Wicked Edge Knife Sharpener

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ricklee4570

Joined
Aug 12, 2010
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Now that this has been out a while now and they have added new stones (ceramic) and have done other upgrades, what is the general concensus on this device?

How does it compare to the Edge Pro Apex? The reviews I found in the search I did seemed a little outdated.

Thanks!
 
I have no experience with either one but Woody from Knoxville had them both & ended up selling the Apex as he like the Wicked Edge much better. I sure would like to try one though before I pluck down that much money.
 
It is a big investment. I have always had trouble getting some blades clamped down good in the Lansky type clamps. Seems they would move a little up and down thereby changing the angle.

The Wicked Edge people swear that they have the best clamp made that will even hold full flat ground blades perfectly.

They also have a video showing that the angles are relatively unchanged even though the stone pivots across the entire blade--much like the Lansky does.

Those that say you can't clamp it again in the exact place for follow up sharpenings prefer the Apex. I would think it would be hard to set up the apex exactly the same too. Especially with a blade with a curve at the point. How do you pivot the knife up exactly the same with the Apex?

I would like to hear from some others who have experience with both.
 
No trouble at all with the Apex. The marks on the vertical rod make angle adjustment easy. (As long as you write down what you've used for a particular knife. If you don't remember, use a Sharpie, taking an extra 20 seconds.) Set-up of the knife platform is a pretty standard procedure too, so getting repeatable angles is no problem. Watch some of Ben Dale's sharpening videos on YouTube and you can see what I mean. Set-up is a no-brainer.


Stitchawl
 
I have a Wicked Edge and I love it. I had the Edge Pro before and IMO the Wicked Edge blows it away. I have added the latest upgrades so mine should be very close to the newest model.

It is just so much easier to get near perfect edges.
 
ricklee4570 said:
Now that this has been out a while now and they have added new stones (ceramic) and have done other upgrades, what is the general concensus on this device?

How does it compare to the Edge Pro Apex? The reviews I found in the search I did seemed a little outdated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Hi
I have the newest edition of the Wicked Edge Precision Sharpener and I am extremely happy with it. It does everything I want it to do and does them in spades. It is made of high quality aircraft aluminum and has been scientifically designed to sharpen accurately and the clamp is absolutely solid when the knife is inserted. No fear of the blade slipping out as it has done with the other clamping systems I have tried. I have all the accessory stones and strops so far and now my collection of expensive knives are all razor sharp (unlike when I was sharpening them with my last clamping system).
I am not one to run down other systems so I won't, but I can tell you that the Edge Pro is an excellent system from what I have seen and read and the guys who are professional sharpeners that I know swear by it. For me, a fellow who is challenged when it comes to sharpening, the EP seemed over the top and complex for my old noggin to handle. The WEPS on the other hand sharpens knives easily, accurately and in a repeatable way each and every time. I cannot conceive of ever needing a knife which is sharper than the ones I have now. My son field-dressed an elk with his RAT-3 that I sharpened and had no problems at all and in fact the knife was still very sharp when he finished.
To top it all off Clay Allison, who runs the WEPS web site and invented the rig, is one of the nicest and friendliest guys you will ever deal with. His service was friendly, polite and fast.
I do not hesitate to recommend this sharpener. For this old guy who has had difficulty sharpening knives for most of his 75 years, the WEPS is a wonder tool and worth every penny I paid for it.

Best to all
Leo
 
Here is my set up with all the stones except the ceramic hones and the leather strops. That is my 110 Buck mounted there I believe and it is just finished being worked on by the super fine stones (light blue and dark blue)

4852717361_89102a0725_b.jpg


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Here is a shot of the graduated angle setter. Whatever angle you set can be repeated again any time. It goes from 15 to 30 degrees but if you clamp the arms right up against the vise you can get 13 degrees and perhaps 12 if the blade of the knife rises .63 inches over the vise edge.

The whole rig is very solid and easy to use if you follow the prescribed work-flow carefully. I love this machine.

Cheers
Leo
 
Can the Wicked Edge Sharpener handle small blades? My Leatherman Skeletool blade is too small for a Lansky to sharpen at all but the highest angle setting (stones hit the clamp)

On the Apex, I understand that you have to pull the knife across the platform while rotating the knife to keep the curve towards the tip of the knife parallel to the table. Sounds like possible variance could enter there.

One of the downsides of the Wicked Edge is the cost of replacement hones. When doing a lot of heavy stock removal with some of the new super steels even with diamond hones, they will wear out quickly.
 
There is no problem with small blades with the WEPS. The design and shape of the vise and the universal joints on the honing arms allows the sharpening of very small blades and also very large ones up to 17 inches in length.

I can't answer your question about how long the hones will last, but I can tell you this, that Clay is working with the people who supply the stones for the EP and I would expect some new stone hones in the near future. Also it is possible to use 3M lapping sheets cut to size and placed on some of the WEPS leather strops to help sharpen even more aggressively. I use them after the ceramic hones for an amazingly highly polished and hair-popping sharp blade!

New innovations are on their way as we speak and Clay has an a la carte menu available for people with the older generation WEPS rigs to buy replacement parts to update.

