permanent piece of rubber inside the vice

[Scott]

Just wondering if any of you have permanently glued material like inner tube rubber or chamois inside the vice where it grips the blade for sharpening? Is there any reason not to? Also, I was wondering why this is not done before shipping, if Clay might address this question, just curious really. It seems like a minor detail but this whole sharpener is just a lot of very detailed, calibrated and precision parts coming together to create an edge. Details make the difference and set it apart from all the other systems out there.

[Mathew Whaley]

Well the problem is that most knives dont require any kind of flexible material to hold them in place, the knives that do are more of an exception. And when you put something else in there that has some “give” to it, suddenly the amount of pressure you put on the stones can change the sharpening angle by compressing the rubber or whatever you have in the vise.

[Scott]

That makes sense. So, while I am waiting for my WEPS to arrive, I am trying to anticipate what extra things I will need. I have some ZT knives, a350 and a 560 which will need some material due to the design of the blades, but my premium Shuns are flat and could be clamped without material, but they have a nice Demascus finish which I want to preserve. Would the metal clamp with no material between the metal blade and the metall vice leave a scratch or bite mark if I clamp it to hard? Or should I put something in there just to protect the finish? What material works best, rubber, chamois, cloth, leather, cardboard, etc.?

[Mathew Whaley]

For knives that clamp easily, but have a finish that you want to preserve, use a piece of masking tape to protect them.

For difficult to clamp blades, use double sided foam tape.

[Scott]

Thanks Mat

[Phil Pasteur]

I have long thought that it would be nice to have some kind of rubber pieces that would fit tightly on the tips of the vice and have rectangular pads on he inside, all made out of a soft nonporous rubber, would be neat to have. That way we could take them off when the knife being sharpened did not require them and use them for those problem blades. I can visualize what I think would work but it is hard to describe. It would not be something that we would find in another application, I don’t think, but would have to be purpose built for the weps.

Just a thought.

Phil

[wickededge]

I’ve looked at this for a long time and studied different materials with various durometers but there are some challenges:

1. If it’s a piece that goes over the top like a sleeve it will limit how low an angle can be achieved because it will add thickness to the outside of the top of the jaws.
2. I’ve looked at milling a channel on the inside faces of the jaws to fit a rubber piece but am concerned about the weakening it there where it’s thin.

If it’s something a lot of people want, I’ll talk to the shop about removing a little material and then try gluing some hard, grippy rubber.

I have long thought that it would be nice to have some kind of rubber pieces that would fit tightly on the tips of the vice and have rectangular pads on he inside, all made out of a soft nonporous rubber, would be neat to have. That way we could take them off when the knife being sharpened did not require them and use them for those problem blades. I can visualize what I think would work but it is hard to describe. It would not be something that we would find in another application, I don’t think, but would have to be purpose built for the weps.

Just a thought.

Phil

-Clay

[Phil Pasteur]

Of course… nothing is ever as simple as it seems on the surface.

I was thinking of the sleeve approach, but did not consider the low angle aspect. For me, and with about all of the blades that would require it, this would likely not be an issue, as long as I could get, say 16 degrees.
They could be removed when the blade did not need them for support, or the angle needs to be at the minimum possible.

I have been able to do fine with double stick tape, but I don’t like the cleanup. I have been using Scotch blue painters tape and a couple of layers open weave soft bandage gauze. Again, this works out just fine for holding the blade straight and protecting it, but it is fiddly. It also collects abrasives and requires another cleaning step. If I am not careful I have dulled the finish of the blade slightly by rubbing the abrasive off. I did learn, I now clean it under hot running water.
I guess we all have become extremely lazy…
🙂

How about designing something where I just have to THINK about it and the knife gets sharp…:woohoo:

[Scott]

Clay,
It is because of this kind of customer responsiveness and forward thinking that I am happy to pay a premium for this system.

I had a thought based on your consideration of milling out a piece of the clamp. Might it be easier to just create a pair of say aluminum or hard rubber spacers coated with soft material such as the rubber you described that fit the length of the vice with cutout holes for existing screws and if needed longer screws. The spacer could be notched at the top to allow the softer grippy rubber to prevent uneven pressure at the top of the vice.

The advantages to this I think are that it would be usable with the existing clamp making it a cheaper accessory for those who need or want the rubber without buying a whole new clamp and a definite step up from asking users to put different kinds of tape on their knives to protect the finish or hold some knives so they don’t slip.

In any event, thank you for your consideration of this since I am now vested in your (our) system. This seems to be the one thing that does not feel finished or complete on an otherwise beautiful system. I know most guys here will find this a minor annoyance since they are very handy and have great resources and skills but possibly there are others like me that just don’t want to have to find home made remedies after spending so much for a sharpening system.

Thanks
Scott

[Ziggy]

Scott,
Use some chamois on the Shuns, they are FFG by and large and can use the help for dead center.
Plus, I use something on everything to protect the blade.

Good luck!

[Scott]

Thanks Zig,
I think I like the chamois better since I am not to crazy about the idea of cleaning off sticky tape gum from my expensive blades. This is a hobby for me and if it’s not fun, it becomes a job and it won’t last. Not sure what FFG is though.

[Phil Pasteur]

Thanks Zig,
I think I like the chamois better since I am not to crazy about the idea of cleaning off sticky tape gum from my expensive blades. This is a hobby for me and if it’s not fun, it becomes a job and it won’t last. Not sure what FFG is though.

FFG= Full Flat Grind (or ground).
An unbroken taper from the spine to the primary bevel.

Phil

[Scott]

I’m such a Noob. Thanks again

[Ziggy]

I’m such a Noob. Thanks again

Most kitchen knives/chef’s are FFG.
You ahve to play a bit with the WEPS and use the cube as the angle off the clamp may not be flush all the way up so your putting in a filler.

I often duoble up a layer for thick spined knives, double sided tape works too but there is cleanup.

On the Shuns, espicially the large ones like the dm-0500, getting 16 degrees you’ll be out at about the 20 degree mark to get it so do use a cube … the big knives ride high and really change the guide reading so cube it.

[Ziggy]

Also, I don’t go to hard or under 200 on the vg-10 at 16 degrees …. those things are a bit chippy to me and have learned the gentler and less aggressive approach.

Also at that size, after 1k, keep your eye on the ball … lots of real-estate and it’s a razor by then. Very easy to touch it by mistake as its sitting up there higher than usual.

[Author]

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