WEPS Ergonomics!

[Chris]

Has any one experimented with raising the rear of their WEPS base?

I’m thinking of putting a hinge at the front of my wooden block mount so I can angle it towards me.
The other half of the hinge would attach to another block underneath, so I can also raise it closer to eye level.
Then a support arrangement at the rear.

This changes the amount of arm movement and I like the improved view.

Thoughts?

[Geocyclist]

No, but that is actually a good idea, and simple. I will have to think about that. Maybe start first with a shim/wedge to try it.

[Chris]

Just prop it up and try it.

I like it!

Of course I can see many ways to do it with a stone base also.

I will have to think about that. Maybe start first with a shim/wedge to try it.

I can see a “WEPS wedge” accessory on the horizon. 😉

[Mark76]

We want photographs :-).

Dunno if it’d be really ergonomic. When I sharpen a big knife, I don’t like the handle being close to my breast. Prove it :-).

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Chris]

We want photographs :-).

Of a knife in my chest?

Dunno if it’d be really ergonomic.

I will be sitting in an ergonomic chair.

When I sharpen a big knife, I don’t like the handle being close to my breast.

You sound like my wife. 😉

Prove it :-).

A little more thought needed yet.

Sorry about the politics, but I just had to wait fifteen minutes at traffik lights for Hillary Clinton. 🙁

[Josh]

you should check out cbw’s settup… I did it to my full size model and it works great! It gets the blade right up in your personal workspace. Basically we just mounted the wicked edge to a panavise 🙂

[Phil Pasteur]

I found this definition of ergonomics:

“Ergonomics covers all aspects of a job, from the physical stresses it places on joints, muscles, nerves, tendons, bones and the like, to environmental factors which can effect hearing, vision, and general comfort and health.”

http://www.ehs.okstate.edu/modules/ergo/What.htm

So to make the WEPS more ergonomic in use we would have to place it so that the body experiences the least amount of stress while using it, and sharpening uses motions that conform to what are natural movements of the joints. I think that by itself the WEPS is good at this. The motions are all in line with the way we naturally move. The trick is to get it where we can reach it and watch the process with the least stress on parts of the boody other than the fingers, wrists, and elbows.

I am not sure that I see either the panavise or raising the back of the platform does this…at least not by themselves.

I tend to rest my forearms on the table when sharpening. Raising the vice up, does not make this possible.
I also had worries about the panavise holding the vice rock steady. I have enough trouble controlling my stroke pressure with the precision that I want, without *any* amount of movement at the edge. This is why I like my 15 pound base..
🙂

I tried elevating the tip side of the WEPS. It did not seem at all ergonomic to me. It just seemed awkward.
If anything, I would like to lower the vice to where I can look down on the entire edge while sharpening.
I would also like to bring the entire thing closer to my belly… and be able to support my forearms properly.

I want to design and build a dedicated stand to do this one day…

I guess it is all what you get used to. “Different strokes for different Folks”… But ergonomics has become a science.. even though the term is loosley tossed around quite a bit these days.

Phil

[cbwx34]

I also had worries about the panavise holding the vice rock steady. I have enough trouble controlling my stroke pressure with the precision that I want, without *any* amount of movement at the edge. This is why I like my 15 pound base..
🙂

The Panavise is pretty solid… I think I could put more pressure on it than the standard base, and not get anything to move. (Although this probably doesn’t matter since that amount of pressure shouldn’t be used). But I get what you’re saying… I tried the F&S mounted to the top of a toolbox, and the lid would move just enough that, even though I could sharpen, I had to adjust for it.

The Panavise would actually be a good way to make some of the adjustments Chris is suggesting (if I understand it), if he could find one.

[Cory]

I played with moving mine around a little and found really no difference in comfort. To me it is more the height of the table your working at and the chair your sitting on then the WEPS. I also am not a very patient person at times and get a little over zealous with the pressure so a solid mount would be a bad thing in my case. The tipping of the base lets me know I need to back off and take my time. Just my 2 cents.

[Chris]

Just a few pics on something I have been playing with.
A couple of cheap bamboo chopping boards.

Still a work in progress!

[cbwx34]

I’m liking it, especially that stone set up. 🙂

[Mark76]

I’m liking it, especially that stone set up. 🙂

Stonehenge?

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Mikedoh]

Considering the construction of Billy’s new set up, maybe stone-hinge?

Nice looking setup Billy. I see you no longer have the bar-longer than base- problem

[Mark76]

When I first wrote it, I thought it was just a language joke.

But now I think this is much, much more serious.

Compare Chris’ photographs to the real Stonehenge… Scary or intended?… And a good sense of history?

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Josh]

Lol! I do believe it does bear an eerie resemblance!

I totally concur Billabong, that the base needs to be modded… It makes sharpening so much easier! One of the things I really like about my settup is that I can change it to any direction I want, which is extremely helpful when I am sharpening edc’s (because I like to have my groove pattern angled back towards the heel of the blade), so I just spin the blade arounduin the panavise so the tip is pointing at me, angle it down, and I have a nice platform for sweeping the paddle away from me still. Another thing about the panavise… I will be drilling 2 holes in it so that way I can take it with me when camping or something and screw it into a log, adjust my tilt, and go to work 🙂

(you will have to copy the link into your Web browser… I couldn’t get it to post)

I will say that the panavise is the most stable thing I have found out there to date!

[Author]

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