I had super-glued a pair of magnets, one to each face; front and back. After one year there was almost no collection of filings or dust accumulated. If you mount them high enough to be effective, they’re in the way for low-angle jobs. Probably half of the knives I do are much longer than the vise is wide.
For professional sharpeners, the magnets might be worthwhile, but for me, doing a few knives per month, it didn’t seem effective.
Maybe mounting an array of magnets right on the base, you’d tend to reduce the mess.
Thanks for your post. We’re tracking the way the cams work closely, especially when it comes to grit accumulating. I’ve also had two units I’ve tested that have had a similar pop and also the scratching. Please keep an eye on it and let me know how it goes. Of course we’ll fix/replace anything that needs it, hopefully with improvements we’ve learned along the way.
I took my vise apart four or five times, looking for the cause of the “pop”. The best explanation I can come up with is that the spring is binding in its bore, a result of the follower button rocking forward and back on the cam face. I tried greasing the components and finally polishing the follower button as well as the spring, both bore and OD with no positive results. You might try making one with a tighter tolerance in the bore diameter.
In the sailing world we use a product called SailKote. By a company Team McLube. We even spray it on across the sails to enable them to easily flow across when we tack. Incredible stuff. I use it on my arms and have NEVER had a problem.
Well, I finally identified the source of the loud snap whenever I release the vise on my Gen 3 upgrade. It turned out to actually be two sources. The main one is the loose fit between the square hub and the lever socket. I tried taping one layer of foil duct tape onto the hub and that eliminated most of the noise. The second cause is the shoulder bolt mount between the lever and its base. I eliminated the “slop” by exchanging the 10-24 shoulder bolt for a straight 10-24 bolt. With both components tightened up, there is little or no noise.
Re the hub; I suppose you could replace the axial retention bolt for a set screw, but that would give up a little convenience.
Re the lever mount; perhaps you could replace the shoulder bolt with a longer straight bolt and add teflon washers between the bolt head and the lever, and between the lever and the lever base?? Perhaps a steel washer between the bolt head and the teflon washer. Or maybe use Belleville washers?
Or maybe just leave everything alone and live with a little noise once in a while. The remaining question would be if the sudden snap will eventually be detrimental to the life of the lever socket.
These questions go out to Tom and any other users of the Gen 3 Vise Jaw Accessory:
Do the gen 3 jaws accessory in actual use clamp FFG knives, in particular kitchen knives, without a cant to the left so adjustment for the lean is no longer needed? Do the Gen 3 jaws hold the FFG knife tightly and securely? What is the lowest bevel angle you can achieve with the Gen 3 Jaws?
Thanks
The only FFG knife I’ve tried on it so far is my Delica 4, which was not held particularly solid. It was held vertical, but the jaws did not do a very good job of adapting to the longitudinal taper. The knife would rotate about the near side of the jaw (thickest part of the blade). A single layer of masking tape eliminated the problem. I could then pick up the vise, base and all, without moving the knife in the vise. I thought about contacting Clay on this, but decided that I really should be using tape on every knife, anyway.
That said, I wouldn’t even consider going back to the old vise. The rapidity of use and the ease with which it adapts to FFG blades is a no-brainer for me.
I think that the Delica 4 is probably a worst case of longitudinal taper because of its short length.
I haven’t tried to check the low angle limits, as I almost never go below 17 dps.
[quote quote=“tcmeyer” post=23973]The only FFG knife I’ve tried on it so far is my Delica 4, which was not held particularly solid. It was held vertical, but the jaws did not do a very good job of adapting to the longitudinal taper. The knife would rotate about the near side of the jaw (thickest part of the blade). A single layer of masking tape eliminated the problem. I could then pick up the vise, base and all, without moving the knife in the vise. I thought about contacting Clay on this, but decided that I really should be using tape on every knife, anyway.
That said, I wouldn’t even consider going back to the old vise. The rapidity of use and the ease with which it adapts to FFG blades is a no-brainer for me.
I think that the Delica 4 is probably a worst case of longitudinal taper because of its short length.
I haven’t tried to check the low angle limits, as I almost never go below 17 dps.[/quote]
OK, so it’s quick and easy to use, it holds secure…
Is the blade clamped vertically with no lean to adjust for? When you sharpen a knife if you could throw the angle cube on a stone and look at how low it looks like you can go without grinding against the clamp I’d appreciate that. I have a couple of knives I sharpen at 14dps and I do go lower to thin behind the shoulder since I don’t have a belt sander.
