Angle Logic!

[Chris]

I would be very surprised if Clay doesn’t know what I’m talking about here.

It’s something I am sure he is working on.

[wickededge]

I would be very surprised if Clay doesn’t know what I’m talking about here.

It’s something I am sure he is working on.

Maybe… 🙂

-Clay

[cbwx34]

I pinch the clamp from above to match the blade angle on both sides, then bring the top screw in to gently hold that grip.
Then tightly secure it all with the bottom screw, which spreads the clamp out at the bottom and therefore in at the top.

Is this wrong?

edit – Can I suggest you kind people try this, you will see the knife leans to the left?
It’s no surprise, I’m just trying to work out the best way to counter this so I get an even bevel.
Not angle, bevel width the same on both sides.

On FFG blades, don’t pinch the clamp to match the sides. Hold the blade vertical, and tighten the top screw. If you don’t pinch it, the clamp will grab at the base on both sides. Then tighten the bottom screw to secure the blade.

If you use a thin piece of leather (I like), or some foam tape (I didn’t like as much, I could get it to slip, but others have had success), it will help hold it. But, you can actually clamp it without anything.

I took a couple of pics…. the first one shows the blade clamped with equal spacing on both sides (you have to look at it for a sec… maybe a little too close)… the 2nd one shows the position of the clamp sides on the same blade. No leather or foam, and the blade is tight.

Attachments:

• FFG01.jpg
• FFG02.jpg

[Chris]

Mark, if you pull your clamp off its mount.
So you have a left and a right side.

Then clamp any tapered knife so the sides touch the clamp “flush” top and bottom, no gaps.
Now sit the clamped knife on a bench, with the left side (base) of the clamp flat.

Your knife will have a lean to the left.

But, if you were able to attach this clamped knife back onto the mount with the knife at a perfect vertical, then life would be good! 😉

[Phil Pasteur]

Not sure if you did it just to emphasize the problem, but your bottom screw is definitely cranked in too far.

That’s a good point. First tighten the top screw, only then the bottom one.[/quote]

I always do, is there another way?

The top screw sets the clamp angle and the bottom tightens the grip.

I pinch the clamp from above to match the blade angle on both sides, then bring the top screw in to gently hold that grip.
Then tightly secure it all with the bottom screw, which spreads the clamp out at the bottom and therefore in at the top.

Is this wrong?

edit – Can I suggest you kind people try this, you will see the knife leans to the left?
It’s no surprise, I’m just trying to work out the best way to counter this so I get an even bevel.
Not angle, bevel width the same on both sides.[/quote]

I tighten the top screw down hard and use some kind of material to help center the blade (as mentioned). The less you have to tighten the bottom screw the less potential you have of moving the blade off center. This has been discussed at length and techniques to mitigate the problem discovered. One approach is to do what I do, it works (did you even read my previous post).

Clay has discussed several design changes that might take some of the currently required attention to detail out of the process. These have ranged from mounting some kind of rubber tips to the vise to making a vice where both jaws are moveable and self centering. I guess my point is that you can position the knife so that you get equal bevels with the current system if you develop the proper technique. Some of those techniques are illustrated in Clay’s video, I offered one that works. If you check the forum, you will likely find others that have worked for other members. Point is it can be done.

[Chris]

(did you even read my previous post).

I was outside smelling roses, how do you post while you are offline?

I will read all of this and absorb the value.

Thanks to all!

I might put on my inventors hat? 😉

A question for Clay, what does “Made In China” printed on the WEPS box apply to?
The box?

[Ken Buzbee]

I understand exactly what you are talking about. I did that (blade leaning left of center) to one of my kitchen knives I wasn’t paying close enough attention to.

The post Mark gave you discussing clamping was spot on. The foam tape trick, while maybe not perfect is pretty darned close. Of course, a clamp that handled this would be better yet but it is, as others have said, possible to get very close using foam, chamois… whatever to clamp the blade.

Ken

[Chris]

I understand exactly what you are talking about. I did that (blade leaning left of center) to one of my kitchen knives I wasn’t paying close enough attention to.

Thanks Ken and Mark, cbw etc.

I thought I was going mad trying to explain this.

All those years using a Lansky and wondering how to mount it securely without this very problem getting in the way.

[Mark76]

A question for Clay, what does “Made In China” printed on the WEPS box apply to?
The box?

Hey Chris, we’re both not from the USA. Do you realize how sensitive this is over there? I once made a joke about it and I got the impression it was not really appreciated. Ah well, they need to grow up too… :-).

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Chris]

A question for Clay, what does “Made In China” printed on the WEPS box apply to?
The box?

Hey Chris, we’re both not from the USA. Do you realize how sensitive this is over there? I once made a joke about it and I got the impression it was not really appreciated. Ah well, they need to grow up too… :-).[/quote]

A karma hit, hey? 😉
I can understand this doesn’t sit too well with a lot of countries.
It’s just expected now.
We have done very well selling our iron ore to them. (for now)

Us Aussies love American made stuff, can’t get enough of it.
We pay no tax on imports below a value of $1,000, over that and GST (Goods & Services Tax) kicks in. (10%)

I am curious what bits Clay has made in China, that’s why I said “the box”. 😉

*notes my karma level and watches closely*

[Chris]

I then tighten the top screw down hard while making sure the blade is centered. Then I tighten the bottom screw, but no more that I have to to keep the knife from movingj, just snug. I try to keep the gap between the fixed and movable vice jaws equal top and bottom.
Phil

Phil, you are clamping a point on the knife on each side by eye.
In a perfect world, the clamp would be flat against the knife on each side.
The clamp would simply follow the angle of the knife.
The gap on the top and bottom would reflect this, they wouldn’t be equal unless the knife is rectangular.
Each time you setup your knife, it would be the same.

The official instructions.
Step 5:
“Tighten the top screw of the Vise until the knife is lightly held in place, then tighten the bottom screw until the knife is firmly held in place. Do not over tighten! Remove the Depth Key and Alignment Guide from the Vise.”
http://www.wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:basic-knife-sharpening-instructions&catid=38:instructions&Itemid=88

The fact that the person setting the knife up has to “allow” for this left side “pulling” is to be expected.
As the left side of the clamp “always” remains vertical.

I have packed the left side only to acheive a vertical mounted knife.
I’m thinking of using a feeler guage set to shim the left.
Then I can have a record for setting up next time.

If the vise clamp could squeeze both sides of the knife at it’s correct angles, it (the clamp) would then need to be able to rotate slightly to the right to be vertical.

I can see this problem being overcome one day, everything else is just a workaround for now.

If you don’t admit there “is” a problem, then you will never try to fix it!

Thanks for all the input!

[Author]

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