I got a large knife where the blade is about 10.25" long. The issue I am having with it is the tang keeps moving slowly down in the WE. In other words, the blade will not stay parrell in the vise. No matter how hard I clamp it, the tang very slowly tips down.
Any suggestions for preventing the blade from slipping down?
If it matters I have the older style WE. Looks kinda like the WE 100 or WE 120.
There are two ways to tackle this issue. Both require a little mechanical ingenuity.
You can wrap something around or apply something to the knife blade where it's positioned and clamped in the vise jaws. Some W.E. users apply tape like blue painters tape or silver aluminum foil tape to the blade. The tape stays in place on the knife steel while it provides for some compression by the jaws into the tape. I like to use a small patch of real leather chamois cloth. (Used to dry cars). I fold it around the knife blade where it's clamped in the vise jaws. The chamois is pretty thick and compresses well. This works well, for me while also providing protection from scratching to the knife steel.
Another plan of attack is to support the handle with something so the knife can't swivel in the jaws. Some W.E. users have purchased "Ram Mount" parts to make an accessory or modification that can be moved or swiveled to a variety of positions. (There are all sorts of RAM parts available). Another option is a mini telescopic pole. This looks like it can be modified and adjusted to the length needed to support the knife handle. The simplest support is a small piece of wood cut to the length you need.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Let your imagination and intuitiveness be your guide.
I don’t know anything about the older vises, but photos help a lot with problems. If you could post some photos that would help out the guys that are very experienced.
