Uneven Bevels With The Wicked Edge

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Glock Guy

Glock Guy

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I have a Gen III WE Pro with the upgraded clamp.

At times I have gotten uneven bevels on a blade (Larger on the Left side - I am Right handed) even after using an angle cube. Any idea what might be causing this?

I typically do NOT tape the blade, but use a small piece of paper towel in the clamp to avoid scuffing the blade.

Any tricks or suggestions?
 
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Usually caused by uneven grinding. Few blades, on a fixed angle system, will provide even bevel widths. If you want even bevel widths, you have to carefully use the black marker only on the bevel as it came from the factor (I'm sure it was the same width then), then see at what setting the WE will remove exactly the marker for each side, measured separately. An angle cube doesn't do anything if you keep the angles the same on both sides, as uneven bevels naturally result from uneven grinding, when each rod is exactly the same angle.
 
bladeflana said:
Usually caused by uneven grinding. Few blades, on a fixed angle system, will provide even bevel widths. If you want even bevel widths, you have to carefully use the black marker only on the bevel as it came from the factor (I'm sure it was the same width then), then see at what setting the WE will remove exactly the marker for each side, measured separately. An angle cube doesn't do anything if you keep the angles the same on both sides, as uneven bevels naturally result from uneven grinding, when each rod is exactly the same angle.
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Are you saying uneven grinds from the factory?
I’m fairly new to the KME system but not new to sharpening. With the KME, some knives I sharpen will be pretty even beveled and some aren’t. It’s not a huge difference on the ones that don’t turn out to be even beveled but it’s enough that my OCD notices. Regardless if a particular knife turns out to be even or not, they are hair whittling sharp when I finish.
Once I’m finished with the 1500 grit diamond I go to the Spyderco UF. I will either use lapping films from there or continue on through a 10,000 grit Chosera stone, depending on the knife.
 
I think that in terms of keeping the angle from the sharpener consistent to the knife position, the WE is hard to beat; therefore, yes, it will reveal quickly, assuming you have the same angle set for each side, if your grind is uneven regardless from the factor, regrind or accidentally run over by a van.
 
bladeflana said:
I think that in terms of keeping the angle from the sharpener consistent to the knife position, the WE is hard to beat; therefore, yes, it will reveal quickly, assuming you have the same angle set for each side, if your grind is uneven regardless from the factor, regrind or accidentally run over by a van.
Click to expand...

Yeah the Wicked Edge seems like a great system. I’m thinking hard about getting the Wicked Edge system or the tsprof Ko3 or possibly the Blitz 360

Have you messed with the tsprof system at all?
 
Uneven Primary grinds from the factory are far more common than many realize, they become highlighted when using a guided system because the bevel is so exact, showing all the errors of the blade grind. Some bevels will also look wavy once complete and this will usually be caused by high and low spots over the length of the grind.

DO NOT COMPENSATE FOR THIS!!!!!

You ALWAYS want your bevel to be centered with the blade... AKA, If you are looking at the spine and run an imaginary line down the center that line should hit your edge at the apex.

If you compensate... the edge being off center to the center of the blade will cause the blade to "dive" in unpredictable directions when cutting thick/large materials.
 
I know that if I started with a perfect edge bevel (which is RARE from almost any factory), then being heavy handed, or taking far more strokes on one side vs. the other would be the cause.

I've also been able to *correct* uneven bevels on a centered apex by using the angle of the thicker bevel for the other (thinner) side, and that works to make them even. Then, as you sharpen it later on, you start to adjust the angle more acutely from say 17 dps to 18, then 19, etc.

I think what I've run into where it doesn't work is what Jason mentioned, which is a difference between having uneven bevels and the actual edge being off-centered:

Jason B. said:
Uneven Primary grinds from the factory are far more common than many realize, they become highlighted when using a guided system because the bevel is so exact, showing all the errors of the blade grind. Some bevels will also look wavy once complete and this will usually be caused by high and low spots over the length of the grind.

DO NOT COMPENSATE FOR THIS!!!!!

You ALWAYS want your bevel to be centered with the blade... AKA, If you are looking at the spine and run an imaginary line down the center that line should hit your edge at the apex.

If you compensate... the edge being off center to the center of the blade will cause the blade to "dive" in unpredictable directions when cutting thick/large materials.
Click to expand...

In this case, you need to work more on the thicker bevel side in order to move the apex over. That's why it didn't work when I tried to just match the angle of the thicker side to the thinner bevel.

I was wondering if there might have been something off in the way I clamped the blade, as I use paper towel to help keep the blade locked in vs. tape. I thought that maybe the paper towel had shifted the blade slightly to one side of the clamp vs. the other. However, if anything, it seems like the paper towel does a much better job of keeping the blade centered, at least in my experience - especially with the new Gen 3 vice.
 
Flogger said:
Yeah the Wicked Edge seems like a great system. I’m thinking hard about getting the Wicked Edge system or the tsprof Ko3 or possibly the Blitz 360

Have you messed with the tsprof system at all?
Click to expand...
I have owned kme, wicked edge and tsprof. Tsprof is my favorite. Sold kme and WE.
 
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