PhilipPasteur wrote:


I think Scott meant to say that.....heh, heh.

BTW, Scott...what did you do before retiring? Seeing your proze and prodigious volume of observations makes me think you've an engineer or educator of sorts? No matter, but it is true that you're and O/C type and that's a given for most of us here on the board.

But getting back to the OP, it's a good question given that I've asked myself the same thing, and given that I want to maximize my functionality yet minimize my expense....I wondered whether the new arms were worth it? The answer is truly YES, but when the OEM arms are good enough (with some of the additional adjustments i.e. washers, rubber covers, straws, rolled mats, etc.), then my practical side kicks in and tells me to wait till my obsession really gnaws at me before succumbing to any additional purchases......cuz getting the basics of what I want now will cost me a system well over +$1000, where it's considered small potatoes for some of the truly obsessive's here. And that my friend is a little pricey for me considering all I originally wanted was "The Best & Effective" sharpening system for a practical user like myself. So I've put myself on hold till further notice.....

Scott..
I wouldn't worry about it. If you have something to write...wrie it down. It keep things lively around here and get things discussed that are of general interest. That is what this forum is all about. This whole thing with the WIKI ... I brought up because I wanted to have an easy way to point you to information in answer to your questions.
Phil

No worries Phil, I am not going anywhere soon. I am quite invested in this hobby of mine (ours) and I know my inquisitive nature is shared by many here. While I don't really know anyone here other than by their posts, most seem pretty friendly and happy to share ideas and curiosities. There will always be some who will be critical of others, it seems to be in the nature of our species, but in an open forum with a very narrow focus such as this, I know it is the things in we have in common that matter not the things that divide us.

Dawg, to answer your question... before I retired, I was a Detective on a metropolitan city police department. Now I'm just a retired guy living on an island in Washington, enjoying several pass times and of course my time here and on other forums of interest.

Ahh, that's where that natural inquisitiveness comes from.

Pleasure to meet you and I enjoy your questions too.....

So please carry on......

Scott, while we are talking about you what is the black stick you are holding in your photo? Assuming it's you in the photo?

My 2 cents. I am planning to get the upgrade from day one. I have hear 50/50 that the old work fine or the new are much better. I would rather just learn with the new from day 1 rather than upgrade later. Not that there is a big difference in how you use them, just talking about getting used to something then changing it later on.

Well I'm not sure how this thread became about me, but it is me in the picture and the stick I am holding is a collapsible mono pod for mounting a 35mm camera when you don't want to carry a tripod. The dog is Charlie one of my 2 labs. I got the old arms with my PP2 but the new ones are so slick that I never even looked twice at the old ones. They seem kind of puny next to the new ones.

Scott Sherman wrote:


You are "trending" Scott, WickedEdge and Scott come up together in all my searches now.



The new ones are thicker.

Now my 2cents!

If the old arms were perfectly made, then I might agree with those that say they are fine.
The truth is, they could be better with the design they are now.
The joints have too much play , the arms are not thick enough.
It's well documented about people adding washers and putting straws on the arms.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to realize that ball joints are much better than a universal joint.
My guess it's a big part of why the WEPS won the "Accessory of the Year" at the 2012 "Blade Show and International Cutlery Fair".
Of course they were prototypes or adapted then.


A mighty achievement!

Who should buy them?
If you can afford them, then you!
Clay is keeping them as part of the "non-Pro II" kits, simply to keep cost down.

Along with the new arms, you also now have the "longer angle bar" which allows a broader range of angles, and the new arms are a tighter fit on the bar.
You have added "micro adjustment".
Thicker arms, so no more straws.

Can you still sharpen a knife to "push-cut" with the old arms?
Of course, nothing compares to a WEPS, full stop!

So, it comes down to $$$$$$, as for value, I wish the whole thing was cheaper, but it's the price we pay until mass production is a reality.

I find it hard to use the old arms when the new arms fix the only negatives I have with the WEPS!

edit - If I was selling them, then I would hope everyone buys them (old arms) now until there is no stock of old arms on the planet!

Will they continue to be made, simply to provide a cheaper option?
Will they be slightly improved if they are?

Billabong wrote:

Yes, although not just for cost; the arms as is are very functional and you can get terrific edges with the Basic Kit. The little bit of play is generally a non-issue as your hand naturally finds a consistent hold and pressure. Over the years, I've never had any issue with the quality of edge I can produce. (*edited after thinking about it a little more.)

Billabong wrote:

We may make some tweaks to the production process but probably won't see those until sometime in the middle of next year. At the moment, I wouldn't hesitate a moment to order the Basic Kit with the stock arms knowing how well they've worked for me. (*edited after updating the timeline with our factory)

Received my new arms last week. They offer a much mre pleasant sharpening experience for me. I usually avoid the inevitable challenges.

I visit daily without logging in but enjoy the forum and Scott's observations and questions. Scott, don't wimp out like I did early on.

Retracted!

Apologies.