Wicked Edge, need feedback.

I've got a similar kit from "Smith", I think. I've found the stones too small for my large knives and always go back to my Chef's Choice and a steel. However, I have a belt sharpener coming for Christmas...I know because I bought it week before last and had CincHouse put it away. Belt sharpeners are used by the pros so I'm giving it a try.
Stones and such all get the job done and I know my info isn't helping you make up your mind...sorry! Sometimes you gotta buy and try! :mrgreen:

I got my sharpener from Bass Pro Shop, but here's a link to Northern Tools...same sharpener and the price was about the same. They have a video to check out, too. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200431964_200431964

I own the Wicked Edge Pro Pac I. This is a quote of my first impressions of the system:

NorthwestBBQ said:

I bought the Pro Pack I and all I can say is, it puts a Wicked Edge on a knife!

Slice a mushy Roma Tomato like deli meat...check!

Slice paper without any jagged edges...check!

Please don't try to feel with your fingers how sharp a Wicked Edge sharpened knife is - it will cut you like a scalpel!

It is seriously a great product. :thumb:

Click to expand...

seen alot of videos on you tube. if you put in the time you can split hair on a pocket knife. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BH6c4GnR9pc

I am looking at a Wicked Edge but they have been backordered or out of stock for months now.

Mo-Dave said:

Presently I have a belt sander converted to a sharpener, paper wheel sharpener, and a wet stone wheel with leather hone sharpener, and a couple lanskys. The Wicked Edge just seems a lot easier to use and more precise.
Dave

Click to expand...

Which belt sander do you use? I have a 1x42 kalamazoo that I use and absolutely love it. With the right belts you can have a scary sharp knife in no time.

Also look at the edge pro. It's a nice looking tool also.

If you're really serious about sharpening knives check out this site http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showforum.php?fid/48/ very informative.

I have the wicked edge system with all the stones up to the 1600 grit ceramics, plus the leather strops. For v edge sharpening it can not be beat. For the most part I prefer a convex edge and use the belt sander to sharpen my knives. Once the convex edge is set the only real thing I do on the belt sander or the paddle strops is strop the edge to get it back to hair popping sharp. The maintenance on the convex edge is very easy and very little metal is lost to keep them that way. There is a learning curve no matter what system you choose but either will produce a sharp edge.

this looks pretty cool. here is my question, can a novice (me) pull this out of the box, read the instructions and use it with out destroying my knives. I would really have to ruin a Shun.

Smokin' Gnome BBQ said:

this looks pretty cool. here is my question, can a novice (me) pull this out of the box, read the instructions and use it with out destroying my knives. I would really have to ruin a Shun.

Click to expand...

IMHO no one should try sharpening a Shun or any other good knife until you have learned how to sharpen.

Grab a couple of old knives or get something from a pawn shop to learn on, once mastered then move on to your good knives. As with anything it takes practice to master knife sharping.

Just bought a Wicked Edge kit for Christmas - will report back un after the weekend.
But I found a great store which has them in stock now, nice kits with free shipping.

Oldawan Tools to Stay Sharp
http://www.oldawan.com

Mo-Dave said:

I don't know how long you have had it and wonder if you would sill buy it again? I understand they had some issues with it at first but the Mfg., has addressed them and now have new arm and pivots available that takes a lot of the play out of them, which was the major complaint and the main reason I don't care for the Lansky. Saw a YouTube, were a guy put some thin washers on the pivots to tighten them up and another that put soda straws on the rods to help take some slop out of the stones.
Dave

Click to expand...

I still like it but I want the new arms.

K80Shooter said:

IMHO no one should try sharpening a Shun or any other good knife until you have learned how to sharpen.

Grab a couple of old knives or get something from a pawn shop to learn on, once mastered then move on to your good knives. As with anything it takes practice to master knife sharping.

Click to expand...

thanks for the input, I have a local kitchen shop that sharpens knives maybe I should just let him do it, that way I have someone else to yell at!

I have one and love it. Mine's one of the first ones with the "bad" arms but I don't notice any slop in mine. Maybe I just got a good set. I just have the basic set with the 100-600 stones and it does indeed get knives wicked sharp. The setup and motion are very easy, and once you get the hang of it you can sharpen a blade pretty quick with it.

Being able to keep a consistent, repeatable angle is what sold me on it. I've never been good at sharpening by hand, I can't keep a consistent angle, but with this I can. And because I know the angle and settings for each knife, subsequent touch-ups can be done a lot faster and without removing as much metal as I would doing it by hand or another system.

Definitely something I would buy again. The only thing I regret is the base I chose for mine. I wanted one of the paper stone bases, which are lighter, but they were backordered. So when the offered me the granite base for the same price I took it. The granite is super heavy, which is good because it makes a solid base, but lugging it out of storage is kind of a pain, so I find myself not doing it as often as I probably should. I wish I would have waited for the paperstone base to come back in stock.

Wicked Edge rocks. As suggested, practiced on my older knives first - but slicing through paper now with all of them, just like the video. Need more practice, but knives are already as sharp as new.