I know for a fact I read a thread with tips on sharpening flat ground blades but I cant remember where for the life of me. I searched but didnt find what I was looking for.

Can someone point me to the thread OR give feedback on how best to sharpen mount flat ground blades in the jaws?

I finally used about 7 layers of blue painters tape on the very upper edge of the jaws. But I wonder if there is a better way to do it. I ended up getting pretty good results on my Strider SMF tanto. But it was still a little off.

You can also try spraying a little soapy water on the stones as you go to keep the diamonds exposed. It's a little messy but helps speed things up when you're trying to remove a lot of metal.

John

Try doing circles with the WEPS 100 diamonds. It's messy on the bevel, but it is even more aggressive than scrubbing in most cases. (scrubbing causes "ruts" for the diamonds, but changing the directions cuts grooves everywhere.)

If you get a burr after the circles, you can do some scrubbing to make real sure, then clean it all up with sweeping strokes before moving on the to the 200+ WEPS.

I did a little of both scrubbed from the grip to the tip, then a few sweeps. But did get a burr going in less than 20 or so strokes per side.

I need to put them back in the WE and rerun the knives with perhaps -1deg angle. The bottom of the original sharpenning is kinda ragged from the 50/80. The 50/80 is real aggressive. I ran 200 strokes with the 100grit, just to get it to smooth out, then 50 stroked on 200grit in a reverse direction and 50 more strokes forward. probably should have gone the whole 200 strokes with the 200grit.

However it still shows some "chewing" on on the bottom of the bevel.

I just got the 50/80s today. Used them on some knives in a cheap kitchen set. Just remember that when you get to the 100/200 stones to increase your number of passes, and change your stroke direction to break up and remove the deep scratches left from the 50/80s

Wow, that is strange! I have a dPX folder with a D2 tool steel blade and it took a beautiful edge with no such difficulty.
When you were seeking the burr, were you using a scrubbing, up and down motion with the paddles or a sweeping motion? In my experience, I have found that the up and down motion is the way to go when raising a burr,especially on tough steels. And I have also found that during this step is the only time when some fair pressure on the paddles when scrubbing, is a good thing.Try the scrubbing motion bearing down somewhat and see how that works for you. Please post what happens.

Good luck
Leo

Thanks for your patience Aaron.
Your filet knife can be done like any other knife. The Pro Pack will have the support rod in it to help keep the blade from flexing as you paddle the edge.Remember that you don't need to use a lot of pressure with the diamond paddles or strops.
I have a really thin flexible knife blade that I sharpen a lot and what I do is do a count of 3 sweeps with one paddle while giving support to the blade along with the support rod in place, then switch and do three sweeps with the other paddle supporting once again with the other hand alongside the blade. Others may jump in and make other suggestions but in the end, the WEPS will do a fine job on your fillet knife.

Best regards
Leo

+1 on all of the above!

Factory edges are generally not very precise...

Also, check out this thread about stroke directions, which may help.

First of all there is no reason to wait for experience to sharpen with the WEPS...even if you make a mistake, it can be easily repaired with little negative consequence to the knife. I can remember feeling the same way when I first got mine.Scary! Second, the paddles up to 600 grit that you have right now, will do a credible job putting an edge on your blade while you wait for the 800-1000's, a little toothy but sharp as the dickens.Third, to sharpen or touch up an edge to best effect, it is best to first build an original edge with the WEPS from scratch. It will give you amazing results and remember when you do that first edge with the rig,try clamping the knife as per the book and then be sure to get the burrs up on each side with the diamond scratches completely reaching the edge again, as per the instruction book. BTW, the best paddle movement when first raising those burrs is an up and down scrubbing stroke along the whole edge. Once you have the burrs up, just proceed through the grits to the 600's using the sweeping strokes and then you can do some polishing and edge refining with the ceramics and finally go through the strops too.
You will be pleasantly surprised with the keenness of the edge you can produce. The 800/1000 paddles will only take an already very sharp edge and make it frighteningly sharp!
Give it a go!

Also, regarding your specific situation, with the stones hitting the edge on the heel, and not at the belly or tip, it is because it is common practice when hand sharpening (on stones or power tools), to rotate the knife up at the tip to create an even bevel width visually and dimensionally, but the angle has changed, most time because of the taper of the main grind, and the curve up to the tip, but on controlled angle systems the tip bevel is almost always a little wider than the heel bevel. Just physics - can't change it, unless you hand sharpen. I have also heard that the change in angle was to strengthen the tip by making the angle wider and having more material behind the weakest part of the knife.