Problem with my vise?

[Patrick Martin]

So I need some expert help. I’ve noticed lately that my angles look different when I’m done. So i put the angle cube on the knife and I’m getting a 2 degree difference from left to right. I just checked 4 knives and they’re all almost identical. The degrees are different from knife to knife, but all about 2 degrees different. All knives are leaning to the left. Now when I back the screws all the way out and push the vise together, the top doesn’t touch. I’ll try and get a pic now.

Is this normal? Thanks in advance for your help guys

Edit: when I checked I made sure I checked not using any flat grind blades.

[Mikedoh]

Looks like it’s bent.

Pertinent thread. https://www.wickededgeusa.com/forum/8-sharpener-and-accessory-maintenance/12837-bent-clamp#16222

Call WE and explain your problem with the vise.

[Patrick Martin]

Looks like it’s bent.

Pertinent thread. https://www.wickededgeusa.com/forum/8-sharpener-and-accessory-maintenance/12837-bent-clamp#16222

Call WE and explain your problem with the vise.

Really. I really thought I made sure not to over tighten. I wanted to sharpen an esee 6 but couldn’t get it to not move with out more tightening, so I didn’t sharpen it.

[Patrick Martin]

I didn’t start to notice this until about a week or two ago, but I wasn’t looking for it in the beginning. I’m not saying it came like this, but I didn’t notice it until I started getting decent edges and trying to perfect them.

[tcmeyer]

As you’ll see in the thread Mike suggested, this has happened to a few others before you.

I’m pretty sure that it’s caused by over-tightening. Occasionally you’ll find a blade which is really hard and isn’t held properly by the bite of the vise. Imagine trying to hold a piece of glass with a pliers. Too hard, too slippery. So the tendency is to over-tighten. The mechanical advantage provided by the clamping jack screw is really high – and capable of distorting the clamp jaws.

If you have a blade which doesn’t clamp securely with normal pressure (less than about one-half turn past contact on the jack screw) try putting tape on the blade to give the vise something to bite into, or add some form of liner to your jaws – like chamois. I prefer something thin to reduce the chance of angular mounting errors. I use a small patch of Scott Shop Towels.

[jim]

Mine did the same thing. Not to happy about it either. For the cost of the WE you would think it would’ve came with better materials for the vice.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Patrick Martin]

As you’ll see in the thread Mike suggested, this has happened to a few others before you.

I’m pretty sure that it’s caused by over-tightening. Occasionally you’ll find a blade which is really hard and isn’t held properly by the bite of the vise. Imagine trying to hold a piece of glass with a pliers. Too hard, too slippery. So the tendency is to over-tighten. The mechanical advantage provided by the clamping jack screw is really high – and capable of distorting the clamp jaws.

If you have a blade which doesn’t clamp securely with normal pressure (less than about one-half turn past contact on the jack screw) try putting tape on the blade to give the vise something to bite into, or add some form of liner to your jaws – like chamois. I prefer something thin to reduce the chance of angular mounting errors. I use a small patch of Scott Shop Towels.

Do you know the price to remedy this? Are they both bent or just the right usually?

[Josh]

As you’ll see in the thread Mike suggested, this has happened to a few others before you.

I’m pretty sure that it’s caused by over-tightening. Occasionally you’ll find a blade which is really hard and isn’t held properly by the bite of the vise. Imagine trying to hold a piece of glass with a pliers. Too hard, too slippery. So the tendency is to over-tighten. The mechanical advantage provided by the clamping jack screw is really high – and capable of distorting the clamp jaws.

If you have a blade which doesn’t clamp securely with normal pressure (less than about one-half turn past contact on the jack screw) try putting tape on the blade to give the vise something to bite into, or add some form of liner to your jaws – like chamois. I prefer something thin to reduce the chance of angular mounting errors. I use a small patch of Scott Shop Towels.

