Which WEPS system should I buy?
- This topic has 21 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 12/04/2017 at 7:57 am by
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Hello George, there’s a WEPS to fit every need and every budget. To help you decide consider the amount of space you will have to sharpen knives. Will you have a dedicated area with plenty of room to have a sharpening station? A place where your WEPS can sit out all the time, or will you need to put it up, out of the way? Will you be limited in space and need something more compact? Will you sharpen only at home so portability is not important or will you prefer a sharpener that’s more easily dismantled to pack up for travel? Will you sharpen out side or maybe while camping or hunting?
All the WEPS do essentially the same thing and work the same way. The difference is in how you will use it. They range from very simple with only the basic necessities and basic adjustments, (the least expensive), to very complete set-ups with all the attachments, accessories, and are more comprehensive and easily adjustable, (the more expensive). The same abrasive sharpening stone handles are used with all the different models, from the most basic to the most elaborate so whatever you purchase to begin with, will incorporate well with any other setups if you decide to expand or upgrade your WEPS over time.
If you consider these things and maybe share with us a little more details we’ll try to help you pick what will best meet your needs.
Welcome
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)IMO the WE130 is the most versatile sharpener of all of the models. It allows for the widest range of angles, with the highest accuracy and the ability to sharpen the widest knives, and knives with uneven bevels because the left and right rod arm angles are set independently of one another. If you want all the bells and whistles the Pro-Pack III is the way to go. It’s the WE130, including everything for the basic sharpened edge, to what you’ll need for the mirror polished edge. It has a sturdy, heavy base for stability and carry case for portability.
I started with the Pro-Pack II, and have added accessories and upgraded over the years, which converted it into the Pro-Pack III. The Pro-Pack III is the latest, best vice setup already including many of the accessories and upgrades I bought separately and added along the way.
Marc
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Hello GeorgeH and welcome.
If price is not a factor and your willing to spend the $ I bought the pro pack 3 in march 2017. Since I purchased it they have made several improvements to the sharpener as MarcH stated and it is the same price I paid for it. It is the most versatile and complete offering WE has in my opinion. Comes with most of the “goodies” that you will need. The case that comes with it will blow you away and makes it very portable as well. The reason I went that way was the ability to set each side independently for asymmetrical grinds and the range of angles. I believe it’s the most versatile and complete of the systems. Good luck!
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I agree with what MarcH and sksharp have already stated; the WE130 and pro pack 3 are going to be the most versatile setups. The generation 3 pro and commercial series sharpeners will have the advantage when it comes to set up speed, but they can’t as easily handle asymmetrical grinds as the other models.
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Yeah, pro-pack 3 sounds like your best bet – get it all at once and the 2017 gen 3 vise is REALLY nice!
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George,
This link may help. I think you will be happy with any of the WE products … I really believe that the most versatile solution would be the WE 120 or Pro Pack II. As far as I am concerned, a lot has to do with the type of knife you will be sharpening the most. There is no debate that the new design jaws on the 130 and Gen 3 are fantastic and the ease of angle adjustment is convenient and very quick. However, when it comes to sharpening small / narrow blades, I find myself using my older WE (similar to what is now the 120/PP II). It just clamps/handles narrow blades so much easier than my Gen3. So, first step would be to evaluate what types of knives you will be sharpening most. If you aren’t going to sharpen many narrow blades … you will be in love with the 130/Gen3.3 users thanked author for this post.
Hello Dennis, Was wondering why you have trouble with thin(narrow) blades on the gen 3 vise. I use the Low Angle Adapter that comes with the PP3 and haven’t had to much of an issue. I have had to use tormeks small knife adapter on some small case knives and pocket knives of that type but it has not been an issue for me at least. Just wondering if you use a low angle adapter, that should take care of most issues with narrow blades.
I also have the Tormek … just don’t like it very much, as I sometimes have to steady one side of the blade (on a small/narrow/thin blade) to prevent flexing. Considered the low angle adapter … but it kind of defeats the self-centering beauty of the Gen3 jaws. Also, with the limited micro-adjustment, it is sometimes difficult to impossible to match an existing edge bevel when the low angle adapter does not self-center. I find I just get better clamping and better results on a narrow blade using my version 2 … which I why I kept it when I purchased the Gen3. Truth be told, there isn’t a single knife I own that can’t be sharpened perfectly with the old WE …. it is just that it takes a good bit longer in the set-up process because of the jaw design. That said, I still think the 120/PP2 provides far more flexibility over a wider range of knives. For me (and my uses), the biggest advantages of the Gen3 are the quicker set-up and quicker angle adjustments when switching to stropping and adding a micro-bevel.
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I still think the 120/PP2 provides far more flexibility over a wider range of knives. For me (and my uses), the biggest advantages of the Gen3 are the quicker set-up and quicker angle adjustments when switching to stropping and adding a micro-bevel.
Dennis, have you update your PP2? I too started with the PP2. This year I renewed it with the newest tension adjustable lever cam vice with split jaws, and matching degree bar? Now I have all the preferences from the WE120 with the all new enhancements associated with the Gen 3. With these updates/upgrades it then becomes the WE130. The added advantage, of the WE120/WE130 is the ability to sharpen uneven beveled knives and chisel grinds.
I, 100% agree with the quicker set-up and angle adjustment advantages of the Gen 3.
Marc
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All good comments, Gents. Like most of us here, I took the upgrade route. I started in 2011 with what is now the WE100, but back then the pivot joints were simple universal joints. I next upgraded to the PP2, which added a riser block, the spherical rod end couplings, longer rods and micro-adjusts. Big step up. Next I bought the Gen 3 vise. Having both vises now, I decided to buy an extra base and now had two rigs, one with the old vise and one with the new. I could switch back and forth easily, depending on the circumstances. Now I have a Gen 3 Pro (2017 version) and I love that too. I use all three systems. Along the way, I added personal touches and gadgets to enhance the experience. Some of the guys here are really creative so there’s no shortage of ideas.
For most people thinking about getting into the “sport”, I think cost will be the driving factor. The Wicked Edge sharpeners are top tier systems and come with an appropriate price tag, so you’ll judge your investment by the commitment you have to the hobby. These are serious knife sharpeners, and any of the versions will produce the same quality of edge. If you think you’d like to jump in with both feet, it’s just a matter of what your budget is. I’m retired and I don’t golf or restore muscle cars and I only shoot a half-dozen rounds of skeet per year, so I can measure the cost of my sharpening entertainment in a few dollars per hour – if that. I love it.
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Maybe some confusion here….
No confusion. Glad you are as happy with the 130 as I am with my Gen3 (same vise, different base/adjustment controls). As I said, any WE system will well-serve GeorgeH (the OP). Which is best for him (IMO) is a factor of budget and what types of knives he will be regularly sharpening. My opinions are based on having used the WE systems since very early 2012 (every one since the original with the basic joint arms … to the upgraded ball-joint arms with riser … to the Gen3 (pre-2017 … and with the new 2017 vise). Have used these systems to sharpen virtually every knife in my collection (which primarily consists of pocket knives, with a few fixed blades). While those knives currently number 132, my collection since buying my first WE has numbered close to 300. I still maintain that the most versatile configuration out of the box is the system with the original vise with riser block, combined with the ball-joint arms … which, I guess would be the 120 (or one of its PP configurations). The system which is the quickest to set-up/adjust (and frankly, more pleasurable to use) is the Gen3 . Hope the OP comes back to tell us what his choice was and how he likes the WE. To get an idea of the types of knives I sharpen, you can view my current collection here.
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