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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
Click to expand...

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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