Wicked edge or free hand sharpening?

If you have the desire and the time to burn, freehand is a lot of fun, and is definitely a higher skill level required. If you just want sharp edges, the WEPS is pretty hard to beat.

As another toss-it-out-there option, have you considered a belt grinder? For the price of the WEPS, you can get into a Kalamazoo 1x42 and a really good spread of belts. It's the only thing I've run into that is FASTER than the WEPS to a sharp edge. If I am very careful with my technique, I can manage a HHT2 edge off of it.
 
I am a novice to sharpening and what I like about the WEPS is that I can create a razor sharp edge with a clean bevel line consistently and easily. I kind of think in reverse of some of the guys here. I've learned a lot about sharpening by learning on the WEPS and maybe one day I'll try my hand at free hand now that I know what I'm shooting for having used the WEPS. PLUS, if my hand sharpening learning curve is painfully slow I can always fix what I mess up using the WEPS. It's a brilliant, easy to use system. BTW, I tried the Edge Pro Apex and it was just too hard for me to hold the knife on the plate with my left hand. I ruined a couple of edges badly but the WEPS brought 'em back no problem. (Notice the very tip of the knife the sheen is slightly off. That means I did not follow-through carefully on the tip. Maybe I was going to fast and pushing down at the tip. Not sure, but like I said, I am a novice. This is the 6th time I've used the WEPS so I'm just a beginner.)


Untitled by GermoneGold, on Flickr
 
Maprik said:
I am a novice to sharpening and what I like about the WEPS is that I can create a razor sharp edge with a clean bevel line consistently and easily. I kind of think in reverse of some of the guys here. I've learned a lot about sharpening by learning on the WEPS and maybe one day I'll try my hand at free hand now that I know what I'm shooting for having used the WEPS. PLUS, if my hand sharpening learning curve is painfully slow I can always fix what I mess up using the WEPS. It's a brilliant, easy to use system. BTW, I tried the Edge Pro Apex and it was just too hard for me to hold the knife on the plate with my left hand. I ruined a couple of edges badly but the WEPS brought 'em back no problem. (Notice the very tip of the knife the sheen is slightly off. That means I did not follow-through carefully on the tip. Maybe I was going to fast and pushing down at the tip. Not sure, but like I said, I am a novice. This is the 6th time I've used the WEPS so I'm just a beginner.)


Untitled by GermoneGold, on Flickr
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Nice, keep going forth ... next step, you want those cut paper strips crisp (free of hanging fibers).
 
Is it best to rip up a stainless steel sink into segments and practice any form of blade work on that before a costly knife?
 
Nah, not even close to worth it. Just hit your local second-hand store and pick up some cheap chinese junk kitchen knives to play with. :)
 
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