Questions on Mirrored Edges with a Wicked Edge

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FordFan

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I have Wicked Edge Pro Pack II which I have had for over a year. I think it is a great system. I read many posts here and viewed lots of YouTube videos before starting on cheap knives. I have been very happy with the results and can consistently produce sharp edges after getting over the learning curve (and removing too much steel from a knife or two when I started). That said, I have not been able to get the mirrored edges that I see on BF from time to time which leads to my questions.

1. What this the best way to get mirrored edges with the WE?

2. If I have just the stones that come with the Pro Pack II will it take a tremendous amount of time to get a mirrored edge? I have read some posted were people discuss making hundreds of passes on each side.

3. I know WE has many different stones now. Should I add a new stone or two to my progression before the strops to ease getting a mirrored edge? If so, which stones might you suggest? I have read about both the super/micro fine ceramics and the Chosera stones for mirrored edges. Adding the super and/or micro fine ceramics seems like a cheaper route than the Chosera stones if both work for mirrored edges.

Looking to get consistent with mirrored edges before putting a new edge on my large Insingo.

Thanks in advance for any input.
 
How are you currently finishing the blades? Are you stopping at a certain grit? Are you using the leather strops?
 
The pro-pack 2 has everything you need for a mirror edge. Just work your way through each set of stones, I do about 75 strokes on each side then 200 each side with my strops. It may be over the top but I got this edge on it:
http://i.imgur.com/My5HB3m.png

The highest grit stones I have are the 1200/1600 so you should be fine with the ceramics that come with it.

Edit: I have strops down to .5 micron
 
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I go diamond grit, to ceramics 1200/1600 and super/micro, then move arms to 1-2 degrees steeper then go 1 micron and 0.5 micron strop. About 75 passes with the strops for each side. Than will get a nice mirror. The 1200/1600 was key for me.
 
Never tried putting a mirror edge on anything but I imagine instead of going a set amount of strokes and hoping that is enough it might be beneficial to buy a loupe and check your work and that you erased the previous stones scratch pattern with the new one before moving up. I imagine it might speed things up, save metal, or at least insure you are going to get a good mirror finish.

I imagine the amount of passes you need on something like 1095 vs S100V will defer greatly. Personally I would use it to get a general idea of what certain steels require and use that as a rough guideline and than check the work when I reach that general guideline to see if I can progress or keep at the same grit for a little while longer.
 
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Can I play? (one sharpener I do not own (((YET)))

Mirror is the result of heavy scratches in larger grits, being significantly reduced by smaller and smaller grit. What looks like a mirror, may still look scratched in a microscope.

For bare eye mirror results, it just takes the tools you have, used from coarse to fine, with lots of repetition.

What the evil side of me is wanting to tell you, what you have will never work, sell it to me! lol

You must get a bur, on both sides, that you keep reducing in size, by reducing your sharpening grit. That makes sharp. What makes mirror, is doing more with each fine grit than it takes to bring up a bur. Only do this on vine or very fine grit, as loss of steel can result if you work the steel too much.

On a SharpMaker, the extra fine rods do a much better job of bringing out a mirror edge, than the fine rods will.

One trick to a mirror edge, is a Harbor Freight 1" bench belt sander, with a leather strop, and compound to polish steel. Quick, easy, and if you are careful, you will not erase the sharp edge you just made, trying to make it shine like a mirror.

I have a leather strop for a Harbor Freight, and one for the Ken Onion Work Sharp. They do work.

However, it gives one a feeling of pleasure to take a rusty dull knife, and bring it to full shine, with only ceramic rods, or other hand media.
 
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tokerblue said:
How are you currently finishing the blades? Are you stopping at a certain grit? Are you using the leather strops?
Click to expand...

I use the "sharpie trick" and typically just use the 800/1000 grit ceramics when touching up edges. I use all the stones if I need to reset the bevel. In all cases I finish with both strops.
 
Barabus said:
I go diamond grit, to ceramics 1200/1600 and super/micro, then move arms to 1-2 degrees steeper then go 1 micron and 0.5 micron strop. About 75 passes with the strops for each side. Than will get a nice mirror. The 1200/1600 was key for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks Barabus. I was hoping that adding the 1200/1600 would help get to a mirror. Appreciate the input.

Chris_S said:
The highest grit stones I have are the 1200/1600 so you should be fine with the ceramics that come with it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Chris. Seems using the 1200/1600 stones before the strops could be the key.
 
I tried the ceramics with limited success, but had good luck with lots of passes with the strop. It takes lots of time and patience!
 
Some steels just don't really take a mirrored finish.

Edit, went back and saw the knife model. S35VN is not one of those steels.
 
FordFan said:
Thanks Barabus. I was hoping that adding the 1200/1600 would help get to a mirror. Appreciate the input.



Thanks Chris. Seems using the 1200/1600 stones before the strops could be the key.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you definitely need to 1200/1600 ceramics, and I would even go further and get some 2k-2500 sandpaper that you can tape on your ceramics.
 
razor-edge-knives said:
Yeah, you definitely need to 1200/1600 ceramics, and I would even go further and get some 2k-2500 sandpaper that you can tape on your ceramics.
Click to expand...

I think I will get the ceramics. I used 1500+ grit taped to my 1000 diamond stones with good luck as well. Thanks.
 
NRA said:
Can I play? (one sharpener I do not own (((YET)))

What the evil side of me is wanting to tell you, what you have will never work, sell it to me! lol
Click to expand...

Given your "limited" options for sharpening a knife I think you have moved beyond "wanting a WE" to "needing a WE".

Seriously thanks for the response it was helpful.
 
I use 1500 grit and 2000 grit sandpaper taped to the stones. then strop. I seem to get better result with the sandpaper than the ceremics.
 
Wicked Edge for reproducing and setting the angle, then paper wheels do the mirror edge. That's what I do, at least.
 
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