Jerrie Barber

[Jerrie Barber]

Welcome to the forum Jill. I hope all is well with you and your sharpener . I have found a wealth of information from the people on this forum.

[Jerrie Barber]

Just a heads up folks. I received an e-mail yesterday with tracking number included. And if all goes well and The Lord holds his return, I should, by all accounts, have my PP2 upgrade on Monday 15 October. I am assuming that some that per-ordered should be receiving similar e-mails. I will get pictures up as soon as it arrives and all is set up. Hold this restores confidence and excitement for those who have been anxiously waiting.

[Jerrie Barber]

Thanks for your insights Junior. I have often thought as you have suggested, that friction and heat played a role in sharpening. My experience in this has been with a Busse I own, and WE has made it so much easier to sharpen that hunk of steel.

I am personally like a kid when it comes to this stuff. I see something or hear of something and feel that it needs to be a part of my collection ASAP. I have the Para 2 in s30v and it is as sharp as a “pocket surgical tool” but the s90v and s110v fascinates me. I guess more in true edge retention more than anything else.

You said that you had some knives in this metal, could I ask what knives you have?

[Jerrie Barber]

I haven’t thought of that so you may have something. Sharpened a Strider SMF s110v over the weekend. I was very impressed with that steel. My goodness it was hard though. I have a. USDA with a para 2 and I am fond of carbon fiber and the s90v doesn’t hurt. I saw the para 2 I am looking for on eBay with a $300 and change price tag.
How much have you worked with the s90v steel? Is there a huge edge holding difference between that and s30 or s35? What I have read is there is least chipping with the s90.
Just curious.

[Jerrie Barber]

I could be bad mistaken but if I’m not the Pro Pack 2 that Howes is advertising is there own set up of stones and bases. Second my daughter knowing I want the upgrade ordered it for me on Friday. Kay said that they should be in there office in two weeks then delivered to those who have ordered. Hope this shines a little light.

[Jerrie Barber]

I can Amen that Phil. Here is the deal in my point of view. Men, and I guess women, we’re shaving with metal long before I was born, and there will be those who will be sharpening metal long after I have passed to my final reward.

I was talking with another fellow forum member this week who said that we have all seen a person pick up a rock and sharpen a knife with it. I personally saw a man split a piece of hickory branch sprinkle some dirt on it and sharpen a knife. I would believe that at some point all of us have tried our luch at just plain ole hand sharpening.

What WEPS brings to the table is a modicum of consistency and the ability to duplicate a procedure with some pretty good tools. Could the mount be a little bit better? Sure. Could the arms be made a little more accurate? Sure. Could there be improvements made here and there? Of course. As Phil said there is a point that you have to say, “that is pretty good” and let it go.

I looked at 3 systems for over two years before I settled on WEPS. I read reviews, watched a lot of YouTube and made what I believe to be the best decision for my money and I am getting hair splitting results consistently. I will continue to improve my materials and my technique until I reach what is acceptable to me. That may mean I continue to invest and modify and tweak and buy until I get there. I love to sharpen and love carrying a “bragging rights” sharp knife, so I will continue to feed my passion.

Continue the journey and we will “sharpen” each other as we sharpen knives.

[Jerrie Barber]

Two quick ideas. First as far as the top jig screw is concerned, take the original with you to Lowes and get a shorter one for about $.50. I know this is not a stroke of genius but is what I did so that I could work on case pocket folders and the like.
There is also a video on YouTube where a fellow used a small piece of metal on the lower screw face surface so that it was not digging into the mount. I believe he also mentioned buying or altering the screw that came with his WEPS so that the face of the screw was smooth.

[Jerrie Barber]

Hello men,
Some of this will be a repeat from the welcome mat, however, I am 44 years old and I have been a collector of knives since the age of 7 and have been sharpening since the age of 12, I have improved quite a bit from my beginning efforts. My first stone was an Arkansas soft stone and I have been improving how I sharpened from that time. I am sure some of you have seen or read “The Razor Edge book of Sharpening” by John Juranitch. That book set me on fire at the age of 15. It helped me understand the science of sharpening, and helped me on my technique.
I have owned just about every system that there is to own, including the Juranitch “Razor Edge” system which I have been using for years. After building my confidence us I got away from that system and got back to hand sharpening so that I could get a prettier finished product, but was still not satisfied so now I am on the WEPS train going full speed ahead.
I am very satisfied with the edges that I am getting and now trying to see what direction I want to go in customizing (stone, leather, etc.) so I can produce an even better edge.
I am also a huge fan of the 1911 and have owned 12 Kimbers, 4 Colts, and 1 Wilson. Trouble is I always find someone who wants the ones I have worse than I wanted them. I also like Benchmade, as well as Chris Reeve knives, Spyderco, Strider, and my most recent purchase and my current EDC is a Hinderer XM-18 3.5″.
As DAUG has already mentioned I have sharpened everything I own, except for one bowling ball that I intend to get to, as well as sharpening for some of the people I have already sharpened for in the past. Let’s let the fun really begin.

Jerrie

[Jerrie Barber]

O.K. So I think I’m picking up what you are putting down, however I am a visual learner. Is there a video on lapping the ceramics? Should I lap similar to how one would flatten a Chosera water stone, I certainly do not want to ruin my new micro fines and I have a set of fine stones coming so a little education here would be helpful.

[Jerrie Barber]

I have been sharpening knives for well over 30 years. I have used ever type stone man made or natural and I will say that I can still get a knife “sharp” and continue doing so without the WEPS system. What I will say I’d that I have mor consistency with this system
Than anything else I have ever used, and I do not have any Pro Pack II stuff. I can do the “hair drop” test with several of my knives and am
Pleased with the results. That being said I have only had my WEPS Pro Pack I for a day or two over a month and my daughter is ordering me the upgrade because I sharpen for so many people and there would be a benefit to me on some of the sharpening I do. Do I need the upgrade? Nope but I see the benefit.

[Jerrie Barber]

I am realitively new to all of this but I have also been using the micro fine ceramic and the 1 and .5 strop. In my limited experience and opinion going from hard service to leather is where the difference comes in. I have had great results with the strops and to me it is more about what you are doing with the entire ground, profiled edge than just the cutting edge, if you understand what I mean.
Just my thoughts.

[Jerrie Barber]

Anyone know what the price of the Pro Pack II upgrade will cost, and what comes with the upgrade?

Thanks

[Jerrie Barber]

Hinderer XM-18 3.5

Hinderer XM-18 3.5

[Jerrie Barber]

Josh,
When you get a minute to tell me how to up load pictures, let me know about the ceramics. I would like to have them. Just give me a price.

Thanks

[Jerrie Barber]

Anyone have any suggestions on posting pictures? As you can tell the last group did not post at all. Per chance is there a limit on pixels?

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