Wayne Nicklin

[Wayne Nicklin]

Is the tip in the slot on the brace. Also make sure it is centered correctly. The brace should hold the tip and a free hand can hold the handle. You can just sharpen on side at a time freeing up ur other hand.

[Wayne Nicklin]

Mine were the same way. Just have to use them and they will be just fine. Only rub them together a little bit. They just have to break in and you will be fine.

[Wayne Nicklin]

Didn’t mean to steal your thunder Curtis, But someone had to say it .

[Wayne Nicklin]

Wicked, very wicked

[Wayne Nicklin]

Based on my experience I would purchase then800/1000 ceramic stones first followed by the 2000/3000 ceramic stones. The 800/1000 will do a lot of clean up and refine the edge. The 2000/3000 will produce a really sharp edge. Get used to those first. Anything above that is just polishing the bevel.

[Wayne Nicklin]

I too strop with 3×8 leather, felt and nano cloth for my personal knives. Been thinking about the same thing you do with the belt grinder with a leather belt. For commercial applications ie restaurants I need a faster way of touching these knives up on a regular basis and this sounds like a way to go. Thnx for sharing

[Wayne Nicklin]

Just to give you my two cents worth, in the early days I thought I would be real smart and take pedestrian knives to 17.5-18.00 degrees only to watch the edges roll. Now I don’t go any less than 21.5-22 degrees. Live is wonderful. Not than the edges can’t be rolled its just harder for my clients to abuse them. You might put a small micro bevel on say around 24 degrees with a very strokes with your finest stone. I’m constantly experimenting with various techniques depending on the quality of the steel. What’s very apparent is quality and hardness is all over the place. The other thing to keep in mind is that when steel is hardened its mostly on the surface. Only thru very expensive techniques to they achieve hardening deeper in the steel. The more you sharpen the softer the steel becomes on cheap knives.

[Wayne Nicklin]

First, I’m a die hard water stone guy. All my life I have sharpened by hand on a number of 3×8 stones. On my WEPS i have handles starting at 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 2000, 3000, 5K, 8K, 10K (several brands), 12K, and 15K. I like most will start on the diamonds to start a burr and them go right into the wet stones. Yes you have to keep them wet. Yes they are messy, no getting around that. You have to have an angle cube. Most of my stones are custom make and yes it takes a while to set the angles but you get used to it. The benefits, you will get a gorgeous mirror finish. Yes yu can still strop and I do on 3 x11 sheets of leather, balsa at various grits and nano cloth on glass. At that point it becomes a work of art. Do I do this for all the knives I sharpen? No way but if the client wants a very sturdy edge with a little tooth and a shiny mirror bevel to the naked eye I can do that.

[Wayne Nicklin]

What you find is just guessing might be the difference between having a sharp useful knife and one that the edge rolls because of too steep an angle on the steel and it won’t hold. I think most people want too steep of an angle I.e. 17-18 degrees and a good working edge 22-24 degrees will work just as we’ll and last a lot longer. Depends on the usage of the knife. Sometimes on really good kitchen knives ill put a micro bevel at 24-25 degrees with a few stokes using 15K Chosera stones. Then strop a little on horse butt.

[Wayne Nicklin]

You would be may guessing without a angle cube. Blade height, thickness of the spin will always change things. It is by far the best money spent on an accessory. Yes WEPs carries these. There is also a testing stick sold by one of the dealers that when used properly is great for find ing small nicks in the steel. Beats cutting up fingers trying to find the ruff spots.

[Wayne Nicklin]

I have personally modified my technique no fewer than a dozen times. Different knives, styles, steels etc. practice on the cheap stuff first. If you make a,really bad mistake throw it away.

[Wayne Nicklin]

Go to Good Will, the swap meet or Saturday yard sales and buy for penny’s some old beat up kitchen knives. First you can practice your technique, it will take a little practice and it varies by everyone. This will also help you to break in the diamond plates. These knives now become test beds for experimentation.

[Wayne Nicklin]

How hard did you rub the stones together?. You can ruin these very easily by doing that, a few very light strokes at most.

[Wayne Nicklin]

Two things you can do. One raise the knife in the block and two go for 20-22 Degrees on the cutting angle. It will cut just fine. This is one of those things that the second generation arm kit will resolve. You will do just fine.

[Wayne Nicklin]

Yes, check the index for the various topics

[Author]

Posts