This is a sharpening adventure for this old guy and I am enjoying every minute of it with this new rig I bought. Gotten to meet some very nice people too! :)

Very best to you
Leo
 
Leo,

How does it do with full flat grind blades? Like a Spyderco Military model? Do you have any problems with the clamp holding it well without it pivoting back and forth?
 
I have the latest version of the Wicked Edge and like it a lot. The clamp holds any knife, large or small, full flat grind or otherwise, absolutely solid. Everything is 100% repeatable, as long as you take a couple notes when you first sharpen a knife. The alternating strokes have eliminated burr/wire edge issues for me. My favorite parts are the leather strops, which I'm using with 10/3.5 micron diamond paste. Since the angle is locked in, there are no worries about whether to lay the knife flat or raise it up, how much pressure to apply, etc. The mirror finish may not be as deep as knifenut gets, but it works for me.

Cons:

1. Expensive.
2. Won't do really small angles like you have on a thin Japanese chef knife. I mounted a 7" Kikuichi Santoku to check it out, and it wasn't even close (when you move the WE stones all the way in, they hit the clamp before they hit the knife). I use water stones to maintain this knife, so that isn't a huge issue. Just wanted to mention everything.
 
Hi Guys,
Now again I just want to state this is my opinion. First of all I think the price of both deluxe systems is way to high for the common man or the common sharpener. Second I think Ben and Cliffs personalities should be nice since their pushing 500 dollar a pop systems. Isn't your cadallic salesmen nice! Third I own an Apex and don't think it's cracked up to all the Hype it gets. The Lansky isn't even in the same category, I had one of those and I thought it stunk. The DMT Alinger works way better with no Hype! I may buy a Wicked Edge machine though. I don't think a 60 dollar piece of granite is necessary for a base when you could probably go to Lowes and get a nice piece of wood you could stain and look good for quite a bit less. The ability to quickly and easily match your previous bevel is a big Plus. Not a plus the cost of accessories for the Wiicked Edge is high. Like to know what the mark up is on some of these things! You guys that can free hand are very lucky just not into that Zen thing though, I just want a sharp knife.Would rather Ogal women or high proformance cars. I think the Alinger from DMT is the most cost effective. I'm still gonna be a sucker and buy a Wicked Edge machine though. All in the quest for a wicked sharp knife even though the Alinger works probably just as good. I would like to know how long the process takes to get a Wicked sharp knife and we cant forget the time it takes to sharpen different steels. I really wish I could free hand.

Electric,
 
wsfarrell said:
I have the latest version of the Wicked Edge and like it a lot. The clamp holds any knife, large or small, full flat grind or otherwise, absolutely solid. Everything is 100% repeatable, as long as you take a couple notes when you first sharpen a knife. The alternating strokes have eliminated burr/wire edge issues for me. My favorite parts are the leather strops, which I'm using with 10/3.5 micron diamond paste. Since the angle is locked in, there are no worries about whether to lay the knife flat or raise it up, how much pressure to apply, etc. The mirror finish may not be as deep as knifenut gets, but it works for me.

Cons:

1. Expensive.
2. Won't do really small angles like you have on a thin Japanese chef knife. I mounted a 7" Kikuichi Santoku to check it out, and it wasn't even close (when you move the WE stones all the way in, they hit the clamp before they hit the knife). I use water stones to maintain this knife, so that isn't a huge issue. Just wanted to mention everything.
Click to expand...


What he said. I haven't run into a knife it won't clamp with the exception of my double edged Fairbairn-Sykes Custom commando dagger. Absolutely solid means you can almost pick up the whole device by the clamped knife if it is properly tightened.
I love the strops too and I use them with 3.5 and .1 diamond paste after using the ceramic hones.
As for the cons, I never blinked an eye when I bought this...I have always believed ,that if it does what makes you happy and what you need, then it isn't too expensive. LOL! I say that now, but when I was a hard working, under-paid teacher I was singing a different tune! Seriously, expensive is relative to the individual...150 bucks might be too much for some.
Narrower angles would be nice but I am not feeling the need for the most part. Anyway, Clay is near an addition to allow narrower angles.

Cheers
Leo
 
electric said:
Hi Guys,
Now again I just want to state this is my opinion. First of all I think the price of both deluxe systems is way to high for the common man or the common sharpener. Second I think Ben and Cliffs personalities should be nice since their pushing 500 dollar a pop systems. Isn't your cadallic salesmen nice! Third I own an Apex and don't think it's cracked up to all the Hype it gets. The Lansky isn't even in the same category, I had one of those and I thought it stunk. The DMT Alinger works way better with no Hype! I may buy a Wicked Edge machine though. I don't think a 60 dollar piece of granite is necessary for a base when you could probably go to Lowes and get a nice piece of wood you could stain and look good for quite a bit less. The ability to quickly and easily match your previous bevel is a big Plus. Not a plus the cost of accessories for the Wiicked Edge is high. Like to know what the mark up is on some of these things! You guys that can free hand are very lucky just not into that Zen thing though, I just want a sharp knife.Would rather Ogal women or high proformance cars. I think the Alinger from DMT is the most cost effective. I'm still gonna be a sucker and buy a Wicked Edge machine though. All in the quest for a wicked sharp knife even though the Alinger works probably just as good. I would like to know how long the process takes to get a Wicked sharp knife and we cant forget the time it takes to sharpen different steels. I really wish I could free hand.

