Me and my story! Let’s get to know each other!

[Ziggy]

Thanks Leo. Nice to be here.
You had it harder … I had a Bladder vest 🙂
47, but joints and back are in their late 60’s!
Just have to think before I leap now.
The suspension is shot.

[Leo James Mitchell]

ROTFLMAO! 😛 My suspension is gone too, but as well my carburetor sucks and my filter system has sediment big time! All in all I am an old jalopy! LOL!

Cheers my friend
Leo

[Patrick Yao]

Hey all, my name is Patrick. Originally from St. Louis, MO, now my family and I reside in the Bay Area. I’m in my thirties, and am currently a pastor for youth at my church. Been at this job for around eight years now.

My brother got me into knives this past winter when he got me a Spyderco Tenacious as a gift and since then I’ve had this terrible sickness for knives. Since March I have started collecting and it has grown uncontrollably. I’m not a hard user, but I like the idea of having sharp knives at my disposal, so I started out with a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker, but I never became all that proficient at sharpening with it and I was getting very annoyed that I couldn’t sharpen my knives well to shaving sharp, so I ended up getting a used Wicked Edge system that came with 800/1000, 1200/1600, and I purchased some strops paddles as well. Now with this system, I feel very proficient and it’s very gratifying. I love buy used blades and restoring them to a crazy sharp edge.

Clay’s video on sharpening the Sebenza was spot on and I was able to sharpen and used Umnumzaan to a convexed razor sharp edge, and keeping the original lines of the bevel. This system is awesome.

[jeff williams]

Welcome aboard new members…

[David]

Hi all. I’m David, and greetings from the free State of Maine where my EDC is both a Springfield Commander and (usually) a Spyderco ATR folder. Expect some microphotographs after I get my WEPS! I got into sharpening because, well, a knife is supposed to be sharp. Gave up on traditional stones when I got my first crock sticks in the late 80’s and got pretty good with them but never as uniform as I wanted, something I see the WEPS excelling at. Over the years, I collected too many knives (and firearms!). Had to give up the sidearm after joining the USAF (a flight doc) for a few years but got issued knives as it was part of the flying gear which kind of took the sting out it (free knives — woo hoo). Believe it or not, the rational was to deflate the emergency rafts in case they inflated during flight (C-17s and C-5’s). I did finagle a full auto Gerber when I was deployed. Anyway, I’ve been counting the days for far too long, about 17 days to go, until my WEPS should be here. Would it be unprofessional to take the delivery day as a sick day and sharpen all day long?

[Larry]

David
I had to wait a long time too for my WE to arrive, so when it arrived I took a mental health day to break it in.
I dont carry a firearm but I do prefer the commander over the govt. I edc a benchmade folder of one flavor or another. My commander type is a ED Brown Kobra Carry.

Lucky

[Edwin Lurvey]

I do not own a commander, I have a couple Govt and an Officer. My next purchase might be a commander. I am a 1911 guy bigtime. I even bought the Sig 238, just because it was like a 1911.

I do have another govt coming in from a friend who wants to unload it cheaply. it will be a project gun, as it is a POS to begin with. Another project, after the initial sharpening bug slows, when I receive my WE when I come back from Hunting.

[Andrew McMullen]

Well, it looks like it’s my turn. I’m from the not so free Southern California. I’m an IT Technician at a High School in Orange County. Just turned 30 this year and wife just gave birth to our first child. A boy. My family didn’t do any camping or outdoors activities when I was growing up, so I was a little deprived.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by knives. Pretty much any kind of knives. I think that my parents were a little worried when I was younger about me being into knives. That was until my Grandmother politely let my family know that I’m exactly like my Grandfather. He passed away shortly after I was born, so I didn’t get to know him. From what my Grandmother has told me, my Grandfather had a bit of an addiction to all things sharp. So I guess I’m normal.

Bought my first knife in High School, a horribly cheap overpriced one, and just recently have expanded to Emerson, Kershaw, ZT, Benchmade, and Chris Reeve’s knives.

Spent a lot of time with cheap sharpeners, but never really felt satisfied. Looking to purchase my WEPS very soon. A little bummed about the wait time I’m hearing, but all great things take time.

Nice to meet everyone.

[Jende Industries]

Nice to meet you all!

I think it is required to take a personal day when anything from the WEPS gets delivered 👿 I sure I remember reading it in my contract somewhere…:whistle:

[Don Llewellyn]

As I mentioned in my first post I was a knifemaker for 5 years, and was even featured in Blade magazine once. 🙂 But then I had a table saw accident (opened up my left thumb and first finger) and after that just didn’t feel like making knives anymore. Of course now, a couple of years later, I wouldn’t mind making a knife or two but I sold my equipment! So someone suggested I get into sharpening and that led me to order a WEPS.

