Smallest angle?

[mark76]

Hi all,

I haven’t bought a WE yet, I am orienting myself.

Can anyone tell me what the smallest angle is at which the WE can sharpen? The markers seem to go to 15 degrees, but it looks as if even smaller angles are possible.

I ask this because I have a knife with a Scandi ground that has quite a low angle.

Thanks!

[leomitch]

The smallest angle will vary with the height of the knife blade above the vise.
I have a chef’s knife that sticks above the vise by 1.75 inches when I clamp it and I can manage nearly 13 degrees per side on its edge without scraping the vise jaws. Very shortly though, a new attachment will become available that will allow angles much less than 15 degrees per side and approaching zero degrees.Look for it later this winter or early spring if I am not mistaken. Clay please correct me if I am wrong here.

Leo

[mark76]

Thanks for your answer, Leo. I didn’t realize the vise jaws would be the limiting factor.

Are you sure the attachment will be an extension rather than a modification? I am trying to imagine how to extend the WE so blades can be sharpened at very low angles, but the only way I can envisage this is by lifting the knife high up.

I can wait a few more months before sharpening my Scandi knives, but it would be a pity if I found out after some time that I’ll never be able to sharpen them on the WE.

[leomitch]

Hi Mark
To be certain I would give Clay a call using the toll free number or send him an e-mail. He will tell you what to expect and then you will know for sure. He will be glad to hear from you and is more than helpful.

Best regards
Leo

[mark76]

Hi Leo,
Thanks again. Have you got his email address? (I live in Europe, so that number is probably not toll free.) I already left a message using the contact form on the website, but have had no reaction.
Best regards,
Mark

[leomitch]

Mark,
You can send him a Private Message from right here. Click the Private Message symbol at the upper right hand corner of the web page, Go to Compose, type in wickededge where you would put the recipient and type in your message and send. Then check your PM’s from time to time to see if/when you get a response.

Leo

[mark76]

I’ve sent a PM to Craig. I’m really interested in what the plans are, since the WE seems the superior product.

In the meantime I got a very interesting response to a message I posted on Bladeforums.

The WE is NOT limited to 15 degrees. You can rotate the collars 90 deg and sharpen much closer angles. I have done straight razors on my WE.

I also recall seeing a video in which something similar was shown, although I don’t know where anymore.

Can anyone (Leo?) say more about this?

Thanks,
Mark

[leomitch]

It is possible to squeeze out a few extra degrees below 15. Reversing the collars/paddle rods will gain you perhaps .25 to .75 degrees and then if you have a broad blade clamped high by its spine in the vise ignoring the depth placement tool this time, you might gain another degree or two depending on the height of the blade above the vise. So you might get down to 12+/- degrees per side. If you find the collars slipping because the dimples are not securing them in the reverse, applying a little Purple Loctite to the screw threads will give things a better non-slip grip.(See the post on Purple Loctite).
Hope this helps.

Leo

[mark76]

I got a response back from Clay and thought I’d share it with you, so everybody is kept posted.

We are working on this new attachment. The machine shop is currently working on the prototype for it and I’m hoping to see it in the next week or two. If I can approve it, we can get going with production right away. If not, there might be some tweaking and a little further delay, but not much.

Hope it works out well!