Easiest way to clamp FFG blades

[jake556]

My WE120 is on order so I started going through my knife collection, seems like I have mostly FFG blades. I was curious is it a real pain to sharpen these types of knives? What is the overall easiest way to clamp them? I did buy an angle cube, I just want to make sure I have the angle exact on both sides.

Also where is everyone finding this double sided foam tape for the clamps? Anyone have a link? Thanks in advance

[Justin Fournier]

I had tons of trouble with FFG and distal taper folders, so I went to the WE130. I can’t suggest foam, but was told that a small piece of an authentic leather chamois for vehicle detailing will do the trick on the 100/120. I think you will just need to carefully monitor it.

[Marc H]

Jake556,  I settled on using genuine leather Chamois, after trying many, many options.  I will cut a small rectangular patch and wrap it up around the knife’s spine then slide it down into the clamps.  I never found a foam, or foam tape that worked for me.  Those would compress and allow the knife to shift.  I found blue painters tape too thick and it would distort under clamping pressure.  Some have used aluminum foil tape, like used for duct work or mufflers.  That tape is very thin and sticks very well where placed.  They have reported very good success with the foil tape.  As a bonus it provides good protection to the knifes sides from scratching while sharpening.

The bottom line is good clamp placement and technique is needed with the WE120.  By design the WE120 clamp is the older first clamp technology utilized by Wicked Edge.  With this design the left side is fixed and by turning the upper screw the right side is moved closer and tightened against the right side of the knife, to hold the knife snuggly in position, between the two side jaws.  To secure the knife tightly the lower (I call” Jacking screw”) is screwed in to force the jaws to tighten more at the top by spreading the clamped space open at the bottom.  This inherent motion may impose a leftward lean on the knife.

The FFG or FG knives can be held quite well and secure.  To insure even bevels, an angle correction can be made to the rod angle settings to compensate for any noticeable lean.  Read TCMeyers recent post on a method to measure for blade lean.  I wrote about this issue, correcting or compensating, for the lean just recently in another thread.  Read it.  I hope you find that helpful.

There are many other Forum posts that cover clamping issues in very good detail.  Please I invite you to search those out and read up on the issue.  Also there are quite a few YouTube videos on the subject for your viewing pleasure.  Please subscribe to Clay Allison’s YouTube Channel and view all his videos.  They are extremely helpful.  Every time I watch one again, I take some else helpful away with me.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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