On the fence: Wicked Edge vs. Edge Pro...

I was the guy who said he wouldn't use the WE professionally, but in their defense I like to play devil's advocate a lot (and I'm not anywhere near as experienced as Ankerson and others). Still, I'm worried about the stone lifetime of the wicked edge. Diamonds are hard wearing, but once a diamond falls or is ripped out or pressed into the substrate- it's gone. I love the idea of competition for the E.P. but keep in mind the W.E. is a new system the manufacturer still appears to be improving. Plus, I have yet to see any long term reviews of it. You can take the risk and buy into it, or wait for other's to post their experience. The E.P. is proven, has many accessory stones, and has a fairly small learning curve- I quickly fell in love with mine and was blown away by how sharp the edges it produced were. You can also get freakishly sharp edges from the W.E. no question about that.

Not any easy decision, right?

Good luck :)
 
BladeChemist said:
I was the guy who said he wouldn't use the WE professionally, but in their defense I like to play devil's advocate a lot (and I'm not anywhere near as experienced as Ankerson and others). Still, I'm worried about the stone lifetime of the wicked edge. Diamonds are hard wearing, but once a diamond falls or is ripped out or pressed into the substrate- it's gone. I love the idea of competition for the E.P. but keep in mind the W.E. is a new system the manufacturer still appears to be improving. Plus, I have yet to see any long term reviews of it. You can take the risk and buy into it, or wait for other's to post their experience. The E.P. is proven, has many accessory stones, and has a fairly small learning curve- I quickly fell in love with mine and was blown away by how sharp the edges it produced were. You can also get freakishly sharp edges from the W.E. no question about that.

Not any easy decision, right?

Good luck :)
Click to expand...

That may be the best argument in favor of the EP yet. You are wise my friend. . . :)
 
I was searching for info on these systems.
BP Green, did you ever get a system and if so, which one did you choose?
 
BePrepared said:
i have put a hair splitting edge on 5 blades with my WE... that is all i can say
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Thanks BePrepared.
I was debating these systems as well as stones/glass or ceramic types.
I'm taking a sharpening course in January, just a one day thing.
I'm hoping it will let me know if I want to do freehand or not.
If not, then I have to decide what system, but I think I like the WE better from all accounts.
I just don't know if it's worth it to get the stronger balljoint arms or not.
Getting those, or going for the Pro II kit is really up there in price.
Which type do you have?
 
The edge-pro is too much messing in my opinion.. and you have to keep watering the stones during the process... which gets really messy...

The wicked edge is alot better... you clamp it into place...and vwallla it won't move or anything... and in a few minutes you have a razor sharp edge on your blade....

the EP you can indeed slip and mess your edge up a little bit...

Ive owned both and only have the WE left... sold the EP after i got the WE..
 
sgt244 said:
The edge-pro is too much messing in my opinion.. and you have to keep watering the stones during the process... which gets really messy...

The wicked edge is alot better... you clamp it into place...and vwallla it won't move or anything... and in a few minutes you have a razor sharp edge on your blade....

the EP you can indeed slip and mess your edge up a little bit...

Ive owned both and only have the WE left... sold the EP after i got the WE..
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sgt244 makes some good points , however there are other things to consider . My self i am a klutz and could not keep from digging up the blade sides of the knife while using a EP . It is nerve
racking to sharpen a knife on a EP , and makes me shutter to think about using the EP on an expensive custom knife. The WE will go to an angle of 12 degrees (see WE web site to see how to do this) . If you are good at free hand sharpening consider the EP . If you are a like me , go the WE . I thought the learning curve was much quicker on the WE . Too many people like the EP for it to be a bad sharpener, and many people are happy with it , i realize not everyone is sharpening impaired like me .
 
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I've had an EP, and it worked pretty well. You can get identical results on both sides because it's the same motion doing each side. You do have to be careful and line the knife up properly so you get said identical results. It's simpler, forces you to be slower, but its more flexible and more accurate than the WE.

I have a WE, and it does the job faster. However, I have an older one with the original pivots and on thicker blades, the angles aren't the same because the clamp lines up one way and you are working both sides. This makes the edge move towards the right, offsetting the angle by a degree or more. Now shouldn't be a reason to nitpick unless you are really neurotic about your angles, and I suppose you can just flip the system around and re-position the arm to use it one side at a time, but that would make it much more complicated. I don't really care about the off degree or so, but I can see how other people might. You can also cut yourself badly on the WE if you get too overconfident and start to do it fast, ask me how I know.

Either system will let you re-profile nicely, and the EP will give you shallower angles than the WE. With a little tweaking though, the WE can do less than 15 degrees per side. I've gone down to 12, depending on how tall the blade is. I just use the 100/200 and 400/600 stones to reprofile and set a new angle, then I polish and maintain them on the paper wheels afterwards. I can get a mirror edge on the paper wheels in about a minute, no joke. Nothing beats the paper wheel system for ease and speed, once your angles are set. Now if you have mad skills like richardj, the wheels are all you need.
 
