sksharp

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]

I think you’re putting the cart before the horse.

First you need to learn how to sharpen knives well.  Then others close to you benefit from your skill.

With time, through word of mouth, and the recommendations from those who you share your skills with, there becomes a growing interest and demand for your skills and services if they are truly…[Read more]

Just to be clear…they are helpful accessories.   None of them are necessary to produce extremely sharp, mirror polished knife edges with the Wicked Edge sharpeners.  They help those of us who have learned how to use our W.E. sharpeners to use them more easily and efficiently.  Only after you’ve learned how to produce a sharp knife edge with you…[Read more]

Lee, welcome to the W.E. forum.  I to use a Pro Pack.  My has been modified and accessorized.

The boots do work well to keep the steel dust out of the ball ends.  I make use of them.  They are what I call a maintenance item because they just sit there.  Once they’re in place you don’t touch then or think about them.

Now the safety shields even…[Read more]

R Comp, the loosening adjusters as you stated is a known issue.  W.E. has been working to resolve it.  I don’t know if they’ve come up with a micro-adjuster upgrade for the Gen 3 Pro.  They have introduced and include a new locking mechanism for all the new WE130 models.  Maybe call them next week.

Here is another solution for your issue if you…[Read more]

I found the soap on the sponge more trouble then it was worth.  I prefer to keep my diamond stones dry.  I don’t wash my stones.  I have a few high carbon non-stainless steel knives.  This steel dust can rust when it gets wet.  For maintenance, I simply wipe the stones clean with a dry shop towel when they appear that a cleaning is needed.  If th…[Read more]

If you can feel something in the back of your throat you should be wearing a dust mask.

Here is a very helpful and informative video for the new W.E. User.  Don’t worry about the title.  It explains sharpening strokes and techniques very well.

Here is the link to Clay Allison’s channel.  Clay is the owner of Wicked Edge and has posted many videos you may find helpful.

Here is the link to Oldawan Tools to Stay Sharp. (Oldawan is a…[Read more]

Steve, it’ll take a good 8-10 knives worth of sharpening to break in the sharpening stones in.  During that break in period the stones will shed and lose loose and excess grit stones and plating.   The stones will seem messy.  They’ll start with a rougher cruder scratch pattern.  By the end of the break in time the scratch patterns become more…[Read more]

Welcome to the W.E. forum Robbers,

There are 2 ways I’ve done this.

1. You can set your guide rod angle to the lowest angle you can achieve on the unbeveled side.  Then with an edge leading stroke, that is down and onto the knife edge, pull the 1000 grit (or the finest grit stone you have), down across the burned edge with very light and gentle…

[Read more]