Clamping issues

[Woody]

• I’m having a lot of difficulty trying to clamp a Buck Bantam that I got just to practice with and help break in the stones. This will be my fourth knife each one better than the last however I can’t figure out how to clamp this odd blade design I have a pro pack 2 but with the upgraded gen 3 clamp. The spine isn’t flat and the tip has somewhat of a sharp curve as you get to the tip and I’ve tried several different approaches but no matter how I seem to clamp it there is a two degree difference from heel to tip. Any help would be greatly appreciated so I can continue to move forward thanks!!!

[Marc H]

this might be a knife you need a “Tormek Small Knife Adapter” for.  You clamp the knife in the adapter then clamp the bar of the adapter in the Wicked Edge Gen 3 Clamp. It does a very good job when used as it’s designed.  I’m sure you’ll find it’s a worth while tool to add to your arsenal.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

[Organic]

Can you clarify what you mean by there being a 2 degree difference between the heel and tip? Some knives get thicker towards the tip and are impossible to get a truly even bevel from heel to tip using a fixed sharpening angle. Does this seem to fit what you are observing or is it something else?

[Woody]

I’m not sure I know how to explain I tried to add pictures with no success but the blade thickness is the same however all the other blades I’ve done until this point were fairly straight this one had a good amount of curve before it gets to the tip and this is where the angle is so different I’m thinking it’s the position but I’m not sure just lost at this point

[cmyhero]

Is the tormek small angle adaptor the same as the WE low angle adaptor?  If not does it work with all WE models?  I am totally shocked at the price of my WE low angle adaptor especially for its  limited functionality with FFG blades.

[Marc H]

The “Tormek Small Knife Adapter” is a separate device that holds the knives by the handle then the Tormek with the knife clamped to it can be clamped in any model WE clamp. The Tormek Adapter clamps in such a way that it holds the knives above the WE clamp allowing for sharpening a knife at a narrow bevel angle because the stones shouldn’t bump the WE clamp sharpening at that height. The are some YouTube videos out there showing it being used with the Wicked Edge System.  The Tormek is a “Small Knife Adapter”, but by it’s design and how it clamps in the WE it does allow for sharpening knives to a low angle. The Tormek works with any grind configuration knives as long as the knife can be securely held by it’s handle. There are some limitations but it is a handy device and a practical tool, particularly for very narrow knives where the distance from the spine to the bevel is very close.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

[Woody]

I think I got it figured out and it was a lot to do with position and using the guide key on this knife isn’t going to work there was still a small difference in angle from the heel to the tip but much more reasonable than I was getting I think I have it within a half degree how much variance do you guys see on the angle along the length of the blade??? I am attempting to add the photo again as well so you guys can see the geometry of the blade, also I will admit seeing how I am trying to break in my stones this was a relatively cheap knife and the factory grind is absolutely garbage…

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[cbwx34]

It would be better to post a picture of the actual knife and setup… from the generic picture you posted, it doesn’t look like a knife that should really cause any issues.

Any number of things could be the cause… position, blade thickness and thickness changes, initial knife grind… even how you’re measuring the angles (not as simple as some think it is… see THIS page for how angles change).  Better (and usually simpler) to set the knife with a Sharpie if possible…. like in the How To Position the Knife… page.

2 users thanked author for this post.

wickededge, Marc H

[Organic]

Okay, so it sounds like you’re having an issue finding what is commonly referred to as the sweet spot. Definitely follow the advice that cbwx34 pointed you to on how to position the knife. Keep in mind that it may be helpful to pivot the blade so that the tip points slightly downward or upward in order to get the result you’re looking for, but trial and error with a sharpie and a high grit stone should get you there eventually.

1 user thanked author for this post.

wickededge

[Author]

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