Reuse Std Vise

[airscapes]

Was given a pre-2017 Gen 3 vise and granite base by a wonderful mentor.. Needed to use my original STD vise so came up with this hack that works really well!

 

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NotSharpEnuff, Organic, Brewbear, Marc H

[Organic]

That’s pretty cool. Is the old clamp secured to the lab jack, or is it simply resting on it?

[airscapes]

I added some small plastic extended feet to the lift so it can be moved back over the blue mount to some extent and off the end of the granite a little, then applied  nice silicon feet to keep it from sliding.  The vise mount just sits on the table with non skid rubber stuff between it and the lift.  This was the second time using it, may need to tweak it a bit and raise the vise a bit as the table get in the way of the stone stops and paddles if too far forward.  A 3×3 lift would be better but apparently not something they make in China for $15.  I just positioned the vice where I wanted it with the lift down and once snug raised the lift to support it, then tightened the vice and applied a little more pressure with the lift.  I think adding  3/4 – 1 inch rise to the mounting foot will take care of the lift getting in the way.

 

Off subject question:

Does the springs in the Pre 2017 Gen 3 vises get weak?  With that big knife locked in I was able to move it fairly easily.  No were near as tight as the std vise gets but sufficient for normal sharpening.

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NotSharpEnuff

[Marc H]

The newest version gen 3 vise has a tension adjuster.  For your older version vise you may find if you clamp your knives higher in the jaws, closer to the spine where the knife is thicker and wrap a small patch of dry real leather chamois around the knife where it fits between the jaws, you should find the knife holds tighter.

I’m wondering if possibly the internal vise parts aren’t assembled just right.  I don’t remember that version vise every not holding tightly when I was still using that version, a couple years ago.  I’m hoping some of our forum members still using that older version gen 3 vise will chime in.

 

 

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

[airscapes]

I mean it is tight to where it does not move when working on it or normal bumps.  But if I lift the handle of a knife that is clamped it will move.  I mean it is a spring without any other adjustment so you are limited to the pressure the spring can apply to the ram that spreads the bottom of the jaws causing the top to close.  The jack screw of the STD vise can apply much more pressure so I am guessing this is normal for the old design and probably why an adjustment was added and  the spring was replaced with  wave washer.  Just  thought I would ask if anyone ever needed to replace the spring.

Marc I tired the chamois on the std vise and it got in the way of the stones (it was a short knife) and seemed to allow the knife to move even more.  Will give it a try on the Gen3 on the next knife.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by airscapes.

[Marc H]

I cut the chamois tags ends that stick up above the vise close to the jaws with a sharp scissors to keep it out of the way.

There are limits to what you can clamp and sharpen with the W.E. that’s why we find the need to utilize the Low Angle Adapter and the Tormek small knife adapter.  It’s good that you have both model vises to pick and choose between to use the one that works best for your job.

Maybe you can add a small stack of steel washers under the spring to elevate it on the piston shaft.  Possibly the added spring compression pressure will grip the knife more to your liking.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

[Marc H]

airscapes possibly you can replace the std spring on the old version vise with the “belleville washer spring array” used on the newer version.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

[Richard]

Marc H wrote:

I cut the chamois tags ends that stick up above the vise close to the jaws with a sharp scissors to keep it out of the way. There are limits to what you can clamp and sharpen with the W.E. that’s why we find the need to utilize the Low Angle Adapter and the Tormek small knife adapter. It’s good that you have both model vises to pick and choose between to use the one that works best for your job. Maybe you can add a small stack of steel washers under the spring to elevate it on the piston shaft. Possibly the added spring compression pressure will grip the knife more to your liking.

I find that as I stack up several pieces of blue painter’s tape on the knife for either protecting it from being damaged or using it as a shim, the vice has so much clamping ability that it squeezes the tape badly because it’s not as dense as it needs to be.  Does chamois rectify this issue?  If so, I’m headed to O’Reilly right now!

[Marc H]

Just so we’re clear, I use really leather chamois, not a synthetic.  I find it stays put where I use it and compresses well and holds tightly without any shifting  or sliding.

I too found when using layers of blue painter’s tape that the strong compression of the gen 3 vise did force the layers of tape to slide across one another and shift how the knife was clamped.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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Richard

[Richard]

Found a sheepskin one for $20.

[Author]

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