Wicked Edge WE130 - Precision Knife Sharpener

I was nervous with buying the Pro Pack 3 because of the price, and some of the reviews which were older and of different models. I wanted the Gen 3 vice and some of the other options so I bit the bullet and ordered the Pro Pack 3. Glad I did. There is only one 'bad' that reflects any of the reviews I read: the thumb screws on the micro angle adjustments can become loose letting the ball joints work the screw out. Well, once I noticed that happening, I used a bit more tension on them and payed attention. No issue after that.Break it in! It talks about that in the manual and they are right. It took sharpening about 7 knives before I got the hang of it and the stones mellowed out. And use a light touch, again, follow the guidance in the manual.I have been obsessive about sharpening my knives for years. Cardboard wheels, belt solutions and even went back to free hand for my EDC knives with the super steels. This device took all the frustrations of sharpening away and made it relaxing again.That's it for the product review, now some thoughts/tips I have gathered through the years, and how the Wicked Edge made things easier.You can sharpen a knife to cut paper edges like butter or you can sharpen one to cut all the stuff you run into throughout the day. It may NOT be the same edge you put on both. One of my kitchen knives for slicing gets about a 13 degree angle and honed super smooth. With the WE I was able to keep the angle perfect to the end and for the first time, not only can it cut paper like butter, I can cut an S curve through it.Most of my EDC knives are super steels like S90V or 20SV. My tip for those? Toothy... These are work horses and need a durable cutting edge. I put a 17 degree primary bevel on, worked up through the diamond lapping film to get a smooth finish but don't stop there. I crank the angle out to 20 degrees and used the 1500 grit diamond stones very gently and upward stroked perpendicular to the blade. I use high magnification to review my work and you only need a few gentle strokes. Then back to 18 degrees to lightly finish off with the leather strops. Will it perform the paper edge cut trick? You bet. Not as good as my kitchen knife but this edge will cut through some nasty old rope like a serrated edge, and then will go back to cutting paper.

If you want super sharp knives, this is the machine that will do it. Precision, ease of use, features to please any user the WE 130 has them all. Pricey? Yes. Worth it? ABSOLUTELY.

I was really skeptical about buying this due to the cost, but man was I pleasantly surprised. This thing will get your knives unbelievably sharp and significantly sharper than the factory edge. It is easy to set up and use with a little practice and once the stones are broken in it will blow you away with how perfect your sharpened edges will be. On top of that I reached out to their customer service team with a small issue and it was immediately handled withing 24 hours. TOP NOTCH customer service from their team! Can't recommend this sharpener enough if you are in the market for a top tier sharpening system.

This is simply the best sharpener made. It is extremely precise, even micro adjustable. This allows you to get an absolute perfect bevel and that same precise angle everytime. They give you all the info on how to use it and also a chart to note your settings for each knife you own. My only complaint is that you need to order the 800/1000 and higher grit stones and strops separately if you want to get those mirror bevels on your blades.

I think it's a excellent product for a hobbyist and a professional

I had to mount the kit to a thick board and recess the screw mounts. It works well but will take lots of work to pay for it. It is borderline too expensive. Really got to have a need... Does not do volume work.

If You Need a Sharp Knife, this is one way to get it!

I like the design concept, similar to the Lansky system in that the angles should be consistent based on rods that reference the stones. In reality, it has many issues that make sharpening very difficult.. I am an engineer and woodworker who sharpens chisels and plane blades all the time. I bought this for knives. I have much experience and get my chisels and plane blades incredibly sharp.1. Your knives will always slip. once the move slightly, the angle increases and the edge is rounded over. Customer service will till you to put moleskin or chamois cloth on the clamp which is ridiculous work around for a $600 device. They should include pads if their clamp doesn't work. You will have to keep the reference plastic set up piece in place and sharpen only one side at a time. I tried all their workaround tricks, none work that well. You won't know it slipped down until you ruin the angle and have to start over.2. you can't sharpen many knives, such as Gobal kitchen knives that require a 15 degree or less angle. The stones rub on the clamp and doesn't even contact the blade. this happens for 4,5 and 6 inch Gobal knives and many others. These knives come with 10 to 15 degree angles. It does not work on small knives.3. For this cost, I could pay someone to sharpen all of my knives dozens of times for the rest of my life, and they would be much sharper. If this worked as designed, i might be worth the cost if you use it all the time, but it simply does not deliver.and yes, I read the manual, I watched many videos, and I took care to set this up. My problems and complaints are not user error. I've used this for over 6 months on many types of knives. the clamp pressure can be adjusted, but they warn you that you can bend the clamp head if you adjust it too tight. that is a design flawI wasted huge sums of money investing in this system, and bought all the diamond stones.It now sits idle, I can't afford to ruin any more knives.