Even if it was a couple days late.... no worries though.

Hey all, I'm Brian and I am NOT a knife geek. I know, what the heck and I doing here? Well, I'm an obsessive individual, if I'm going to do something I want to do it right... helps keep down the "doing it over" aspect. I've lived with dull knives for 38 years... well, maybe not Quite that long, but the sharpest knives I've owned were when they came out of the factory packaging. Heh, I know, that's just where most of you folks Start from to get sharp.

Anyway, about a year ago I stumbled on a WEPS listing in a professional/trade web listing ~ it absolutely didn't fit in but I had time and clicked through. That led to a few dozen hours of research over the next few weeks. WEPS, Edgepro, Sharpmake, water stones, paper wheels... you name it, I probably researched it (I did mention I'm obsessive, right?) I initially went with hand sharpening with an old oil stone my father gave me once upon a time. After hours of trying to get the stone flat, and then days of trying but only scratching the snot out of my knives and never really getting anywhere, I tossed in the towel. Meanwhile, that WEPS listing in my trade listing was still there, taunting me (because I had concluded that this system was the best fit for me while in my initial research). Well, right after T-giving a bonus showed up in my hands and I made the WEPS order.

I ended up purchasing the WEPS, the 50/80 and 800/1000 extra stones and a paperstone base.



Wow, those 50/80 are abrasive! I probably should have opted for the next higher option above the 800/1000, but c'est la vie .

So the first logical thing to do is just dive right on in, so I did. I probably should have used one of my kitchen knives, but the Leatherman was already in my hand from opening the box, so in the vise it goes. Of course, it's so small that I can use the alignment guide or I'd be "sharpening" the top of the vise. S'ok, I'm adaptable. Next, I see that Clay makes the process look Way easier than it is for a rank nooB... so I focus on just one side at a time. The burr comes up fairly fast and I do 25~30 swipes per side with each grit and 30 minutes later I finish and pull the knife. MUCH sharper than it was initially, or than I remember it ever being. Good

I've since done 3 more, one of them a Very ruined Chicago Cutlery that I did most of my "practice" on the stones with. That one I even re-profiled to have a wider bevel at 18* and the edge at 20* (and those 50/80 have left a mess of metal all over now... heh, should have done the Clay thing of using soap on the paddles). All the knives now will shave arm hair, though nothing like a real razor would. Still, much sharper than I've probably ever owned.

This is my Henckels 1-man chefs knife (yes, lots of scratches from trying to use stones.. ugh )




I do have one question that I just haven't stumbled upon yet... mirror finished bevel, mostly a show thing? I understand about the micro scratches and that as you make those finer you approach the mirror finish, but on a given blade/steel that sees the same use (kitchen knife used for all meal prep) will that result in longer time between touch-ups or some other benefit?


In the end, I'm VERY happy that I made this purchase. I'm sure that as soon as I let it leak I own this, I'm going to be bombarded with family requests... thinking about a $1/knife charge to them just to slow down the tide. Looking forward to learning to use it better, and achieve better results... but I'm pretty darn happy right now.

Welcome aboard Brian,

It does have a way of making us happy, as we see the new edge redefine itself. My first few knifes to sharpen were also old Chicago Cutlery they are excellent to start breaking in the stones. It is amazing to see the bevel on the old blades go from horrible to better than the factory new edge. You may have to add ceramic stones or finer to get to mirror effects.

I'm sure some of you will say/think "well, d'uh!" to this... but OMG was dinner prep easy tonight. I don't think I've EVER had such an easy time slicing up veggies and protein! I felt like I was in an infomercial... 'It slices, it Dices.. it does all the work for you@' heh

Sorry, just excited at how sharp my chefs knife is/was... and the 2nd thought was 'Dam glad I didn't pay someone Else to do this or I'd be afraid of using it because I wouldn't want it to dull'.

I'm gonna have to change the direction of my serrations though as I'm a "pull", not a "push", cutter and it Clearly worked better on the push.

The first set of kitchen cutlery I did for a family friend came out great, and I warned her very clearly "these are extremely sharp now"...

A couple days later she mentions how I wasn't kidding... she went to halve an apple to slice up and being used to dull knives ended up doing a push up with it. Straight through the apple, the paper plate and into the cutting board!

I mostly do hunting and carry knives as an addition to my shop, but having the ability to do just about anything is great.

Welcome to the forum... glad you're enjoying your new "toy" !!

Welcome to the forum, Brian

Polished edges will be your next obsession, just a warning, and you'll have fun learning about how to get to them too.

Brianm,
Great to see the enthusiasm... welcome !!
I know just how you are feeling. Though I have done hundreds of knives now after almost three years with the WEPS... I still get a real kick out of people reacting to kinives that I sharpen for them. An old friend and farm owner, and master mechanic..and super hunter in the wilds of Canada.. Stopped by the other night. He has been sharpening for decades, most recently with his Lansky system with up to the Sapphire (2000 grit claimed grit). I gave him a Keshaw Rake that I had sharpened to play with. Of course he had to shave arm hair with it... He said... "My God, I have never gotten anything that sharp in my life".
He made me drag out my WEPS and all of my stones... He was greatly impressed.

Anyway, it was a thrill for me to impress an old hand at the game like him. As you progress, you will be amazed at how sharp you can make kinives..

Phil