leomitch wrote:


Whew, I feel better now too!

MarkAlexander wrote:


There are a couple things that could be happening - two most likely:
First, and this doesn't happen with everyone but it can be very pronounced for some people, and from your description this sounds like what might be happening to you - your diamond plates are brand new and will take time to break in, so you'll get sharp but not super sharp - cuts paper but no curves and maybe a snag or two. I don't know if you have worked with diamond plates before so you probably haven't experienced this effect. You are probably noticing quite a bit of diamond powder coming off onto your mounting base as you work. As the stones smooth, this powder will lessen and you'll get a more refined edge. The break in time can vary from a few knives to a lot of knives (as other users will probably attest). I didn't personally notice this effect much at all, but some of my customers have gone as many as 20 knives. I'd make sure not to rush through any of the grits as you work, just take your time on each grit and don't progress until you don't feel any real resistance points to the plate on the blade (at least to this point, you can go longer too to really make sure you remove most of the scratches from the previous grit). It is possible to speed the break in time some by lightly rubbing your plates together. Also, as you retouch your knives, using your recorded settings, you'll continue to refine your edges, working out small chips and the like.
Second option is that you aren't quite getting out to the cutting edge with your stones. The key to getting screaming sharp is making sure you get a good solid burr raised from both sides along the full length of the blade at the coarsest grit you use.
If you need tips on this process on the WE I'm happy to post more on that, but it really sounds like breaking in your stones is going to be the key
Hope that helps some! Glad you are getting a chance to work with it right away!

Wow! Thanks! Yea I've never worked with diamond stones just waterstones with the edge pro and yes there is a lot of dust coming off of the stones so I think all I need is a break-in and I should be good! Thanks

BobNash wrote:


Thought this was worth repeating. Also, a little more time with the leather should help clean up the edge.

cbw

AND a gentle touch with the stones.
If you use too much pressure with the lower grits, you just have more work to get rid of the scratches when you move up. I used to grind pretty hard when doing my profiling with the 100 and 200 grit stones (it is called impatience, especially with harder steels). It then took lots of time to get the scratches out. Using lighter strokes with the course grits, well it take longer to get a burr, but you save time in the long run.

Phil

So how's it coming along Mark? Any progress?

oh yea, here is my post on Chef knives to go forum:

(Talking to Clay Allison)

"Post subject: Re: My adventures with a Wicked Edge"

"Really awesome machine! I just got my pro pack yesterday and since then I have been figuring it out (pretty simple) and sharpening. The stones took about 10 knives to really break in well enough to where I got satisfying edges. After that, they keep getting better! I have gotten hair whittling edges on CPM-M4, VG-10, and ZDP-189 since the stones have broken in. Also, congrats on the Accessory of the year at Blade show"

The CPM-M4 is a Spyderco Gayle Bradley, the VG-10 is a Delica and so is the ZDP just in case you wanted to know. And since then I have sharpened 154-CM on a Spyderco Manix2 and whatever the steel is on one of the really cheap Wusthof knives, all hair whittling! I love it!

Thanks

here are a few edges! not really mirrors but getting better as I use the diamond stones and the more they break in.

the cheap Wusthof:


ZDP-189 Delica:


Gayle Bradley:

¡Bravo! Nice work Mark, thank you for sharing those photos.

thanks! and also thanks for making the AWESOME sharpening system!