NotSharpEnuff

I have another question. Do you want to take up sharpening as a hobby unto itself, or is this just a means to an end for you?

You said you’d like a setup to grow into. In my mind that implies that you’re interested in going deep into sharpening as a hobby. If that is the case then I suggest getting the WE130. You can get additional stones and…[Read more]

How thick is the blade stock? You might want to get the jaws designed for thick blades.

That is an awfully long time spent per stone. Are you using a magnifying device to help you see what is going on at the edge? I use the angle cube on each grit change, but I also use the sharpie method to double check because my angle cube is finicky. The sharpie does not lie.

This is the one on my wish list.

https://www.amazon.com/KKmoon-Digital-DXL360S-Protractor-Magnetic/dp/B0745D9W4H/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dxl360s&qid=1575935317&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sr=8-1

Those 4 /2 micron strops are great as a finishing step on nearly any grit finished knife. There is no need to use a finer stone than the 1000 grit before using the 4 / 2 micron strop set unless you desire a more refined or shinny finish. That is a matter of personal opinion. 1000 grit is a middle of the road finish from my perspective. It is…[Read more]

I think you will be best served by getting a set of strops. Get the 4 / 2 micron diamond emulsion stop set.

I think you’re off to a good start. Sharpen those cheap blades a few times and get a feel for how the setup works. Consistency of technique is the key to getting the best possible results. Work slowly and stay safe.

The stones do vary ever so slightly (usually less than 0.5 degrees). I check my angle with each grit change and adjust as needed to keep the sharpening angle consistent.

I have used the diamond films with edge leading strokes and found that it can be done if you use very light pressure. I still prefer to use them with edge trailing strokes so I don’t have to concentrate so much.

Why not use the edge trailing stroke from tip to heel? That will allow you to do edge trailing strokes and still get the scratch…[Read more]

I have the older gen 3 pro. Yes, I like it very much. I sharpen standing because it feels odd to do while sitting and I like to be able to view the edge from the top down. I would probably get the WE130 instead if I were to buy again. It is more flexible and less expensive. I do not feel that the angle range of the sharper is a significant…[Read more]

I agree that the 12 inch rods are a good accessory. I use them exclusively.

I don’t think you can extrapolate results for an edge grain bamboo board to conclude that all edge grain boards are bad.

I have a cherry wood end grain board that I use with my nicer knives. I will cut cooked proteins and any vegetables on that board. I cut any raw meat one of my plastic boards for the same reasons that MarcH cited. I don’t have any data, but I do believe that the end grain board is more gentle on the edge than the plastic ones.

I have the generation 3 pro model and sharpen while standing exclusively. I like to be able to look over the top of the blade while sharpening and I can’t do that while sitting.

If you already have the diamond lapping films then the 2200 / 3000 is a redundant grit. The advantage of these stones is that they are longer lasting than lapping films. Whether or not that is a significant draw is a matter of opinion.

From what I have observed, the 2200 / 3000 fits really well after the 1500 grit diamond stone and before the 1.4 / 0.6 micron ceramics. If you dig back in the forum archive you will find a thread around the time that the 1500 stone was introduced where Clay shared several microscope images of scratch patterns left by the 1500 stone as well as the…[Read more]

Excellent work! That’s the beauty of the Wicked Edge; you don’t have to be an expert to get expert level results.

That same thing (knife opened in pocket resulting in very bad laceration) happened to a friend of mine about 15 years ago. He recovered and was okay, but that taught me early on to only cary with the blade towards the seam of the pocket as Expidia described.

That was a repost from @Alan. It is not my setup.

This is the type of mod Tommie is talking about.