Just posted in another thread get the edge pro , save you some money, plus a lot more aftermarket parts for the EP and stones are alot cheaper if you need to replace one and like someone said above Ben dale the inventor is always available to answer your questions( i talked to him on tuesday, I was sharpening my knives at too low an angle and he helped me out ) now I know what a sharp knife is I thought I got good edges with my sharpmaker but the edge pro is an amazing tool for the price, I've only had it 2 weeks and all my knives are crazy crazy sharp, I could get hair whittling edges on the sharpmaker, but now I can whittle ! hair 7 or 8 times with ease , It's crazy , you just haft to take your time and learn the system and you will love it , I will never own another system again, but i might haft to get the chosera stones for the Edge pro!
 
The improvements to the WE are probably over. Clay solved all my misgivings about it.

Ben has always gotten very high marks for service after the sale, and will generally get on the phone with you, and talk you through any difficulties. Can't beat that.

Clay has his own forum though, so you get many opinions to your questions.

If you had asked 2 years ago, IMHO, the WE was not in the same league as the EP. Please realize though, the EP had been patented for 18 years at that point. There were guys cutting premium stones for the EP long before the WE became a presence. Now these same guys are cutting the same stones for the WE.

I don't know about you guys, but I think it's high time to make a sticky on EP vs WE. I'm tired of the question. It seems like there are one or two threads per page on it.

JMHO :)
 
Thank you all for your valuable insight on each system you use.
I have zero experience sharpening, and taking a 1 day course in early January to see if I would like freehand.

Grizz: I actually did a search and found a post, it might even have been your post linking 5 other discussions about the two systems.
That is why I resurrected an old thread instead of creating a new one.
I've been on various forums for different hobbies and yes, it does get old when you get the same questions all the time.
I need to spend some time on the WE forum as well.
One reason this question still comes up, for me anyway, is that Clay is/was still improving the system.
You mentioned that he is probably done now, so making a sticky would be a great idea.
These systems, or a good set of fullsize stones are all in the same ballpark price wise.

Thanks again for everyones input, I'll make a decision after I take that sharpening course.
 
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gooeytek said:
I've had an EP, and it worked pretty well. You can get identical results on both sides because it's the same motion doing each side. You do have to be careful and line the knife up properly so you get said identical results. It's simpler, forces you to be slower, but its more flexible and more accurate than the WE.

I have a WE, and it does the job faster. However, I have an older one with the original pivots and on thicker blades, the angles aren't the same because the clamp lines up one way and you are working both sides. This makes the edge move towards the right, offsetting the angle by a degree or more. Now shouldn't be a reason to nitpick unless you are really neurotic about your angles, and I suppose you can just flip the system around and re-position the arm to use it one side at a time, but that would make it much more complicated. I don't really care about the off degree or so, but I can see how other people might. You can also cut yourself badly on the WE if you get too overconfident and start to do it fast, ask me how I know.

Either system will let you re-profile nicely, and the EP will give you shallower angles than the WE. With a little tweaking though, the WE can do less than 15 degrees per side. I've gone down to 12, depending on how tall the blade is. I just use the 100/200 and 400/600 stones to reprofile and set a new angle, then I polish and maintain them on the paper wheels afterwards. I can get a mirror edge on the paper wheels in about a minute, no joke. Nothing beats the paper wheel system for ease and speed, once your angles are set. Now if you have mad skills like richardj, the wheels are all you need.
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This is what I do.. I go alittle further with the 800/1000 and then to the paper wheel only.

Polished edge looks beautiful..
 
I sharpen professionally and use the WE on high end knives brought to me by sushi chefs and some very expensive damascus hunters that want the best edge possible, hair popping "vanity edges" as richardJ says lol. Yes it is time consuming compared to powered systems but someone originally said they would not use it professionally. I believe it is faster than the EP as you can sharpen both sides in alternating strokes. You can also view both bevels at the same time to ensure you are getting the desired results. Yes, I have the new riser and ball joint arms which are overkill except for the most OCD or discriminating edge producers. The standard config suits most users. But the new arms allow you infinite dead on balls accurate bevels down to 10 deg and farther is possible depending on the blade. The diamond stones seem to hold up well and my unit gets used every week in my shop and at markets and gun and knife shows. I do not have the chocera stones for it...yet ;-)

Yes this issue has been discussed ad nauseum but it is important and a fun topic. Both are quality products backed by good support. So there is no wrong decision.
 
Thanks Harley and gooey for the comments about finishing with paper wheels.
Never Dull, I appreciate your feedback on the arms, new and old.
 
JM2CW.....
Never owned a Wicked edge but did consider one... then I bought a EP Apex and damn it after 5 or 10 knives I am shaving hair off my arm. I never thought that would be possible. It is a little bit messy but not really all that messy I don't think. I love the EP apex and it does exactly what I want it to do and it does exactly what it says it will do. Sweet, product satisfaction, that doesn't happen everyday.
 