Thanks again.
I’m sorry for not making myself perfectly clear. While the Delica leaves too little face area on which I can place my AngleCube, I set my stones at exactly 19.0 dps to match the current bevel angles. Except for an area near the very tip, it was clear that the stones were removing all of the Sharpie marks, suggesting that the blade was indeed clamped at almost exactly vertical. The anomoly at the area near the tip can be explained by the fact that the Gen 3 clamping position requires that the knife be moved toward the operator, as opposed to the old clamp on the flat at the top of the blade, which required a more forward position.
Any slippage issues on thin kitchen knives guys? What are you using to prevent this, tape like in the old vise jaws?
Clay, any update on stock thickness limitation? If we could get up to 1/4" I would def. be ordering one…
I just can’t be switching out the entire vise assembly each time I need to sharpen a 1/4" blade. may have to pick up a second WEPS lol. I have a very great potential need for this in the near future… have a few thousand razor blades for a production factory I may be picking up to do and seconds are essential to making $. Even if I save 5-10 seconds per blade that adds up. thanks.
[quote quote=“razoredgeknives” post=24003]Any slippage issues on thin kitchen knives guys? What are you using to prevent this, tape like in the old vise jaws?
Clay, any update on stock thickness limitation? If we could get up to 1/4" I would def. be ordering one…
I just can’t be switching out the entire vise assembly each time I need to sharpen a 1/4" blade. may have to pick up a second WEPS lol. I have a very great potential need for this in the near future… have a few thousand razor blades for a production factory I may be picking up to do and seconds are essential to making $. Even if I save 5-10 seconds per blade that adds up. thanks.[/quote]
It’s in the works, we’re just waiting on the shop to turn them out. They just lost one of their main guys to a heart attack this weekend, so they’re slowed down a little but the jaws will definitely be available within the month and they’re very easy to swap out without taking everything apart.
[quote quote=“wickededge” post=24023][quote quote=“razoredgeknives” post=24003]Any slippage issues on thin kitchen knives guys? What are you using to prevent this, tape like in the old vise jaws?
Clay, any update on stock thickness limitation? If we could get up to 1/4" I would def. be ordering one…
I just can’t be switching out the entire vise assembly each time I need to sharpen a 1/4" blade. may have to pick up a second WEPS lol. I have a very great potential need for this in the near future… have a few thousand razor blades for a production factory I may be picking up to do and seconds are essential to making $. Even if I save 5-10 seconds per blade that adds up. thanks.[/quote]
It’s in the works, we’re just waiting on the shop to turn them out. They just lost one of their main guys to a heart attack this weekend, so they’re slowed down a little but the jaws will definitely be available within the month and they’re very easy to swap out without taking everything apart.[/quote]
Thanks for the update Clay! Alright… I couldn’t hold off any longer… just ordered the upgrade a few hours ago. Looking forward to it!
Wow, 520!! That could make you the heaviest WE user in the world… There should be an award for this :cheer: . Is this mainly reprofiling (i.e. starting with blunt edges) or redoing edges you’ve done before?
And yes, that makes a lot of sense. I’ve been inclined to get the Gen 3 more than once, but still managed to wait until I know more about doing very thin & very thick knives.
[quote quote=“mark76” post=24037]Wow, 520!! That could make you the heaviest WE user in the world… There should be an award for this :cheer: . Is this mainly reprofiling (i.e. starting with blunt edges) or redoing edges you’ve done before?
And yes, that makes a lot of sense. I’ve been inclined to get the Gen 3 more than once, but still managed to wait until I know more about doing very thin & very thick knives.[/quote]
I doubt it Tuffy probably sharpens far more than that! And most of those are not reprofiling… I am doing the major reprofile work on the belt sander then micro beveling w/ the 800/1k grits, so those are probably used the most.
I did spend about 6 hours reprofiling and sharpening by hand a double edged dagger to 15 dps… yeah, that was when I made the decision I am no longer offering hand reprofiling on fixed blades :woohoo: :side:
After just a few knifes I found out that the wheel klambing the knife was realy hurt by the particles from the stones.
It was realy damaged by scratsches and going realy slow (sorry for bad english but i hope u understand)
I trying this, I also have seen Clyed’s tip about sponge and dishwater and another using a magnet but havent tryed it yet
Tuffy probably sharpens far more than that! And most of those are not reprofiling… I am doing the major reprofile work on the belt sander then micro beveling w/ the 800/1k grits, so those are probably used the most.
