Marc H

Read my post again, I edited it for clarity!

Joe it should be calibrated.  Do the factory reset and try again…

I am attaching a download of the procedure.  Try to use this starting on page 15.

DXL360S-v2-Dual-Axis-Digital-Protractors

I think that the order you thought you’d use is the way I’d likely go.  I always prefer to finish any sharpening progression with strops.  The balsa strop doesn’t compress much so it’s more like a sharpening stone in compressibility with the burnishing effect of strop compounds.

Mark, I use chamois both to protect the knife steel and to help improve clamping. I would expect both a knife and the square, to clamp securely and not twist, roll or rotate (tip up or tip down), in the jaws with out much more applied pressure than what is normally used during sharpening.  I like to use the square for the reason you…[Read more]

Mark, to be sure, the data you provided in the written response is not so simple for me to follow and picture in my mind.  A sketch with the measured angles referenced would certainly be easier to follow.  I wouldn’t want to be the one to make that sketch, though.

From what I followed, it does seem the measured angle variations are not u…[Read more]

Steve, I find that a ‘burr” forms with each and every grit I use.  No matter how fine the grit.  Even with sub-µ lapping films, if my stone set angles remain precise and consistent and my stone work is done well and thoroughly, I get a ‘burr”.  Albeit possibly a tiny one.  It may even require a high powered USB scope to see it.

For me the “bur…[Read more]

Mark, welcome to the W. E. forum.

The WE130 with it’s floating jaws and cam action, single lever locking vise should be self centering and lock your knives near vertically.  From what you are describing it suggests your assessment and follows the logic, that the knife is indeed, leaning.

The problem is, the taller bevel is associated with a…[Read more]

While breaking in your stones, on knives, you are also learning how to use the W.E and to sharpen knives, also.  It takes about the same time to break in your stones well as it takes to learn how to sharpen knives.

A burr is the physical indicator that your scratch pattern has apexed the knife edge.  With experience and a trained eye and a visual magnifying aid you can apex the edge without drawing a burr.

I set to 20º and have at it.  I start to rough it in.  When it looks pretty close to re-profiled I’d double check the set angle and micr0-adjust to 20º then finish with the profiling.  Then, I check the angles and make any necessary micro-fine adjustments with each and every grit in my progression.

As a new W.E. user I suggest you keep chec…[Read more]

I’ve used this same one for years, now.  Does everything I need it to do.  I prefer it set to resolution 800 X 600 while working with high power magnification.

I hate to be the reality checker…I have all these grits and stones that you want and 000Robert suggests, too.

Just to be clear, in general, you will need to break in the stones you already have, figure out what you’re doing. Learn how to use and adjust the W.E. and all it’s features well.  Develop a basic good sharpening technique and sharpen…[Read more]

Something coming loose is quite common and very likely.  This must be checked for to eliminate this in the future.  If everything was tight and stayed tight through-out the sharpening process, we can look for another possible cause.

The size the bevels appear, from knife side to side, are determined by the amount of sharpening effort done to t…[Read more]

I’m using the DXL360S.   The red one. There are many different brand names for the same cube.  I believe they’re all made in China.

Based on specs it offers the best accuracy, resolution and it’s dual axis.

The downside of trying to work at this level of precision is it slows you down while you make all the very small increment micro-angle a…[Read more]

The WE130 using the Gen 3 Vise should clamp the knife self-centering it.  If the knife is ground reasonably symmetrically there should be no lean.  (The clamping lean is a characteristic of the WE100/WE120 Standard Vise setups.)

The inset in the black vise housing and the inset in the blue base should center and align the vise as close as is n…[Read more]

Steve, I’ll try to keep this succinct.  We have a stably clamped knife and abrasive sharpening stones.  There are contact patches on both the knife edge bevels and the sharpening stones.  The contact patch is where the two touch at a given moment for that position, on each of them.  As the stone moves across the bevel, irrespective of the set ang…[Read more]

You can also search Amazon for RC Axle Dust Boots.  RC = radio controlled cars

The knife’s clamping position and the bevel angles are two separate things, though they are related.

This method, I described above, is to determine the “best” or most efficient clamping position to use when sharpening this knife.  That is where your sharpening stones should contact the the knife best all along the length of the knife and on…[Read more]

I’ll try to explain this method I use to help me position a knife with a belly:

It does take some sliding  and repositioning the knife forward and backwards in the vise jaws while also rotating the knife tip up or knife tip down.  I’m looking to find a balanced clamping position where the same position on the guide rod meets the knife edge on e…[Read more]