I have an Edge Pro with the Apex 4 kit; here's my results on the first try:

IMAG0403.jpg


Second try:

IMAG0397.jpg


The EP does take some getting used to it terms of how you hold the knife, especially when using your non-dominant hand to push the stone across the knife's edge. I find it far easier when sharpening and holding the knife in my left (non-dominant hand) and pushing the stone with my right hand, but you HAVE to switch in order to sharpen both sides...

That's really the main challenge I've found with the EP, hope this makes sense! Other things I've found through using the EP that might be useful in decision making in terms of ease of use and add-ons needing to be purchased:

- a heavier base or hard mounting the EP system would be good to prevent it moving around while you're sharpening as it is light weight can jump around
- two stones were not flat out of the box; may be a deal breaker for some without the tools/knowledge on how to flatten them
- messy when cleaning the stones and when sharpening after cleaning because of potential excess water
- changing polish tapes for one knife can reduce number of sharpenings/tape as the adhesives stops sticking (better buy additional tape blanks to minimize it!)
- changing stones; sometimes the tightening knob on the stone carrier "sticks" and it can be tricky to release the stone from the carrier when working throught the grits.

That's it for now, I'm sure I'll find more gripes as I continue to use the EP... :rolleyes::foot:


The Wicked Edge systems looks really nice too, especially the way Never Dull describes it! :thumbup::D You'd probably be served well by either one. ;)
 
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BP Green said:
Ankerson,

You are just the guy I was hoping to hear from. The reason I ask that is because if the knife ia locked in position it stands to figure you will get the exact edge on either side. If you have to hold the knife in place it seems to me that depending on how it's held the potential for a slip up is there?

I'm not saying this is so, I'm asking? I've never used either one. . .
Click to expand...

I placed a neo-magnet under the table which further secures the blade. Not "necessary" as the stone arm's pressure is usually sufficient as Ankerson said. Its a three dollar mod that I feel is worth-it and just an option I wanted to share with you. It's a common mod.

I never owned a wicked edge, but hope to try it out sometime. Just for kicks though because I am plenty happy with the EdgePro's results. I am too impatient in freehand to get consistent results, and my EdgPro gets me as sharp as I want anytime anyday. The stone options available are pretty epic (the stock ones are plenty sufficient, polishing tapes work, but can be annoying), I do not feel limited that I cannot freehand using premium benchstones well. In fact, once you have your system down pat, it's foolproof.
 
"- a heavier base or hard mounting the EP system would be good to prevent it moving around while you're sharpening as it is light weight can jump around"

On Ben Dale's video, he shows that you can remove the suction cups & screw in #8 wood screws into the machine, means that you can no longer move it around. Another option is to get a 12"X12" piece of tile or heavy glass & stick it to that (hint-you don't have to slam the suction cups flat)

"two stones were not flat out of the box; may be a deal breaker for some without the tools/knowledge on how to flatten them"

If you're going to do more than a few knives for friends & family , you're probably going to WANT something like 3"X8" ATOMA Diamond plates anyway.

"changing stones; sometimes the tightening knob on the stone carrier "sticks" and it can be tricky to release the stone from the carrier when working throught the grits."

The company you bought the magnet from (don't know if its OK to plug a seller & don't know if he supports this site) sells a spring so you just pull back lightly on the holder for a coupla' bucks.

BTW, I'm like (most likely worse than) LionKnife but I enjoy the Zen of sharpening and have enjoyed the improvements that have come with practice. That being said I still managed to go through several band aids even on my first few knives with the Apex. Liked it so much I bought the EP PRO after 2 weeks with the APEX.

I have CDO.......................like OCD but the letters are arainged alphabetically , THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE!!!!!!
 
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I've used both the EP and WEPS (as well as Lansky, Gatco, and SharpMaker). Both of these platforms are extremely high quality, have relatively short learning curves, are flexible, and can produce awe inspiring edges.

It really comes down to personal preference. Personally, I use the WEPS (plus the SharpMaker for field use) for 99% of my sharpening. I just like the WEPS' consistency and speed. I can also walk away from the sharpening job for a little bit and leave the blade clamped in the vise. When I come back - I pick the sharpening in 2 seconds. I used waterstones for years and never liked the mess, so I really like the diamond/ceramic stones on the WEPS - however, you have to really focus on cleaning the stones after use to get rid of the swarf that clogs them up.

You can't go wrong with either system. If possible, try both of them before making a decision. If that isn't possible, order the one that seems right for you. Either way, you'll get a world-class sharpening system!

Just my $0.02...
TedP
 
Was browsing in Lee Valley Tools in Victoria BC recently and noted an excellent book on sharpening woodworking tools/knives (practically everything except wits). It's worth checking out. I find bench stones to be far more useful than the various kits. If you can maintain a regular angle (an angle guide is occasionally useful for setting a bevel, I find, but not really necessary in day-to-day touch-ups) the kits are superfluous IMHO.
 
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