Marc H

I share “airscape’s” reasoning.

Knives have been made and sharpened for a long long time.  If this method was helpful and an advantage, it wouldn’t be pretty much unknown and unpracticed.  Someone would have tried it intentionally ot observed the cutting improved cutting or slicing results.  I can’t even guess how many knife forums, sh…[Read more]

Actually my Shapton stone sets range from 220 up to 30K…I seldom need finer than 2000 to 4000.  If it’s a polish I’m after I may go up to 6K-8K.  I don’t think I’ve used the 16K/30K but a few times.  Those fine grits are very hard stones.  The grits also depend which particular Shapton stones I’m using.   I have a couple different kinds.

I have a full progression from coarsest  say 100-200 grit up to 2000 is fine enough,  I can’t tell you a progression. That depends on what you’re sharpening and what you want it to do.  I purchased several times from seller rainbow_sharpening_stones with never a problem.  He does top notch work.

I prefer this lapping stone except for the very…[Read more]

I prefer “Splash and Go” stones like Shapton Pro Stones.  IMO, they are simpler to use and less messy.  They just require a spritz with water, as needed, not soaking like the Choseras.

I have sharpened Shun VGMax with diamond stones and whetstones both.  R2/SG2 failed for me, with diamond stones. The only time I sharpened SV35 was with wh…[Read more]

Welcome to the Wicked Forum, Jason.

The Pro Pack 3 is a great system.  The issue you’re discussing is not a sharpening system issue or a sharpening technique issue.  It is a sharpening medium issue.

I too own and use Japanese Chef’s knives.  I have a variety of knives made of a variety of steels and steel hardness.  Both Stainless and Non…[Read more]

Depending on how tall the blades are, (spine to edge) you’ll may need an adapter and how low an angle profile you choose,

Understand that you don’t have to position a knife so it’s resting on the depth key pins.  You can clamp knives higher up just in the jaw tips.  All that matters is they’re held tightly, securely and that you can record the c…[Read more]

I strop at the end of sharpening as my last step with the W.E. while it’s still clamped.

Afterwards, I use a hand strop as a quick and simple edge touch up between when I actually clamp it back up again for a true W.E. touch-up.

I used to think that high carbon nss was simple to sharpen with the WE diamond stones but I learned that’s not the case.  Some of the low hardness high carbon nss like HRc 56-58 sharpened like butter.  I even found some hc nss harder steels like Aogami Super @HRc 63-64, which is much harder  even than VG10 ss, yet it still sharpened easily and be…[Read more]

I use a small rectangular patch cut from a real leather chamois towel.  I fold or wrap it up around the knife spine and sides so it lays between the knife steel and the W.E. clamp jaws. It’s just held in place by the jaws. I also use blue painters tape applied to any place on a knife when I believe steal dust or sharpening stone debris may fall…[Read more]

Sean, another option maybe to use Whetstones to sharpen knives with that issue.  Due to height and shape of the stone they stand up above the plastic lip on the W.E. paddle.  The whetstone profile, height and shape would allow you to get in closer to the sharp intersection between the blade and the choil, I believe without the need to p…[Read more]

Mike,  I like to think sharpening Japanese chef’s knives is my area of experience.  I like to collect them, I regularly use them and sharpen these types of knives.  The issue with them is there are so many different kinds of steels, both stainless and non stainless, and different steel hardness.  These steels can vary greatly in how well or eas…[Read more]

This is a regular subject of discussion on this forum every now and again.  Here are a couple previous threads, I found for you, where we tried to help that forum member with your same issue. I found these searching “sharpening choil on the wicked edge”. There are other threads you’ll be able to find too, with a properly worded Google search…[Read more]

Tormek small knife holder with black plastic strap

The forum is supported by Wicked Edge but we are a totally separate entity. We are W.E. users wanting to help new users to figure it out.  In turn we learn through helping.

Just so you know, W.E. does have great customer support, too.

The Pro Pack 3 is a bundle purchase.  It’s the most well optioned and accessorized WE130 set-up.  The WE130 al…[Read more]

Steven you may be able to clamp that knife on the opposite side’s blade just under the longitudinal center line.  Then repeat when you sharpen the second side.  Depending on how slanted the blade is with the blue tape, foam tape, moleskin foam or chamois, one of these should give you the extra hold you need.

The Wicked Edge is called a knife s…[Read more]

Welcome Steven,  I can share that the WE130 model with the Gen 3 Vise is the most versatile W.E. model.  It can sharpen the largest variety of size, style and blade shapes.  That said, the Wicked Edge cannot clamp and sharpen every knife.  Some knives require the assistance of an additional adapter, a modification or maybe some ingenuity on your…[Read more]

You may find that if you check your angle settings each and every time you make a grit change you may see improved or more consistent outcomes.  If the angles are off, even a small amount, from grit to grit, you will not see the consistent scratch patterns stone after stone.  If is an extra step and may be time consuming but it helps you to r…[Read more]

The 400/600 is used quite a lot by many of us.  We try to start with the finest coarse grit stone that will get the job done.  After the initial time sharpening a knife with the W.E. when you needed to use the 100 grit, the 400/600 is often an effective starting stone for touchups.  This stone pair probably gets the most use.

W.E. is very good wi…[Read more]

Here’s a second video: