Verdict on Wicked Edge Pro Pack Gen 3 ?

[Nomo4me]

In terms of clamp performance, acute angle obstruction etc

The 3/16" thickness doesn't bother me. But I do baby many of my kitchen knives and like an acute edge on them.

 

[Nomo4me]

Guess it's too new for feedback yet. I'm guessing guys are prolly getting burned out on shelling out $ for the upgrades.

 

[REK Knives]

Haha, well I will be reviewing mine heavily over the next few weeks... Just got it in but having some custom jaws made for it so waiting on those to come in

Any specific questions?

 

[Twindog]

The Wicked Edge system is the best guided system on the market, in my opinion, even better than the Edge Pro, although the Edge Pro is excellent.

The Gen III jaws are nice in that you can clamp the knife with a simple lever -- no more messing around with multiple screws and difficulties keeping full flat ground blades vertical and stable, as is the case with the Gen I clamp.

But the Gen III jaws were a big disappointment to me. The don't clamp thick blades at all. And they weakly clamp thin blades and blades with a strong distal taper.

From reading the comments of others -- as well as using my own -- I get the sense that some of the new clamps work better than others. The tension seems greater with some clamps. So it's a big of a gamble. I'm faced with the decision to go back to the hassle-prone Gen I clamp or limit my Wicked Edge to just those knives that fit within the narrow parameters of the Gen III jaws.

 

[Slauterhause]

These criticisms are not good...I have one on order... Ugh.

 

[REK Knives]

The don't clamp thick blades at all. And they weakly clamp thin blades and blades with a strong distal taper.

Yes the max width blade is 3/16" thick at the spine, which has always been an issue even since the prototype came out. They are working on making some other vise jaw inserts that can handle wider blades though.

And mine clamps thin blades just fine, solid lock up w/ no play or twisting. Not sure on strong distal taper blades but I imagine the gen 2 vise wouldn't do any better - you will just have to use tape or whatever you use on the gen 2 the same way on the 3.

 

[Twindog]

Yes the max width blade is 3/16" thick at the spine, which has always been an issue even since the prototype came out. They are working on making some other vise jaw inserts that can handle wider blades though.

And mine clamps thin blades just fine, solid lock up w/ no play or twisting. Not sure on strong distal taper blades but I imagine the gen 2 vise wouldn't do any better - you will just have to use tape or whatever you use on the gen 2 the same way on the 3.

Yes, I think that some Gen III clamps work better than others. I've read user complaints that the clamp is so tight that it snaps when released. My doesn't snap. If I put a thin kitchen knife in my Gen I clamp, I can lift up the whole granite base with the handle of the clamped knife. The clamped knife does not move. With my Gen III clamp, the knife just rotates in the clamp when I try to lift it.

The Gen III clamp is considerably wider than the Gen I clamp -- and the jaws are fixed, they don't adjust to distal taper. So when you have a strong distal taper, the front part of the jaws grips only loosely, while the back part of the jaws (which engage the thicker part of the blade) are tight. But that differential clamping pressure leads to the blade rotating, with the pivot point being the rear part of the clamp.

Wicked Edge needs to fix this. What would work best, in my mind anyway, is if there would be a pre-tightening screw that snugs up the blade, and then the cam/lever system engages with proper pressure. The Gen III clamp is trying to cover all blade thicknesses and tapers with just the cam. It doesn't work. The system also needs to adjust for distal taper. These are fairly easy fixes from an engineering standpoint, but they haven't been done.

Wicked Edge has done an amazing job with adding high-quality sharpening accessories; and I expect that soon this system will be near perfect. Just not there yet.

 

[REK Knives]

Yes, I think that some Gen III clamps work better than others. I've read user complaints that the clamp is so tight that it snaps when released. My doesn't snap. If I put a thin kitchen knife in my Gen I clamp, I can lift up the whole granite base with the handle of the clamped knife. The clamped knife does not move. With my Gen III clamp, the knife just rotates in the clamp when I try to lift it.

The Gen III clamp is considerably wider than the Gen I clamp -- and the jaws are fixed, they don't adjust to distal taper. So when you have a strong distal taper, the front part of the jaws grips only loosely, while the back part of the jaws (which engage the thicker part of the blade) are tight. But that differential clamping pressure leads to the blade rotating, with the pivot point being the rear part of the clamp.

Wicked Edge needs to fix this. What would work best, in my mind anyway, is if there would be a pre-tightening screw that snugs up the blade, and then the cam/lever system engages with proper pressure. The Gen III clamp is trying to cover all blade thicknesses and tapers with just the cam. It doesn't work. The system also needs to adjust for distal taper. These are fairly easy fixes from an engineering standpoint, but they haven't been done.

Wicked Edge has done an amazing job with adding high-quality sharpening accessories; and I expect that soon this system will be near perfect. Just not there yet.

Yeah that's a great idea w/ an adjustment built in! Don't know why they didn't think of that.

The good thing about WE is that if you have an issue such as your clamp not working properly and clamping strong enough, you can contact them and they will make it right. I have never had an issue w/ them not replacing something. Shoot, I've bent probably 10 gen 1-2 vises now and they replace them w/out question when I let them know and I get it in about 2-3 days.

So what knives are your referring to w/ a strong distal taper that aren't working?

 

[Twindog]

...

So what knives are your referring to w/ a strong distal taper that aren't working?

My Military has a spine width of 0.1375 inches where I put the rear part of the clamp. At the front part of the clamp, the spine width is 0.1055 inches.

The Military is a pretty good spine width for the cam clamp, at least at the back part of the clamp.

My Kumagoro 135 mm petite guyuto is 0.990 at the rear part of the spine -- too narrow for the cam clamp to work securely. But an inch and a half down, where the front part of the clamp engages, the spine width is 0.825. It's also a hammer finish, so the clamp can get caught with even less to clamp.

Because the jaws don't adjust to the profile of the blade (to the distal taper), they can't clamp these blades effectively.

Here's a photo of my Kumagoro. I tilted it up with just light pressure from my little finger. It has both a thin blade and a good distal taper, together those two characteristics make the Gen III jaws ineffective.

 

[Nomo4me]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I impulse bought one at a local place and picked it up today. 3/16" max isn't a problem for me. I'll try a manix 2 soon and see how it does in the vise. It's a thin blade with distal taper.

I had a gen 1 pro pack and sold it in silent protest of the delivered value vs price. This gen 3 appears to come closer to the asking price vs value delivered and mfr expense.

EDIT: My Manix 2 110V has a heavy distal taper and the clamp assembly flexed to grip the blade firmly. Have to wonder if springing the mechanism like that could be detrimental in the long run.

 

[uofaengr]

I sharpen a good many knives to where the Gen 3 clamp might be useful and quicker, but have not been able to justify shelling out more $$ for it. My opinion is that a better $150+ upgrade is for the ball joint arms, micro adjustment, longer angle bar package, and then the 3" longer arms from Oldawan.

The original clamp has never really bothered me too much. I had mine replaced a couple months ago due to the jaws bending over time. WEPS customer service does go above and beyond, I will say that as I've dealt with them several times. For FFG blades, I just clamp as normal and either by trial and error, match up the factory bevels, or just use a little math if a true symmetrical apex is important to me.

I may not be hot and bothered by the Gen 3 clamp, but the forward thinking and desire to improve by the WEPS team is something I definitely notice and appreciate.

 

[rovman]

I love my Gen 3 I can't wait until they come out with the Jaw adapters so I can do my fixed blades, I get knives so scary sharp and mirror polishes that I never thought possible before I bought mine

I bought an extra shelf from WE and had my system milled out to accept it, no it will hold 18

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