Wicked edge Pro clone or modified Sharpmaker for re-profiling

scottc3

scottc3

Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
1,040
Looking for more expert guidance from those who reprofile on a daily basis.

As a dad in trainer mode who was also a meat cutter back in the day with a full set of case knives and just some bench stones (All of which disappeared in college), I have moved into the modern era of guided systems. It is time to re-profile a couple edges which I can see happening maybe once or twice a year with the families use of blades; cleaning up chips and straightening out failed grinds.

I found a wicked edge Pro clone that looks to be made in Thailand and shipped through Australia for about 80 bucks with free shipping. The cost difference and advantage of adding a third system, by this time, is that the kids are exposed to using other tools to achieve accurate enough angles; and the different stones need equivalencies with grits and microns of whats on hand (which continues building a general principal of practiced repeatable materials manipulation).

I have no problem creating hair popping edges with our Sharpmaker. And with a lot of reading it is clear to me that I can use the Sharpmaker with third party stones, and sandpaper with bull clips, falling incrementally below Spiderco's medium stones, along with an angle Finder app, clamps and material to prop up the Sharpmaker's base to achieve reprofiles and other angles.
We would start playing with sandpaper already in hand, if unsatisfactory I can move to cheap Congress moldmaker stones, then DMT stones.
We already use Levi pant legs for stropping, and I want to try and find some stearate / ? compound to mix with rock polishing grits already on hand. Although, I have read one report that the Sharpmaker's ultra fine stones do not produce a practically discernible difference when compared with using coated leather stropping for straight razors for shaving (~4000 - 5000 grit versus 16,000 grit). I'm guessing diminishing returns for this application is surfacing into practical reality again.:wink:
 
Last edited:
scottc3 said:
Looking for more expert guidance from those who reprofile on a daily basis.

As a dad in trainer mode who was also a meat cutter back in the day with a full set of case knives and just some bench stones (All of which disappeared in college), I have moved into the modern era of guided systems. It is time to re-profile a couple edges which I can see happening maybe once or twice a year with the families use of blades; cleaning up chips and straightening out failed grinds.

I found a wicked edge Pro clone that looks to be made in Thailand and shipped through Australia for about 80 bucks with free shipping. The cost difference and advantage of adding a third system, by this time, is that the kids are exposed to using other tools to achieve accurate enough angles; and the different stones need equivalencies with grits and microns of whats on hand (which continues building a general principal of practiced repeatable materials manipulation).

I have no problem creating hair popping edges with our Sharpmaker. And with a lot of reading it is clear to me that I can use the Sharpmaker with third party stones, and sandpaper with bull clips, falling incrementally below Spiderco's medium stones, along with an angle Finder app, clamps and material to prop up the Sharpmaker's base to achieve reprofiles and other angles.
We would start playing with sandpaper already in hand, if unsatisfactory I can move to cheap Congress moldmaker stones, then DMT stones.
We already use Levi pant legs for stropping, and I want to try and find some stearate / ? compound to mix with rock polishing grits already on hand. Although, I have read one report that the Sharpmaker's ultra fine stones do not produce a practically discernible difference when compared with using coated leather stropping for straight razors for shaving (~4000 - 5000 grit versus 16,000 grit). I'm guessing diminishing returns for this application is surfacing into practical reality again.:wink:
Click to expand...

I believe wicked edge still has a current patent on their system.
 
Clay appears to have two patent filings with patents issued from US patent office. Thank you I did not know patents are in force. walking away whistling wish I had more scratch...
http://patft.uspto.gov
 
Well... if an occasional reprofiling is the goal on a low budggey, there are 3rd Gen Edge Pro clones and inexpensive 200/500/800 diamond stones that can be found online for $40-ish, all in.
 
