Little bit lost.. need your advice please
- This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 05/28/2018 at 4:32 pm by
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Welcome to the Wicked Edge Forum and Community Sultan.
I own and use both a Gen 3 Pro and a WE 130. These systems are both the “top of the line units” in the Wicked Edge Systems line-up. Both sharpening systems use and share the same floating cam single lever action vice with tensioning adjuster split jaws. They both are equally fast and easy to clamp almost any knife. The Gen 3 Pro knife bevel angle setting adjustments are done simultaneously. Accomplished by moving one central slide arm. On the WE130 the same angle adjustments are done individually at each rod arm, ball joint “L” bracket. This slightly slower individual angle adjustment is in my opinion and advantage allowing you to set the angles individually to sharpen a broader array of blade grinds and knife styles and shapes then the Gen 3 Pro can sharpen. The learning curve and difficulty using and mastering the technique with either model, the Gen 3 Pro or the WE130 is essentially the same.
Another advantage is the WE130 is available in the Pro Pack 3 Kit that comes standard with a more complete, fuller array of stones and accessories. Yes, it is more expensive but these are accessories you wanted to purchase anyway. A rolling hard case is included that will fit and hold the accessories.
I would recommend the purchase of these extras:
- 12″ guide rods
- Safety shields and/or cut resistant gloves
- Another set on strops and diamond emulsion
- Extra coarse diamond stone set
- Super fine ceramic stones and/or Micro fine ceramic stones
- Ceramic stones for curved blade
- 2 pairs blank glass platens
- Diamond lapping films: 3µ, 1.5µ, 1.0µ, and 0.5µ, (several sheets of each)
The 6µ diamond lapping films is included in the Pro Pack 3 set, purchase extra sheets.
That would give you a “dream team” setup. I have all of these accessories, purchased separately, and individually, over the past few years as I learned more about sharpening with the WEPS and as my skill level and my sharpening technique improved.
(Sultan, your avatar looks like the engraved end-cap of the Miyabi Birchwood SG2 knives).
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)2 users thanked author for this post.
If money is not an obstacle and you decide to go with the WE130 setup then the pro pack 3 is a really good all around kit. If you’re going to purchase the gen. 3 pro model and build off of that, then you’ll for sure want the 800 / 1000 and 1500 / glass stones. Get the 6 micron diamond lapping film to go with the glass blank on the 1500 / glass. The 50 / 80 set is nice to have if you’re going to be doing work on knives with heavy damage. Since you said that you would be sharpening for other people (who probably don’t care for their knives very well) I would suggest that you’ll want that set also.
The consensus on the strops seems to be that the kangaroo leather is the best medium, but I have always used the cow leather and that works very well also. Get the kangaroo if you don’t care about the extra cost. I would get the 4 micron / 2 micron and 1 micron / 0.5 micron diamond emulsion sets.
Accessories: The low angle adapter and the Tormek small knife adapter (not sold by WE, but readily available on Amazon) will be very useful for smaller blades. Don’t forget to pick up a USB microscope, a digital angle gauge, and some sharpie markers as well if you don’t already have them.
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