Pro Pack 2 – Stone Progression?

[William Hoppe]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to the WEPS and am very excited about diving in and learning as much as possible. I bought the a Pro Pack 2 and since taking delivery I have sharpened 4 knives (still breaking the stones in).

Over the past few weeks I have been doing a ton of reading on here and the information has been great. However, I am still a little confused on the recommended stone/grit progression beyond the 1000 grit diamonds though. Hopefully yall can help me out…

My Pro Pack 2 came with the following: 100/200 diamonds, 400/600 diamonds, 800/1000 diamonds, 1.4/0.6 micron ceramics, and 1/0.5 micron leather strops.

My question is this: Is the above list a good progression order to use OR do I need to purchase some additional grit paddles to achieve good results?

I guess I’m really wondering if the leap from the 1000 grit diamond to the 1.4 micron ceramic is too big of a jump? In other words, would it be necessary (or preferred) to buy the 1200/1600 grit ceramics as a stepping stone between the two?

Same question following the micro fine ceramics… Is the leap from the 1.4/0.6 micron ceramics to the 1/0.5 micron strops too large? Would it be necessary to buy the 5/3.5 micron strops for in-between use?

Sorry for the newbie questions – I just want to make sure I’m not wasting my time if I should be doing a different progression.

Cheers!

[Mark76]

Hi thoops, welcome to the forum! Enjoy your WEPS!

I think the order in which you mentioned the stones/strops is the preferred progression. The jump from the 1000 diamonds to the 1.4 micron ceramics is also not too big; it should work out just fine.

And I think the jump from the 0.6 ceramics to the 1 micron paste on leather should work well, too. However, it’s a long time ago I used the 1 micron paste, so perhaps someone with some recent experience can chime in.

It’s also a bit of finding you own preferences, so I’d encourage you to experiment. And please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any more questions!

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Gib Curry]

Most of the following I wrote on another thread and with a little editing, it works here, too:

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I predict you will not have buyer’s remorse! (A pretty easy prediction to make!!)

I got my PP2 just over a year ago. I got the same standard package you purchased but have since added the 50/80 grinder steels and the VSTA. So, that’s my progression — stock, so to speak.

Typically, just doing kitchen knives I don’t even use the whole set: usually stopping at 1000. But on friends nicer EDC I will use the whole “stock” progression. (Some say then to go back and put a toothy micro-bevel on that beautiful mirror edge. And that works great, too.)

Thinking about it now, I’d hazard a guess 90% of the population of Seattle has never seen sharper, shinier knives and I know none of my friends had.

So, just my perspective from the bottom looking up. The stock progression results in an edge that is far superior in “most” people’s experience.

~~~~

All that being said.

Consider the VSTA before adding more stones. It was one of the bigger helps for me.

And, instead of getting finer grits, I added coarser. I was having more trouble at those grits doing heavier profiling stuff. Once I get a burr on both sides at 400 or, for me, preferably, at 800, then I know the edge is going to be wicked.

After that, for me, it is making repeatable strokes in terms of how I hold the handle, how much/little pressure I use, etc. and the PATIENCE to keep at it until the scratches from the previous stone are gone.

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OK, that’s my giving you support for being able to do everything you want and imagine with a blades edge with what you have already.

But, as you’ve no doubt already seen, on this forum you’re dealing with people who use scanning electron microscopes to look at their edges!!

If your personal OCD kicks in, then, oh yeah, your are in the right place. And, oh yeah, you’ll want the glass platens with bushings, tape, ‘roo & bamboo strops, paste and sprays.

Welcome.

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For Now,

Gib

Φ

"Everyday edge for the bevel headed"

"Things work out best for those who make the best out of the way things work out."

[William Hoppe]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate the help.

I will likely end up getting the 50/80’s as well.

I was looking at the VSTA’s but is there that much of a difference in stone thickness between the different grits? I have been using an angle cube each time I progress up the stones but havent noticed any difference in the angles. I guess it might be too small for the cube to pick up?

[tcmeyer]

I use the standard progression beginning with the 400/600’s, then 800/1000’s. My “fill the gap” solution is to use 12/9 micron film on glass blocks instead of the 1200/1600 ceramics. 12/9 works out to 1200/1800 grit and I think it’s much more uniform than the ceramics. Then I’ll do the 1.4/0.6 ceramics or I’ll go to 6/3 micron film on glass.

I don’t have any stones below 100/200. And I won’t go near an edge with them. The chips they can cause can cost you hours of work to stone out with your 400’s.

For EDC blades, I’m currently using the scalpel format: 400, 600, 800 (maybe 1000’s too), then strop one side with the 5/3.5 pastes at two degrees less angle. Makes for a very sharp, toothy edge. I haven’t yet had a chance to try it with film on glass.

Like Gib, I’m a fan of putting on a toothy micro bevel. Polish both sides at 18 degrees, then give three alternating light strokes with 1000’s at 20-21 degrees.

[William Hoppe]

I use the standard progression beginning with the 400/600’s, then 800/1000’s. My “fill the gap” solution is to use 12/9 micron film on glass blocks instead of the 1200/1600 ceramics. 12/9 works out to 1200/1800 grit and I think it’s much more uniform than the ceramics. Then I’ll do the 1.4/0.6 ceramics or I’ll go to 6/3 micron film on glass.

I don’t have any stones below 100/200. And I won’t go near an edge with them. The chips they can cause can cost you hours of work to stone out with your 400’s.

For EDC blades, I’m currently using the scalpel format: 400, 600, 800 (maybe 1000’s too), then strop one side with the 5/3.5 pastes at two degrees less angle. Makes for a very sharp, toothy edge. I haven’t yet had a chance to try it with film on glass.

Like Gib, I’m a fan of putting on a toothy micro bevel. Polish both sides at 18 degrees, then give three alternating light strokes with 1000’s at 20-21 degrees.

Excellent info. Thanks for this!

I would like to try doing a micro bevel… My EDC knife is a spyderco paramilitary 2. Do you think the angles you just mentioned would be good for this blade (given it’s standard EDC use)?

Again, sorry if these are dumb questions. I’m new to this and trying to soak up all the information I can.

[tcmeyer]

I said I’m a fan of the microbevel, but I haven’t tried it on my Spyderco yet.

If your Paramilitary 2 has one of the hard steels, it might take you a while to cut the shoulders back to 18, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

When and if you do take on your Spydie, remember to watch how it’s mounted in the vise. Unless you can clamp the blade at the small flat spot near the bolster, the Full-Flat-Grind (FFG) won’t mount securely or vertically without help. There’s lots of stuff here about how to do it.

I prefer to mount them flat against the left jaw with the right jaw splayed out at the bottom. This clamps the blade canted off to the left. Measure the angle on the right blade face and divide by two. You then subtract this value from your left angle and add it to your right angle.

For instance, you determine that your blade has a 4 degree included angle between the faces. With the blade mounted with its left face vertical (flat against the left jaw) the centerline of the blade is leaning two degrees to the left. For an 18 degree bevel, I’d set the left stone at 16 degrees and the right stone at 20 degrees.

Don’t be surprised to find that the factory bevels are substantially different from one another. My Delica 4 was 17 on the left and 24 on the right.

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