Baxsin

The WE100 is a knife sharpener.  It’s best to grind the edge profile on your newly made knives with a suitable method like a belt grinder.  Then you can easily sharpen these knives with the W.E.  To grind the edge profile from the new flat knife blank using just the W.E. puts a lot more wear on the W.E. sharpening stones then they are meant fo…[Read more]

I sent you a private message.

Alan, my new plates like yours are due to arrive tomorrow.  I am not sure which gluing method was used on those new stones.  I believe it was done with “hot glue” and not with 3M VHB adhesive tape like previous stones.  Either way, it is just as easily done to swap the stones on the handles.  I recently posted in this thread how I did thi…[Read more]

Welcome to the forum Jim.  The WE100 is one of the most basic model sharpeners Wicked Edge offers with the least adjustment capabilities.  Positioning your guide rods based on the inscribed markings and indents are just a suggestion and an approximation of the actual bevel angles.  Like “airscapes” wrote above, these indents are calibrated with a…[Read more]

I do agree with Tom, …0nce the knife is mounted in the “sweet spot” position it is a good efficient clamping position to profile the knife bevel any way you choose to, or to match the existing bevels if that is your choice.

Hi Rosie!  We’re here to help you.

Thomas,  you can find the sweet spot with a sharpie marker painted across the bevel and the lighted magnifier you linked.  You’re looking for the area where the ink is removed for the sweet spot.

The USB Microscopes we use are for very close up examination of the very knife edge; the apex.

Alan, some knife sharpeners feel anything past 600 or 800 grit is unnecessary.   I believe the intentions of these new fine grit diamond stones are to be a non-consumable option for the consumable fine grit diamond lapping films we’re now using.  I have my new sets on order that I look forward to putting to use.  From what little I’ve read abo…[Read more]

Is that including the Hard Plastic Carry Case and including Postage or shipping?

Removing the Gen 3 Pro base shelf is easily accomplished.  Here is a picture of how it looks mounted flat down on the W.E. granite base:

I added these micro-angle adjustment modifications to eliminate the issue with the lock knobs coming loose:

The modifications set-ups I pick-up from forum member “notsharpenuff”.  He makes these as a h…[Read more]

Welcome to the forum Thomas.  I share the experiences of both forum members “airscapes” and “Organic”.  The very first I sharpen a knife, with fully broken in stones, it can easily take me two, three or more hours depending on how large the knife is, how rough the edge is and how finely polished an edge I’m applying.  Then subsequent sh…[Read more]

Brewbear,  I followed Tom’s method only on the electric range top.  I used a cast iron griddle.  I worked just at 200ºF verified with my IR Thermometer.  That’s still a low enough temperature to not effect the plastic handles but also work efficiently against the 3M VHB double sided tape.

I let the two steel diamond stones rest against the skil…[Read more]

Check out : https://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-61728.html?_br_psugg_q=belt+sander

It’s cheap but you get what you pay for.  For the light touch up jobs you suggest it’ll probably be sufficient.  It’s a little too narrow for edge grinding.

For that I’d look to: Central Macinary 4″ X 36″

Both machines are light duty, ine…[Read more]

Richard, the plan is to overcome the first scratch pattern, totally, with the scratch patterns of each subsequent grit with their smaller, shallower, and closer together scratch patterns.  This is why some sharpeners utilize a direction change with each grit.  By this I mean start by working the stones across the edge from knife heel to knife t…[Read more]

Richard, I use an up-down-up-down scrubbing stroke with every stone I employ as the beginning stroke to set my bevels with that grit.  (Except lapping films and strops when I only use a edge trailing, up and off stroke).  This is my preferred method.  My technique.

Your preferred method, your technique, is an individual preference developed ove…[Read more]

Richard, learning how to sharpen knives to a sharp polished edge is a learned process through repetitious experience, time, effort and attention to detail.  That edge looks pretty good.  Not as good as you’d like to see.  Also not so bad, IMO, to go back and do it over again.  To not waste your time, effort and knife steel I’d recommend you str…[Read more]

I do it similarly to your suggestion with a carpenter’s square:

Then I’m not reaching and working around a sharp knife edge while aligning and squaring the vises up.

Thanks Bill!

airscapes, thanks for trying to dispel this confusion and help the forum out.  You are correct.  The questionable guide rods have the three telltale characteristics of real genuine guide rods ordered and machined to W.E. specifications:

1. shortened threads – W.E. shortened the threads in the most recently designed rods while they shortened t…

[Read more]

I would try the simple inexpensive fix using a flat washer and split ring lock washer on the thumb screw.