Stone Stops with rebound caps and Nylon screw
- This topic has 43 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 02/02/2022 at 7:12 pm by
.
-
Update: Added stops made to fit the original WE rods with a 1/4 diameter (these will not fit the new rods). The stops for current rods work just fine but I figured someone with the old rods may want a set that fit tighter before you tighten the screw. Just let me know when ordering.
Thanks,
Doug
3 users thanked author for this post.
I would like to say that these are a great accessory. They work exactly as advertised with no risk of marring the guide rods. The stops beneath the stones prevent you from accidentally scratching the face of your knife and the stops above your stone prevent you from accidentally slipping off of the edge. This is a great safety improvement because the times I have come closest to cutting myself have been when I accidentally took the stone above the edge.
Excellent work airscapes!
Being a newbie to the WE (my Gen 3 Pro will be delivered today) could one of you gentlemen post up some pics of how these stone stops are used? I assume they are installed below and above the stone to limit movement of the stones. Inquisitive minds need to know. 🙂
You are correct Tommie.
The lower stop keeps the stone from scratching below the shoulder of the knife bevel, and the sides of the knives
The upper stop keeps the bottom edge of the stone from sliding up above and off the knife edge.
If the stone is allowed to slide up the guide rods above and off the knife edge, on the way back down, in your sharpening stroke, the stone bottom can collide against the knife edge doing damage or possible injuring the user.
The stops need to be placed and locked on the guide rods to find the balance between upper and lower positions that limits the stones motion all along the length of the knife edge. Before locking the stops positions check the stone top and bottom in relation to the knife edge in the knife center, at the knife tip and at the knife heel. Lock the stop at the highest and lowest point on the guide rods that limits the upper and lower stone range for every point along the knife edge. If you use only the knife’s center point as your stop positioning guide, the stone may be allowed to pass up and off the knife tip when you’re sharpening the tip. It’s a balance.
The use of the stone stops allow us to maximize the stone’s wear across as much of the stone as we can efficiently use. The first couple up down strokes I intentionally try to bump up against the upper stops and then down against the lower stops. This helps me to get a feel for the stone range of motion I can use with that particular knife. The colored rings on the stone stops are a flexible material Doug, the stop maker, has included to soften and quiet the contact between the stops and the stones. After the first couple up down strokes bumping the stops my muscle memory from years of sharpening takes over and helps to limit the range of motion with less bumping.
I rotate my stones, end for end, and from, side to side, every time I use that grit, to try to even out my stone wear also. My stones I have labeled and numbered on the ends to help me keep on track with the flipping and rotating. Everything I do is systematic and consistent. It shows in my results.
I also utilize my lower stone stop as a stone positioning aid whenever I’m setting my guide rod angles using the angle cube so I always use a consistent stone position relative to the bevel height for making these guide rod angle settings. Employing the Micro-Angle Adjuster mods I use, made by Ed K, they allow me hands-free angle setting and position locking. Every method I can employ using consistency has proven to help my sharpening outcomes and precision.
In the last picture you’ll see I am also employing Doug’s Non-Magnetic Stone Adapter to allow me to use the magnetic angle cube with the glass sided paddle. All these accessories and mods, I employ, help make the precision of the W.E. all that much easier to tap into and take advantage of while sharpening.
Any method you apply that allows your personal sharpening technique to employ and include repetitive consistent practices will help with your sharpening outcomes and the finished polished appearance of your well sharpened knife edges.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.