QUICK START GUIDE FOR WICKED EDGE GO WE50 KNIFE SHARPENER

QUICK START GUIDE FOR WICKED EDGE GO WE50 KNIFE SHARPENER

Congratulations! You're now a member of the Wicked Edge Community. This quick start guide will help you learn the basics of using your sharpener.


Video: Set Up Your GO Sharpener

 


SAFETY FIRST

  • Pay close attention to what you're doing, and keep a close eye on your hands as you handle the knife.
  • Keep fingertips and knuckles tucked in behind the stones as you're sharpening.
  • Use cut-proof gloves for extra precaution.
  • Do no reach over the knife for any reason.


Setting Up Your Sharpener

  • Turn the Base over and slide the Sharpening Stones out from each end.
  • Secure the Base of the sharpener to the edge of your table by fastening the C-Clamp to the center of the Base.
  • Slide the Guide Rods out of the Base and screw them into the Ball Joints.
  • Attach your Vise to the Base using the included screw and Allen Wrench. Notice there are two holes in the Base. If you're right handed, the screw should be inserted into the hole on the right. If you're left handed, the screw should be inserted into the hole on the left. Tighten the screw firmly.




Video: Mount Your Knife, Set Your Angle




Setting Your Angle

  • Loosen the thumb screws and slide the L-Brackets to 20 degrees, then tighten the thumb screws in place.
  • For more information about angle settings, refer to the "Finding Your Angle" guide.

Mounting Your Knife

  • Slide the Sharpening Stones on to the Guide Rods.
  • Plug the Depth Key into a set of holes in the Vise. Use the top set for smaller knives and the bottom set for larger knives. (Blades that are over 1" in width are considered large.)
  • Use the Allen Wrench to loosen the top screw of the Vise to make room for your knife.
  • Position the knife into the Vise with the edge facing upward and the tip pointing away from you. The spine of the knife should be resting on both prongs of the Depth Key. Use the Allen Wrench to tighten the top screw first, and then tighten the bottom screw. Don't overtighten, but ensure your knife is securely in place before letting go of the handle.
  • Remove the Depth Key.




Using Your Stones

  • To start, lay your 600 grit stone against the back of the knife's edge.
  • Sharpen your knife by gently stroking the stone against the knife's edge. Slide the stone up the rod and forward as you sharpen away from your body. For now, do this on only one side of the knife.
  • To start, go slowly and make sure the stone is flat against the knife as you perform the stroke.
  • You don't need to use a lot of pressure. The weight of the stone should be sufficient.
  • During the stroke, make sure the stone contacts the entire edge of the knife, from the back all the way to the tip.




Video: Check for a burr




Checking for a Burr

Check to see if you have drawn a burr from the edge of the knife. The burr is a little strip of metal, also known as the wire edge, that will bend over one side of the knife after you've sharpened the opposite side. It's important to find the burr because it lets you know the two sides of the knife are intersecting. You can use your finger to check for the burr. Run your finger up the opposite side of the knife until it comes off the edge. If you can feel a snag at the edge, you know the burr is there. If you can't feel it, do another 10-20 strokes on the same side you sharpened before. Once you've successfully drawn the burr, switch sides and repeat the process. Once you've found the burr on both sides, start alternating your strokes from the left side to right side with every stroke, until you've done about 20-30 strokes on each side. If you have finer stones, continue this process with each grit until you reach a level of sharpness that you're satisfied with.

Finding the burr can sometimes be difficult, especially if your knife is extremely dull or made from a hard steel. If you do not find the burr after making 40 passes on one side, switch to your 200 grit stone, widen your angle by 1 degree, and try again. In extreme cases, finding the burr can take a while. Continue to make passes with your 200 grit stone until you can find it along the entire length of the edge. Then, using the same process, find the burr on the other side of the knife. Once you've found the burr on both sides, switch bad to your 600 grit stone and make 20-30 passes on each side, alternating your strokes from left to right with each stroke.




Remove Your Knife


To remove your knife, firmly hold the handle of your knife while you loosen the screws with the Allen Wrench. Loosen the bottom screw first, then the top screw. Remove the knife from the Vise.