Wicked Edge Sharpener VS Apex

stitchawl said:
Although I've destroyed the value of a numbered production run of a Benchmade 707 because I didn't tape it first, none of my scratches are single nor vertical. I just rubbed off a lot of the black coating. That did all come from the slurry.

Stitchawl
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Don't feel bad Stitchawl, I learned to tape the hard way too. I managed to ruin the coating on a prized Spyderco Military. Luckily, it was my knife, but it almost made me lose my lunch when I discovered it. :eek: Now I always tape the blade, coated or not, unless I'm just sharpening a beater. I can't take the chance of putting fine scratches all over a customers blade.
 
Nosmo said:
But I am still left puzzled as to the drastic appearance change to the bevel if I attempt to work on the blade tip off the table. The sharpening angle might only change a small amount but it looks like it is changing allot. The bevel widens considerably. Something going on here.
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Almost all knives are made that way, at least almost all of the ones that I have bought. The maker generally increases the edge angle towards the tip. In order for the angle width to remain constant, the distal taper has to exactly match the width of the blade as you move towards the tip. The "thickness to width" ratio has to stay the same, but it seldom does. With the edgepro, you are forcing a constant angle from guard to tip, hence the varying edge width.
 
For those still wondering, just a quick FYI, Diamond hones are available for the EP as upgrade extras. Refer to their site for details.
 
Hey all,

Do they make some sort of super fine protractor that we could just put on the arm of the EP to see what the angle is without all the math? It would have to be pretty technically accurate....

Also, what are you guys using to examine your bevels, edges etc. I got a jewelers loupe and checked out some of my knives. But when you guys are sharpening, do you use a magnifying visor or something so you can really see your work? If so, what are you using. A jeweler's loupe is difficult for me as closing just one eye gives me a headache is 10 seconds flat.
 
Visibility said:
Also, what are you guys using to examine your bevels, edges etc. I got a jewelers loupe and checked out some of my knives. But when you guys are sharpening, do you use a magnifying visor or something so you can really see your work? If so, what are you using. A jeweler's loupe is difficult for me as closing just one eye gives me a headache is 10 seconds flat.
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The hair on my arm works pretty good for me. :D Seriously, I have a 10X magnifying glass that I use if I need to examine an edge.

-Dan
 
Visibility said:
Hey all,

Do they make some sort of super fine protractor that we could just put on the arm of the EP to see what the angle is without all the math? It would have to be pretty technically accurate....

Also, what are you guys using to examine your bevels, edges etc. I got a jewelers loupe and checked out some of my knives. But when you guys are sharpening, do you use a magnifying visor or something so you can really see your work? If so, what are you using. A jeweler's loupe is difficult for me as closing just one eye gives me a headache is 10 seconds flat.
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Believe it or not.....you don't have to close one eye to use a loop. Just practice. Same with shooting a gun, you should really keep both eyes open.

Paul B12
 
Visibility said:
Hey all,

Do they make some sort of super fine protractor that we could just put on the arm of the EP to see what the angle is without all the math? It would have to be pretty technically accurate....
Click to expand...

I have this plastic measuring 'thing' that functions like a protractor ... I really don't know what to call it... four strips of plastic attached into a parallelogram (?) with loose rivets. If I put one edge along a flat surface I can squish down the device which will move the adjacent piece flat against the angled side and then read the size of the angle easily. (Jeez... did I really write that?!? :eek: ) It only works for measuring large things as it's made for carpentry, but I can use it to measure the angle of the EdgePro arm. I can't measure the angle of the blade itself. I 'think' I can get +/- one degree of accuracy, assuming the tool itself is accurate. Pretty cheap tool. I found it in a hardware store next to all the rulers, T-squares, calipers, etc.

