Wicked Edge Sharpener Question

[ricklee4570]

I have been using the Edge Pro Apex and love it. A friend in need of some quick cash offered to sell me his Wicked Edge Sharpener at a fair price. I have never used anything other than the stock Edge Pro water stones to sharpen. Looking at replacement stones for the Wicked Edge, I see they are very expensive.

So, my question to those of you using the Wicked Edge System, with the diamond hones, what kind of life are you getting out of them? If I were to use the Wicked Edge to sharpen some of the harder steels like S110v, K390, D-2, ZDP-189, would the diamond stones hold up or would I need to be replacing them often? Ben Dale at Edge Pro claims you would need to replace them often.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Fish30114]

Well first just as a general observation, I would think that an Edge Pro representative would be suspect in negative comments about another mfg. product. On point, my best buds has a WE, and he has been using his diamond stones for several years now. He isn't a professional sharpener or anything, but he is a fellow knife enthusiast, and I would say he sharpens an average amount. Read into that what you will, but I think the WE diamond plates are as durable as anything of that ilk out there.

 

[Ernie1980]

I have a wicked edge, and have sharpened well over 100 knives on the diamond stones with no wear showing. The stones took a little while to break in but are cutting great now. I use them on all different types of steel, just remember to use light pressure and let the diamonds do the work. The last place I would look for advice on the WE would be from edge pro lol.

 

[Cynic2701]

I just looked up some of the custom stones (which I acknowledge aren't the replacement stones) and they are as expensive - and sometimes even more expensive - than the full sized Shapton or Chosera stone that they are cut from. Even the general replacement stones are pretty expensive.

If you can swing it, I'd recommend springing for some custom stones made from Atoma diamond plates if you can.

 

[Bob6794]

I've been using the small 4in DMT diamond stones that came with my Aligner, I've probably reprofiled around 10+ knives on it and used it to sharpen knives a significantly larger amount of times than that. After the stones were broken in I am good, they just keep chugging along with no issue. Just don't use any pressure on the stones and keep them clean and diamond stones should last you a very long time. Though the most wear resistant steel I've dealt with is either 8cr13mov or Aus-8, I have an S110V blade that should be on the way and I expect the stones to still handle it with no problem just a little bit more elbow grease than usual.

From what I've read up on diamond stones they just keep on chugging and last quite awhile as long as you don't abuse them. From my short time on this subforum and the whole bunch of research I did on diamond stones before buying the DMT the only people I have ever heard of wearing out a quality set of diamond stones abused them. I don't recall hearing about someone legitimately wearing one down, so my guess is it's quite rare if it ever does happen. In general it seemed like when most people complained about wearing down a diamond stone they either abused it, clogged up the stone and failed to clean it, or didn't understand that they cut very aggressively when you first get them till you break them in than it smoothes out.

(And no I don't own the wicked edge, just the DMT. Thought I give feedback on what I experienced and learned when I looked up diamond stones. Hope it helps.)