Electric,
Click to expand...

Hi Electric
First let me say that Clay would be a nice guy no matter what! I have been around the turnip patch for too long not to recognize a genuine gentleman when I see one. Similarly I can smell the 'smarminess' of a glib saleman a mile away.
I have my WEPS mounted on an old wooden cutting board that just happened to be 1.25 inches thick, the ideal thickness for the rig. Having said that, it does slide around on my desk a bit when in use and a heavy piece of granite with rubber feet probably wouldn't.
I am a Zen Buddhist and I can tell you that it never really helped me that much with free hand sharpening...with due respect to others who have become great archers or fighters because of their Zen training! Steven Seagal ho!! :D
I don't think you are being a sucker Electric. The WEPS does what you want it to do...it gives you a razor sharp edge that works in the real world and it gives it to you in a few minutes. The super-steels take a little longer but not much. I have A Fallkniven PXL folder made with 3G Super Powder Laminate Steel and that little New Mexican rig didn't take much longer with it than it did with my Buck Model 110.
You coud do a lot worse than invest in this sharpener, but not much better IMHO!

Very best to you mate :thumbup:
Leo
 
I had a WE, and sold if.
I like my EdgePro.
There has not been a knife that I have not been able to sharpen, with it.
EdgePro has been around for a very long time, Mine is old, and nothing has broken, the stones are reasonable.
The EdgePro is made in the USA, I like that.
Ben Dale always has time to advise and help, should you have a question.
The WE is not as easy to get in the clamp the same every time, and for long blades, what a pain.
I do like to watch the girl demo the WE, I dont know how god at sharpening a knife she is but she sure looks good trying.
Just my opinion, and every one has one.
gary
 
runk said:
I had a WE, and sold if.
I like my EdgePro.
There has not been a knife that I have not been able to sharpen, with it.
EdgePro has been around for a very long time, Mine is old, and nothing has broken, the stones are reasonable.
The EdgePro is made in the USA, I like that.
Ben Dale always has time to advise and help, should you have a question.
The WE is not as easy to get in the clamp the same every time, and for long blades, what a pain.
I do like to watch the girl demo the WE, I dont know how god at sharpening a knife she is but she sure looks good trying.
Just my opinion, and every one has one.
gary
Click to expand...

Hi Gary
I love my Wicked Edge Precision Sharpener and I would never sell it.
I beg to differ with what you say and I have to think you must have had the old model, because I have generation II and:
I can get the knife set in the exact same position in the clamp at any time within seconds. And I can repeat this and the edge angle with absolute accuracy every time in seconds. BTW that clamp holds the knife rigidly tight, unlike other clamp type sharpeners I have experienced.
The WE is also made in the USA...by the way I may be wrong here but the stones used in the Edge Pro probably are not made in the USA.Having said that, I believe most of the hones used everywhere, especially with diamond abrasives, are probably made in China and that includes the WEPS stones. I may have to stand corrected on that point.
Clay has never made me wait any longer than a day for a response to my questions and has bent over backward to help me, to wit...I needed my rig by a certain date so I could take it to a visit with my son. I had paid for delivery by United States Post and Clay very kindly, without being asked, sent the WEPS by Fed Ex instead and soaked up the cost himself. He did this because he realized it would not get to me in time for the trip. Also wished me a happy 75th birthday and this was his present to me. He has given me service which is hard to find anywhere in this day and age.
My new generation WEPS will sharpen a blade up to 17 inches in length...I don't need something to sharpen swords! :D
I too, even at 75 enjoy watching the lovely lady demonstrate...she is absolutely charming.
These are also my opinions and experiences. I have no remorse about buying this sharpener at all. If you follow the work-flow you can't go wrong.

Cheers
Leo
 
Does the Wicked Edge Sharpener come off the base easily? In other words, for storage, is it quick to remove it from the base?

Also, Im assuming you need a heavy base to keep the unit stable?
 
It is held on the base by two screws...so I guess it would come apart very simply. For my needs though it stays put. I have a heavy cutting board 9"x12"x1.25",it has rubber feet to help it from sliding around.I would say the heavier the better for the base and the rubber feet should be of the soft, sticky rubber variety.
I have seen you over at the other forum around the Sharpening section mate. Are you trying to make up your mind what sharpener to get? Let me know if you need any more info on the WEPS.

Best regards
Leo
 
I have sharpened everything from kitchen knives, pocket knives, tanto's to large 9 1/2" long 9/32 thick kinves. A few are fully flat ground. It takes a little eyeballing to center the fully flat blades but no problem. The knife is set on a positioning rest for depth and a ruler for length. Mark down each blades "settings" and angle and repeatability is a no brainer. Excellent success on every knife I have tried to date. Yeah it's a few bucks but if you are going to but one sharpener this is it. I also have the granite base, rock steady.
 
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