Do you know the price to remedy this? Are they both bent or just the right usually?[/quote]

normally it’s both… you won’t have to pay anything. Call WE and ask for kyle. he will fix you up. the Wicked Edge team takes care of us =)

[Mark76]

Do you know the price to remedy this? Are they both bent or just the right usually?

normally it’s both… you won’t have to pay anything. Call WE and ask for kyle. he will fix you up. the Wicked Edge team takes care of us =)[/quote]

Yup, give them a call. This has happened before and as far as I know they’ve helped everyone for free. Customer service is very good.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[blacksheep25]

Regarding the comment about material choice; something else to consider is that the vise jaws could be made of tool steel or something that absolutely would not bend _but_ then you’d mar the blade instead of the clamp. An ideal solution would be a harder/stiffer vice with softer pad inserts… Clay, I’ll chew on this and send you some thoughts for a prototype. =)

For the record, I’ve never had a problem with clamping force across many different blade shapes and profiles (e.g. FFG, 3/4-grind, etc), and I haven’t bent my stock jaws either.

[Daniel maloon]

Always amazed with the excellent customer service. Truely painless. Call and speak to Kyle

[Geocyclist]

Regarding the comment about material choice; something else to consider is that the vise jaws could be made of tool steel or something that absolutely would not bend _but_ then you’d mar the blade instead of the clamp. An ideal solution would be a harder/stiffer vice with softer pad inserts… Clay, I’ll chew on this and send you some thoughts for a prototype. =)

For the record, I’ve never had a problem with clamping force across many different blade shapes and profiles (e.g. FFG, 3/4-grind, etc), and I haven’t bent my stock jaws either.

I would be in favor of harder material. Even the current vice will scratch some finishes if not careful. I always tape the blade or have moleskin on the vice.

[Geocyclist]

Is it posible (with normal human strength) to over tighten using the WE hex key and bend the vice?

I would expect to bend the vice if i used a full size T handle hex wrench or a “L” hex wrench that was long enough.

[Josh]

Regarding the comment about material choice; something else to consider is that the vise jaws could be made of tool steel or something that absolutely would not bend _but_ then you’d mar the blade instead of the clamp. An ideal solution would be a harder/stiffer vice with softer pad inserts… Clay, I’ll chew on this and send you some thoughts for a prototype. =)

For the record, I’ve never had a problem with clamping force across many different blade shapes and profiles (e.g. FFG, 3/4-grind, etc), and I haven’t bent my stock jaws either.

Hey Brian, you need to come around more often! 😉

I had a custom vise made out of A2 tool steel and then hardened. I bent two stock jaws (and yes, WE’s customer service rocks. I currently have an un-used brand new stock vise as a back up, not that I will ever need it.) I did not feel as if I was over-tightening the stock vise either. The way I determine if it is “tight” is by grabbing the handle and using relatively light pressure to try and move it up and down. if it moves at all then it is not tight enough…. thus my custom vise 😉

It is a beast and I have yet to fear breaking it (and man have I TWEAKED on that thing). I normally use an ‘L’ shaped allen wrench so I can really clamp down. I do not have any issues of marring any of the blades that I sharpen. Of course, if I am sharpening high end customs I do tape the blade or use some sort of padding (just to be safe).

[Patrick Martin]

Regarding the comment about material choice; something else to consider is that the vise jaws could be made of tool steel or something that absolutely would not bend _but_ then you’d mar the blade instead of the clamp. An ideal solution would be a harder/stiffer vice with softer pad inserts… Clay, I’ll chew on this and send you some thoughts for a prototype. =)

For the record, I’ve never had a problem with clamping force across many different blade shapes and profiles (e.g. FFG, 3/4-grind, etc), and I haven’t bent my stock jaws either.

Hey Brian, you need to come around more often! 😉

I had a custom vise made out of A2 tool steel and then hardened. I bent two stock jaws (and yes, WE’s customer service rocks. I currently have an un-used brand new stock vise as a back up, not that I will ever need it.) I did not feel as if I was over-tightening the stock vise either. The way I determine if it is “tight” is by grabbing the handle and using relatively light pressure to try and move it up and down. if it moves at all then it is not tight enough…. thus my custom vise 😉

It is a beast and I have yet to fear breaking it (and man have I TWEAKED on that thing). I normally use an ‘L’ shaped allen wrench so I can really clamp down. I do not have any issues of marring any of the blades that I sharpen. Of course, if I am sharpening high end customs I do tape the blade or use some sort of padding (just to be safe).[/quote]
Where did you get it and how much?

[Author]

Posts