I love guns too and especially 1911’s. My carry gun is a Kimber Compact CDP – love those 4″ guns. Knives I have lots what with customs, tons of Case and then Benchmade, Emerson, Strider and all the wife’s Kershaws. Should have lots to practice on when the WEPS gets here!

[Larry]

Don
We have a few things in common, I also like the model 1911, got my first one while I was in the Navy in 1968. Currently I still own three. Wilson CQB compact, Ed Brown Kobra Carry and a Les Baer PII. I have a few benchmade folders and just picked up a Kershaw skyline. I also dabbled in knife making but ran out of interest and gave my forge, anvil, and tools to a good friend, I did keep my Burr King grinder.

Welcome to the forum
Lucky

[Don Llewellyn]

Lucky,

That was a smart move keeping the Burr King. I got rid of my Bader B3 and really regret it now. I took orders and got way behind before – now I’d just make ’em at my own pace and then sell ’em.

Nice 1911’s you have! I have 7 but nothing as nice as those, although I do have a Spingfield Mil-Spec being turned into a custom. Should be done one of these years. 🙂

[Allgonquin]

Hi All,

My name is Chris, I just turned 56 and after ordering the Pro pack on August 8, I received my WEPS on Friday after Thanksgiving – worked out to be a great birthday present for me! I’m a mechanical engineer and amateur knife maker. I took a blade making course from a Master Smith named Rob Hudson almost 10 years ago and I’ve dabbled since then. My avatar photo is a knife I made from a 1” ball bearing with 5211 steel. Finally bought my own forge a year ago, which I’ve not used yet as I’m rebuilding the blower. Recreational shooter as well, I love my Gold Cup .45 as well as sporting clays. EDC’s include a Benchmade McHenry & Williams, a CRKT Lake Design, and for dressy occasions an old Gerber Silver Knight, of which I’ve managed to accumulate several from strategic eBay buys.

Always had knives, always had mixed success with sharpening. Had been looking for something “systematic” with more precision, and my 17 yo son turned me on to the WEPS. He’s got the knife bug as well. After one quick look at the video, I ordered it. Yesterday evening I had my Zen moment with the WEPS. Took a 6” Henkels kitchen slicer which I’ve never been able to sharpen well. Had it for probably 10 years. Put some mellow tunes on in my basement shop. Nuked the factory bevel and edge with 100 grit and went with 19 degrees. Did at least 200 strokes in 50-stroke segments, and very carefully observed the edge using a sharpie. The knife is fairly flexible, so I took extra care on the tip, which had a tendency to bend away from the stone(s) even though I had it in the support. After 200 strokes, I went for the wire edge and very carefully made sure I had it full length before going to finer grit.

Lather, rinse, repeat, with 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 grits, and then on to the 5 and 3.5 micron strops. Probably did closer to 300 strokes with the strops. Carefully wiped the edge between segments and between grits and re-sharpied. No rush, took my time with everything. I knew I was on to something, as they say, as by about 800 grit, the paper towel I was using to wipe the edge would tend to get sliced, not like cutting paper, but like skinning an apple, if you understand.

So finally after the 3.5, I unclamped the blade and did the thumb test, across my fingerprint. (I’d resisted doing this during the other grits.) Wow….just simply wow. Then I tried shaving my arm. Effortless, like a straight razor. Incredible. Went upstairs and found a very soft tomato. Paper thin slices.

That’s it, I’m good with this, I’m very good with having made this investment. One small thing has latched into place in the world’s gears. I slept well last night!

[Edwin Lurvey]

Chris, welcome to the WEPS. I am 2 weeks into my WEPS journey myself. It is very gratifying doing a good job sharpening a tool so you can do a good job at something else.. I tend to spend alot of time on kitchen items, as I suspect most of my sharpening for others will be kitchen knives, and pocket knives. The hunters and sportsmen will be another. It would be nice to pay off the WEPS in a coffee or lunch here and there from a friend whom I have sharpened knives for, so I can mentally justify buying sets of Chosera’s and Shaptons.

[Leo James Mitchell]

Hi Chris!
First off let me welcome you aboard the good ship Wicked Edge!
I love your description of your first sharpening experience with the WEPS. Very well done my friend. Interesting that you referred to your first try as a Zen moment as that is the way I feel ever since I got the hang of using this rig. Although much of the sharpening is looked after by the fine engineering of the WEPS, there is much to be said about tuning-in with all your senses as you work. This Zen-like tuning-in leads to better and sharper edges IMHO!
Once more Chris, job well done! Put up some shots of your knife if you can swing it!

Very best regards

Leo

[Author]

Posts