yeah, I've looked at all the guided solutions, as well as priced all of their replacement stones. For now though...
Sal says the medium stones are 8 to 900 grit or 12-14µ. so I am using some 400 wet and dry sandpaper with Bull clips to iron out one of the sons AUS8 chipped blades (For some reason my Adamas, which ends up in his pocket most of the time nowadays, never gets chipped-hmm). It's free because it's what I have.
I would need to mount knives on the edge Pro with a strong magnet (Neodymium) because I'm missing 90% of the use of my South Paw… But I just happen to have some old hard drives, so again that mod would be free…..
At the moment, I'm very excited about the possibility of the boys producing something like the wicked edge system using Moxie's ideas and aluminum erector set resources. Then, I could add the wicked edge stones piecemeal as the budget allows.
Dad thinks the value of building a simple machine, learning to re-purpose resources, and finding utility in its use gets infinitely more traction in young minds than buying things. We have mathematics, 2D AND 3D measuring, materials shaping, and I bet more than one new idea that will come from their young minds to customize the sharpening system to better meet our unique needs.
Of course, I keep staring at the sharpmaker and wondering if a simple jig is doable, not just for verticality but also measurable pressure. Because I am betting dimes to dollars that most folks are using way too much pressure on the stones, So the feedback has to be amplified.
 
Check out the recent thread about rods from Congress that fit the Sharpmaker base but are just a little shorter. You can get these in very low grit numbers, and they're inexpensive! Like, less than $6.00 per stone. I ordered 120 and 220 to supplement my 360 diamond rods. It wouldn't hurt to order something in between 360 and the 900 grit of the medium rods, like maybe some 600s.
 
Have you looked into the KME system? It's like a cross between the Edge Pro and the WEP. Not as many options as both of those, but still has everything from diamond plates to stops and CBN emulsions. It's also like half the price of a WEP and should you have questions you can talk to the owner of the company.
 
Yea, check out the KME. I researched and pondered for better part of a year and went with the KME for various reasons. I now have all of the diamond "stones" ceramic stones. Multiple strops, Arkansas stone ect. You could buy all the diamond stones, strops and emulsions with the lapping film for about what you get into the WE pro pack 1.
4fb5b58cd99a7649a4d0c480f7694025.jpg


I achieved this semi mirror with the basic diamond KME and a few strops with diamond past..
 
chopsaki said:
Yea, check out the KME. I researched and pondered for better part of a year and went with the KME for various reasons. I now have all of the diamond "stones" ceramic stones. Multiple strops, Arkansas stone ect. You could buy all the diamond stones, strops and emulsions with the lapping film for about what you get into the WE pro pack 1.
...
I achieved this semi mirror with the basic diamond KME and a few strops with diamond past..
Click to expand...
What a fantastic edge!

Can you tell us which knife it is?
 
Haffner said:
What a fantastic edge!

Can you tell us which knife it is?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words. It is a co-workers kershaw leek. The tip turned out really well. Hair whittling edge that was S cutting phone book paper with ease. I'm still learning but after about 30 knives I am starting to get the hang of this system.
 
I still have issues with getting the tips sharpened without making making the bevel larger. It's definitely my fault though, not the system's
 
darks said:
I still have issues with getting the tips sharpened without making making the bevel larger. It's definitely my fault though, not the system's
Click to expand...

The key is to balance the knife's clamped position. If I can't clamp in the center of the blade, then I angle it somewhat. I then put in the rod with any stone, pick a point on the rod or stone, plant a finger on the rod for placement (to keep it from extending or retracting), and see where it falls from one end of the blade to the other. I usually use the end of stone, or the knob as the point to compare position at blade edge. Using this method, a blade with a lot of belly or curve, may have a bit of bevel difference (thus sharpening angle difference) in the center, but exactly the same at the base and tip.

Take a longer blade such as a kitchen knife. Most people will clamp it closer to the base because it's flatter and a little beefier. And somewhat perpendicular to the rod at the center point (clamp area). As you move the rod/stone from the center out towards the tip, the rod flattens out making a shallower angle the further you go. This will sometimes give you that big honking bevel right at the tip. But using my method above, you can angle the blade in the clamp, and find the point that yields the same angle from one point of the edge to the other. You can even put the KME on the base, and on a level surface. Then put a digital angle block on the rod (I just use one of many free iPhone level apps) to compare the angle difference as you progress from one end of the blade to the other. For some of my expensive blades, I take the time for this step so I can achieve a near perfect bevel and at very specific angles.

Sorry if I'm not making sense. I'm not an engineer, just a guy that likes a sharp edge with perfectly balanced bevels. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top