Organic

The silicone should be fine. I’ve seen others report using a gun cleaning rod and a lubricant to free up the movement of stones on the rods. The Tormek is probably your only real option for clamping those Microtech knives.

As long as they are the same grit I don’t think it should matter too much. There will always be some remnant of the larger grit particles in the strop until you replace the leather thought.

That’s a nice modification.

I think airscapes gave you some good advise.  It takes most users about 10-15 or so knives worth of experience before they get results that start to impress. I suggest you check out this thread with advice from experienced sharpeners for new WE users.

Stropping not only polishes the bevels but it also increases sharpness. I can personally attest to the fact that knives which would not whittle hair before stropping were able to do so after stropping.

I think you’ve done a good job highlighting the differences between the pro pack 3 and the gen 3 pro. The wider angle range and the ability to adjust angles completely independently do make the WE130 sharpener in the pro pack 3 more versatile. The gen 3 pro offers the advantage of speed and ease of use. If you ever decide to explore convex…[Read more]

Thirty knives per strip of film is the best lifespan of use I’ve seen anyone report.

Welcome Richard!

Those diamond plates take time to wear in. I was also unimpressed with my first several edges. Now my setup allows me to get hair whittling edges every time. I could never do that before.

That edge turned out nicely.

Welcome Jon!

The pro pack 3 is a pretty complete setup and doesn’t need much. I’d suggest getting a USB microscope and some sharpie markers. You might also consider getting the safety shields that they sell in the accessories section.

Welcome Hoyt!

The generation 3 pro model is the same as I have. It is a well engineered and constructed unit.

Okay, it is working now for me.

I also was denied access.

That looks as good as new. Nice job!

The file sounds like a good way to go. I think the Work Sharp could handle the job, but you’re going to put substantial wear on a belt or two. I always enjoy seeing restoration jobs like this. Its satisfying seeing something go from broken and neglected back to fully functional and ready for action.

To say that you need an angle cube is a bit too strong in my opinion. While it is true that the angle markings on the sharpener itself are rarely going to correspond to the exact angle on the bevels of your knife, they still correlate directly with the bevel angle and allow for repeatable sharpening. You only need the angle cube if you want to…[Read more]

Welcome Chuck!

If you’ve watched a few of the Wicked Edge videos and have read the instructions then you should be all set. My advice is to take things slowly on your first few knives. This will help you see how the different variables affect your results and will also help prevent you from accidentally cutting yourself. You are welcome to ask…[Read more]

I think that looks pretty good. My stones started to perform dramatically better on the seventh knife I sharpened. Most people report that break in of the stones become apparent at about 10 knives or so. Keep at it!

Pressure is really important to getting stropping results that are good. It is mostly a trial and error game to find the right…[Read more]