Organic

It looks like Marc is right. I previously was under the impression that the ceramics in that kit were the 1200 / 1600. Given that WE sells a kit with the 1000 to 1.4 ceramic progression, that is a totally valid way to go. Bear in mind that the 1500 does cut a lot faster than the ceramic stones.

If you’ve only got the money to spend on either the 1.4 / 0.6 ceramics or the 1500 / glass, my suggestion would be for the 1500 / glass. The 1500 is a very high quality finishing stone.

I haven’t tried the jump from 1000 directly to the 1.4 ceramic. I know that most people doing free hand sharpening use much larger grit jumps in their sharpening…[Read more]

If you are lowering the angle by 1.5 degrees then you will need to use medium to heavy pressure with the strops to get the leather to touch the apex. Alternatively, you can strop at the same angles as you previously sharpened but use very light pressure. I prefer the former method.

Using strops to restore the edge will never get it to feel quite…[Read more]

Carbon steels sharpen more easily than similar hardness stianless steels, so that won’t be an issue. If you can’t get the jaws to clamp the spine you might want to check out the accessories section and pick up a set of the jaws for thick blades. Another way to go would be to use the Tormek small knife adapter which will allow you to clamp the…[Read more]

Have you tried stropping the factory edge? That may bring it back to life (assuming it was previously sharp).

Clay has said that there is a new convex sharpening attachment that is in the works, but it sounds like it will be several months before that becomes available to purchase. If you want a convex edge applied in a single pass you’ll have to use a different tool. Most factories use a belt sander for the job. The Work Sharp Ken Onion tool is an…[Read more]

The 1500 grit is a great choice for after the 1000. It is very efficient and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with it. I have both the 1500 and the 1.4 / 0.6 ceramic stones. I really enjoy the finish that they leave and I think you will like them as well. I use them after the 1500 diamond plate. Clay has said that these are made by the same…[Read more]

Marc pretty much said it all. Every fixed angle sharpening solution will require some compromise on the profile in order to get perfectly consistent angles down the length of the blade. Sometimes this is a very small change and is nearly imperceptible, other times this will be a large change and will be noticeable.  An advantage of free hand…[Read more]

That explanation clarified it for me. Thanks TC!

Yes, you can have matching bevel angles without having the bevels be the same width. This happens when the apex is not completely centered. You can easily get the bevels to match by spending extra time sharpening on the side with the smaller bevel until the bevel widths match. I typically check to make sure that the bevels are equal in width when…[Read more]

I can’t tell if you are trying to determine the angles of the bevels with the method you described or if you are trying to measure the angle on the primary grind of the knife.

I say this as someone who enjoys mathematics (my minor in college), but I find that the fastest and most accurate way to determine the angle of the bevels on the knife is…[Read more]

Regardless of blade shape, the process for finding the sweet spot is the same as is outlined in the WE manual and in Marc’s thread. I recall that Alan sharpened a mezzaluna knife not too long ago, so I know that really curved blades can be sharpened on the WE.

An even more extreme case of curved blade:

Have you checked out Walter Sorrells on YouTube? He does some very nice videos on knife making that you may find interesting and informative.

The 800 / 1000 is a logical choice. I personally think that you would see a greater increase in edge performance with the addition of a set of strops (like the 4 / 2 micron diamond emulsion set) rather than the 800 / 1000, but you can’t go wrong with either.

The precise nature of the WE tends to attract a community of sharpeners who are a bit obsessive about their results. This obsessive nature makes us go all out and purchase lots of extra abrasives in an effort to push the limits of what is possible. I count myself as one of those crazies, but most people will be more than impressed with the edge…[Read more]

Need is a strong word. The 100/ 200 & 400/600 will put a very respectable edge on a knife on their own. Almost everyone I have encountered online ends up getting additional stones and some strops once they get bitten by the sharpening bug, but that is mostly for the fun of seeing what is possible.

I think I’ll be ordering some of these for my strops as well. Thanks for the review.

That’s a nice looking edge! Welcome Kentucky Rob.

The prices are pretty much the same no matter where you shop. I like to purchase directly through the WE site so that I know I will always get the most current version of the item I am ordering. Some of the retailers have new old stock of WE products and you might end up paying full price for the old version. Also, the WE customer service is…[Read more]

The 1500 grit is made by the same manufacturer as the other WE diamond plates and has been unanimously praised for its performance and longevity. The 3 micron diamond plate (which was made by DMT if I recall correctly) was not as well loved. I recall that people said it didn’t last as long as you would expect and it seemed to leave a scratch…[Read more]