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Positioning

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  • #53990
    -Terry
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 27

    Hi everyone,

    This question kind of has a a couple parts, but it is all part of the same question.

    I was looking at the list of submissions for what others have used for blade positioning. None of these positions are in agreement with other users with the same knife, particularly the Spyderco PM 2. One will say position B2, another will say J5, and so on. I think I found mine to me CD 4 bottom position. Does the model of the Wicked Edge system make a difference in position? What position have others used on this knife? Thanks

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    #53991
    -Terry
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 27

    FYI, I’m using the Wicked Edge Gen 3 Pro.

    #53992
    wickededge
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 123
    • Replies: 2938

    The model of sharpener doesn’t make a difference. It looks like you’re seeing some different settings based on two thing; the type of alignment guide used (standard or advanced) and the users’ preferences for setup. It’s possible to find more than one position that works for a knife, especially if you’re able to tilt the blade and use the Advanced Alignment Guide to capture that setting. For example, a user with the standard alignment guide generally can only move the knife back and forth horizontally with any repeatability, so they will find the best position possible within that constraint. Someone with the Advanced Alignment Guide may try tilting the blade and find a good positioning, which may be very similar in ultimate results to what the user moving the blade horizontally got even though the positioning is different. It’s also possible that the person moving the knife horizontally accepted the best they could do, but that was improved upon by the person tilting the blade. Without having a PM 2 in front of me, or an Advanced Alignment Guide, I can’t test which of those two positions is better or if they are very close, so the best I can offer at the moment is a good guess that they’re very similar since I do know that I’ve had good success with the PM 2 in the past moving it horizontally.

    -Clay

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    #53994
    Jeff
    Participant
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 40

    Terry I’ve sharpened at least 1/2 dozen Paramilitary2, some multiple times, in different blade steels over the past few years.  I use the settings found in this linked youtube video below work great for me.  You can watch the whole thing but around the 2:00min mark is when the clamp settings using the advanced alignment guide comes up (top holes, F6) on a similar system as yours.  Gives a nice even bevel along the entire blade length.  This video is actually Clay’s. He may have forgotten about it.

    As an add, my personal preference for sharpening this model is primary bevel only at 15dps and typically only going up to around 1500 diamond stones.  Maybe a quick strop as a last step at 13dps.  Sometimes I skip the stropping if I’m in a hurry.  I know some really like going for that highly polished edge so they can take a picture of reading reflected text backwards (yes some intended sarcasm there :-).  The picture looks cool and it will likely score really low in Bess testing but I find a toothier edge is much more useful for real world cutting in an EDC pocket knife.  My models are in harder steels (Maxamet, K390, S110V, etc.)  On the regular model with S30V I have sometimes added a 18dps micro bevel or if it was for rough use.  Just my $0.02.

    Jeff.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku1klPBPPgo

    • This reply was modified 4 years ago by Jeff.
    4 users thanked author for this post.
    #54015
    -Terry
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 27
    1. Ok, so I put my knife at position F6, set the table to 15°, and the micro adjustment will not allow me to get an actual 15dps. However, if I set the table to 16°, I can get to 15  dps using micro adjustments. Is this normal?

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    #54022
    Marc H
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2735

    -Terry the angle indicators on the sharpeners are just that, indicators,  a suggested starting place.  The true indicator of your relative bevel angles are those readings you get using a properly zeroed digital angle cube.

    The angle markers on the table, as you call it, are arbitrary and were made with a knife positioned and clamped a certain way, by Wicked Edge, as a good starting point. Then those markers were derived from that particular knife’s measurements.  Many users have flipped the angle bar around so the markings face to the rear where they don’t see them.

    Marc
    (MarcH's Rack-Its)

    4 users thanked author for this post.
    #54024
    -Terry
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 27

    So as long as my cube indicates the desired angle, thats all that matters? Good to know. Thanks everyone.

    #54025
    Marc H
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2735

    Yes. Zero your cube only once at the beginning of your sharpening session.  The cube will read consistently as long as the W.E. sharpener sits on a stable steady surface and has not been moved or shifted.

    Marc
    (MarcH's Rack-Its)

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    #54026
    -Terry
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 27

    Perfect, thanks.

    #54027
    Marc H
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2735

    Many of us use our angle cubes to make angle readings to double check and re-adjust our sharpening stone angle settings, each and every grit change.  I’m of the belief to have a knife sharpener that allows this level of repeatable precision to take advantage of this ability.

    Marc
    (MarcH's Rack-Its)

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    #54028
    -Terry
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 27

    Yes, I agree. I use my cube for each grit change. I also noticed that there is upwards of .3 to .4° slop in the stone on the guide rod too. I adjust for the position I hold the stones the most.

    #54029
    Marc H
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2735

    -Terry, as you wrote, consistent repeated stone position, while making these angle readings, is key and necessary to take advantage of the sharpener’s potential precision.

    Marc
    (MarcH's Rack-Its)

    2 users thanked author for this post.
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