro Pack III with the addition of a couple accessories I mentioned here will have you covered for just about every sharpening situation.
Marc
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Dear tcmeyer,
It’s an honor to be here. Been lurking for a minute, and it’s thrilling to have a back and forth discussion.
For my list: 130, 1/4″ jaws, riser, Tormek SKA (Definitely. Good reminder.), 14″ rods, and a jeweler’s loupe.
That rod question was bugging me, thank you for the reassurance. This system is on the threshold of sorcery to me, and my brain’s having trouble imagining how even bevels can be created on anything other than a perfectly straight piece of metal. Hat tip to Clay. This system is nuts.
On the jeweler’s loupe, do you have any suggestions on glasses-mounted brands, or are the hand held ones more practical in your experience?
As to the road not taken, that road is still there, waiting. 1,100 to ship a vehicle, 250 for a one way ticket. Lot of the folks here are genuinely sweet. I think the polynesian culture would adopt them just based on that. But, you add in the generosity I’ve seen here, along with the open-source mentality, humor, and attention to detail bourn out of passion… you guys’d be family stepping off the plane.
Sincerely,
Drew
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Drew I used the 50/80 whenever I find I’m working too long or too hard with the 100/200 grit to get a re-profile started. The time and effort savings does out weigh the depth of the scratches. Remember as the 50/80’s are used they will break in too and the scratch marks won’t be soo drastic.
You may consider purchasing polishing rouge blocks or bars in addition to the WE Stropping paste. For your described adventure it may be more practical. Also a couple extra leather strop replacements may be prudent.
Marc
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That 1 inch thick spine is going to be trouble with the WE130 clamp. The WE 120 style clamp might be able to handle it, but there would be a lot of compensation you’d have to do to get the angles to match. You should be able to get it done on the WE130 style clamp with the Tormek small knife adapter because it grips the handle rather than the blade, but I don’t know if you’ll be able to reach the whole cutting edge on a blade that large with only one clamping position option. Does the spine thin out a bit towards the tip?
I’m not sure if it will accommodate that much weight without rotating in the WE clamp. I don’t even own anything that large to test it for you. I’ve personally never tried to sharpen anything larger than about 12 inches of blade, but there is a video of Clay sharpening a 17 inch machete and that was with the old style 8 inch rods.
My concern with the small knife adapter is that you’ll essentially only have one mounting position. If you look it up you will see that it grips the handle of the knife rather than the blade and then there is a metal slab attached to the adapter that you can clamp in the WE. Normally on a blade that long you might need to clamp it in two places so that you could work the section towards the tip and then again to work the section towards the heel. Unfortunately, the Tormek small knife jig isn’t designed in a way that would make that work. You can only clamp the adapter near where the knife handle is located.
That said, you mentioned you have a fiend with access to a machine shop. You could modify the small knife jig to have a longer metal tab that might give you the flexibility you need. Alternatively, you might just be better off having some custom jaws machined that can handle the 0.5 inch spine width.
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Have you also considered a Ken Onion Work Sharp with the Blade Grinder attachment for very quick work before finish sharpening. I am not suggesting to replace the WE, just to handle the really badly chipped, damaged knives, finish sharpening with the WE.
The 50\80 hones do work quick, they will also wear out quicker
Don’t know if you will have electricity available, a converter would probably work on your vehicle if you were really remote.
How will you handle reordering of some of the consumables?
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