But when you guys are sharpening, do you use a magnifying visor or something so you can really see your work? If so, what are you using. A jeweler's loupe is difficult for me as closing just one eye gives me a headache is 10 seconds flat.
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Unless I'm using the EdgePro, I usually watch TV while I'm sharpening. (I get cut a lot) Using the various clamp devices requires very little attention (but a large supply of blood) so I don't pay much attention to the actual edge other than feeling for a burr. At that point I look down, turn the knife over, and work the other side. The only time I actually use some sort of magnifying glass is if I'm having a problem with an edge. Then I use a 'thread counter.' This is one of those small folding magnifiers, three sided with the glass on top and a cut-out in the base. Because of the fixed distance that it creates I can slide it along the edge keeping everything in focus as it moves.

Stitchawl
 
Observations from looking at their site.

Looks well made.
Looks like it would be good for holding a constant angle on the edge.
Looks like the stones are a little small. I thought that guy was going to cut his fingers holding the stone (there was no handle).
Looks like it would only be good for sharpening Severtech knives and other tools with straight edges like chisels, and planner blades. Looks like it would work well for them.
Looks like most Severtech knives tend to have straight blades (on the edge side) or at least large straight portions like a Tanto with two straight sections.
Looks like another sharpening device that clamps the knife in.

Can we get back to talking about Edgpro's?;)
 
cryhavok said:
I use a little pocket microscope from radioshack

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2179604

It is 60x-100x illuminated so you can really see what the stones are doing to the steel. Best part: only $12.09 :)

In the store, they are near all the drawers with the LEDs, resistors, capacitors, etc.
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The price is right but how's the optics? It's often hard to get that magnification without some peripheral distortion and abberations from cheap non aspheric lenses
 
THE PUNISHER said:
How bout the severtech sharpener???????thanx
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Seems to clamp like the W.E., but only one sided - and no handle? It's like the Edgepro and the Wicked Edge had some sort of cross breed baby sharpener.

The EdgePro Pro uses "consumables" that are "high maintenance" - you have to keep your stones flat, as they wear out... then you can buy more.

The Wicked Edge is clean, no slurry, not going to be wearing out the stones, double sided, exact placement every time, etc.

Diamonds are forever - if you don't press hard and break the bonding agents.

I think we'll see copycat versions of the Wicked Edge in Walmart in a few years - it's that awesome.
 
I have the WE and there's no looking back. I recognize there are good ways and not so good ways to sharpen anything. I've done it. Many people can sharpen objects in a multitude of ways.
I have owned most of the sharpeners mentioned in these forums and enjoyed some of them. However, the WE just makes the most sense to me. It may not be the best to you, nor in the top 10. But to me, it works the way I want my sharpener to work. Easy, fast and not destructive to the blade.
A nice buffing adds to the sharpened knife.
 
With the stones having the ability to slide up and down the rod it would create equal angles the whole way up the blade wouldn't it? I see what you mean with it being lower angles at the tip but thats assuming that they were completely stationary, but these aren't locked in.
 
zugustaz said:
With the stones having the ability to slide up and down the rod it would create equal angles the whole way up the blade wouldn't it? I see what you mean with it being lower angles at the tip but thats assuming that they were completely stationary, but these aren't locked in.
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Nope that wouldn't matter, the change in angle will always happen as the as the pivot is in the same spot the whole time, if the blade or the pivot moved as you sharpened it wouldn't happen.

Though this doesn't really matter, the difference is like 1/2 a degree...
 
^Actually.. check out the long "W.E. vs E.P" thread in this subforum and ignore that "chemist" fellow. Due to the fixed pivot point, the stone's ability to rotate and given a straight level blade- the angle won't change. However, if the blade isn't level or curves at the tip- the angle changes. Messed with my mind for a while.
 
scubadoo97 said:
The price is right but how's the optics? It's often hard to get that magnification without some peripheral distortion and abberations from cheap non aspheric lenses
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I have one and you can see just fine. Of course there are some chromatic abberations with such cheap lenses but you aren't snapping photos through them, you are looking at an edge of a knife. It does it's job and does it very well for $13.
 
Hopefully I will receive my Wicked Edge in the mail today. I am excited!! I will let ya know what I think when I get it.
 
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