New Wicked Edge User!

[Daymon Haight]

Hello! My name is Daymon and I’m 15 (yes, I’m 15). I worked all Summer to save up for a Wicked Edge Pro Pack I and I have been very pleased with it so far. I just have a few questions to ask. First, how can I keep from rounding the tip? I’m sure this has been asked multiple times, but I find it easier to understand an answer if It’s new, and not having to read through a thread. Yeah, I know It’s weird :). Secondly, I was sharpening a Buck Bantam (blade steel of 420HC) and decided to bust out the strops, and this is what it left the edge looking like:

Is that normal? It’s the second knife I’ve stropped with and I did 15 strokes per side. I didn’t notice this the first knife I stropped and am a little curious. I did 15 strokes with the 5 micron strops, wiped the blade completely clean, did 15 strokes with the 3.5 micron strops and saw the green paste left on the blade.

This is what the edge looks like now after whipping everything off, and It’s insanely sharp (at least to me).

[Mikedoh]

See if this helps
http://www.wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&catid=9&id=11842&Itemid=271&view=topic

[Mark76]

Welcome to the forum! Great you like your WEPS.

That edge sure does look good. I think you put a little too much stropping paste on your strops. It doesn’t hurt, but then it comes off on the first few stroppings. You really need only a tiny amount, say two or three pin-heads worth of stropping paste.

You can prevent rounding the edge by controlling you motion when you reach the tip. If you make sweeping motions, many people move their arms or wrist slightly inward when nearing the tip. Try to finish the motion straight ahead.

But you’re doing great already 🙂

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[cbwx34]

Welcome to the forum.

I take a bit of a different approach… I let the stone rotate as it follows the edge to the tip, but I stop when I reach the tip… when the stone is about 1/2 way across. Like mentioned above, if you do a sweeping motion like Clay often demos in his videos, just keep the stone straight and don’t let it rotate around the tip.

After a few knives the paste will work into the leather. You can work it in with your fingers, just be careful not to cross contaminate the strops.

Looking good! :woohoo:

[Daymon Haight]

Thank you everyone for the replies. They helped and for now I’m going to work on my technique and try to keep from rounding the tip.

[DARRELL ALLEN]

First, let me welcome you to the forum Daymon……….this is a great bunch of guys that freely give their knowledge and advise,which is as it should be.

Second, let me just say that it shows what a well rounded and disciplined young man you already are, to know what you wanted, be willing to work hard for it ( as you know all too well, the WEPS isn’t cheap..but IMHO is the best system out there ), and actually get it. That to me is proof in the pudding so to speak, that someone instilled good, solid values in you growing up. I commend you for that.

Third, I had the same issue you did with rounding the tips, and the link that Mike posted of Clay’s suggestion, as well as all the other answers, are spot on, and worked for me too as I no longer round my tips. This system will give you a lot of feedback if you slow down, focus on what your feeling, and listen to what it’s trying to tell you.

The blade looks great, so keep on sharpening and just have fun with it. :cheer:

[Leo Barr]

Well done for saving up that shows a high degree of focus for someone having worked though the holidays I sure all those that matter are very proud of you . I imagine you will graduate to making knives next if you have time .
Awesome stuff!

[Daymon Haight]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I really appreciate it :).

Today I sharpened a SOG Magnadot (crap). The blade steel is 7Cr17MoV. It’s REALLY sharp! When I say something is really sharp, It’s based off of my previous experiences. I know peoples definition of sharp varies, so I wanted to clarify.

Here it is (I’m extremely pleased with it):

[Daymon Haight]

I also got these edges on a Case:

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Welcome to the forum! Let me chime in also saying how impressed I am that you set a goal and accomplished it! Outstanding!! You are right everyone has their own definition as to what sharp is? One of the ways around here is qualified here.

http://coticule.be/hanging-hair-test.html

Please enjoy the read you will find it referred to here at different times? And it is just fun to make a hair “pop”!
Remember the most important part is to just have fun!
Eamon

[Daymon Haight]

Welcome to the forum! Let me chime in also saying how impressed I am that you set a goal and accomplished it! Outstanding!! You are right everyone has their own definition as to what sharp is? One of the ways around here is qualified here.

http://coticule.be/hanging-hair-test.html

Please enjoy the read you will find it referred to here at different times? And it is just fun to make a hair “pop”!
Remember the most important part is to just have fun!
Eamon

Thanks for the link. A very good read that was!

I have been having loads of fun with my Wicked Edge. I go home and look forward to sharpening whatever is lying around.

[Geocyclist]

Welcome to the forum. :cheer:

I had the opposite problem starting out. I was not getting all the way to the tip.

I sharpen tip to heel, edge trailing. I choose this since it leaves the teeth (if there are any) pointing towards the heel and helps cutting on the pull stroke. My main objective was to pick 1 direction and master it. It made since to do edge trailing as you must do this with strops.

When I saw I wasn’t getting all the way to the tip I focused on placing the tip half way on the stone, getting it flat on the stone and starting the stroke.

If you go heel to tip, never, never, never, let the tip go off the stone, try to stop half way. I rounded many tips before the WEPS using ceramic sticks and the Lansky. I did not stop the tip and let it go off the stone. I rounded one so much it looked like I was trying to do it.

[Daymon Haight]

Welcome to the forum. :cheer:

I had the opposite problem starting out. I was not getting all the way to the tip.

I sharpen tip to heel, edge trailing. I choose this since it leaves the teeth (if there are any) pointing towards the heel and helps cutting on the pull stroke. My main objective was to pick 1 direction and master it. It made since to do edge trailing as you must do this with strops.

When I saw I wasn’t getting all the way to the tip I focused on placing the tip half way on the stone, getting it flat on the stone and starting the stroke.

If you go heel to tip, never, never, never, let the tip go off the stone, try to stop half way. I rounded many tips before the WEPS using ceramic sticks and the Lansky. I did not stop the tip and let it go off the stone. I rounded one so much it looked like I was trying to do it.

Wait, I should be doing edge trailing strokes when stropping?

When I sharpened today I tried something a little different. Instead of going off the blade completely with the stones, I went about 1/4 of the way with the stone and stopped. It seemed to work better.

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Yes, edge trailing when stroping. If you do edge leading you will cut into your strop. And that’s a bad thing! 😆
Your new technique sounds much better! I was much happier when I started to do it that way myself. We all have made the same newbie mistakes! It is just part of a small learning curve. From the sounds of it you will be pro in not to long and be the one giving advise! Good job! :woohoo:

[Daymon Haight]

Yes, edge trailing when stroping. If you do edge leading you will cut into your strop. And that’s a bad thing! 😆
Your new technique sounds much better! I was much happier when I started to do it that way myself. We all have made the same newbie mistakes! It is just part of a small learning curve. From the sounds of it you will be pro in not to long and be the one giving advise! Good job! :woohoo:

Ahhh, I didn’t know that. Thanks for the help. Now I know for the future.

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