Clamping pressure/tension

[Alchemist]

Hi All

New Wicked Edge 130 user here, only sharpened one knife since getting my WE130 about 3 weeks ago, as I wanted to modify it a little first, mainly to prevent abrasive dust from getting into the ball joints and cam mechanism. I’ll create a separate post soon with some photos.

Anyhow I’ve got a question regarding the tension adjustment and clamping pressure. I’ve noticed that when the tension is at its lowest, the clamping pressure is still very high, even if the knife is thin (about 0.61mm, or about 1/32”, sorry, I’m not used to imperial units). When I clamp the Low Angle Adapter, which is somewhat thicker at 3.27 mm or 1/8”, I’m a little worried that the clamping pressure might be a touch too high, that I might break the cam, or the jaws. It makes me wonder if the default pressure is simply too high to begin with.

I thought I’d open up the device and remove one of the five sets of Belleville Washers to reduce the pressure a touch. It seems to have worked; now, if I want more pressure, I adjust the tension upwards using the small handle at the base.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is what I did a misstep that could perhaps lead to complications in the future, such as a knife slipping out, or it is perfectly OK to remove one of the washer stacks?

[Marc H]

Welcome to the Wicked Edge Forum, Al.  Yes sometimes the pressure seems pretty tight even with the lowest setting on the tension adjuster, like you said, especially with a thicker knife blade.  The split jaws are designed and made from a flexible type of aluminum to allow them to bend and flex with the pressure.  I think that only with time and your personal experience will you know if it was a mistake to remove the one pair of Belleville washers.   If you do catch it slipping you can adjust it’s position, tighten up the tension and clamp it again.  That’s just a little inconvenient.  The only downside I see is when and/or if it slips it may be at an inopportune time or possible when you don’t even know it’s slipping.  Then it may not be till the next time you clamp the knife for a touch-up that you realize something was off.

I can say that you are the first person to post to this forum about the pressure possibly being excessive.   I clamp all my knives with a patch of real leather chamois between the knife steel and the jaws, for protection.  That added thickness makes the pressure even greater.  I have used the Gen 3 Vices since they were introduced with out any problems.  I have not heard of any vice failures, of jaw failures.

Try it…you’ll see how it works for you.  You can always add them back. Wicked Edge is well aware that users modify their equipment.  I have three Wicked Edge systems, two have been modified.

 

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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wickededge

[Alchemist]

Hi MarcH,

Thanks very much for your reply. OK, I’ll test out the WE for a little while and see how it performs with just 4 pairs of Belleville washers. If I end up replacing the 5th pair, I’ll update here.

2 users thanked author for this post.

David, Marc H

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