Once you have decided where to place the knife using the ruler and the depth gauge, tighten the screws in this manner: the top screw is really to move the jaws of the clamp, so just snug the screw down to firmly hold the knife in place, but do not over tighten. CAUTION: Over-tightening this top screw may bend the clamp so it will not hold the knife as securely as it should.
The bottom screw is the one that securely holds the knife in place so it will not move while you are using the paddles. Tighten this one until the knife is rigidly held in the vise.
Remember to write down any placement figures or other mounting instructions in a record book so you can repeat the placement accurately the next time you sharpen the knife or simply want to refresh the edge.
And if you have a fully flat ground knife, you can clamp it upright by using a piece of chamois. Some people use foam tape and that works well, too.
Some use a piece of leather from an old glove.
I’m trying to do a paramilitary 2 and no matter what I use to clamp the knife. I keep hitting the clamp on the right side. Can’t even come close to 15 degrees per side. Or 16. What gives? Very frustrating.
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Have you tried the upper holes?
I have the same problem. I check the blade with the angle cube to get both sides equal.
I use mole skin in the vice, but “shim” one side with painters tape. Most of the time 5 layers of tape on one side fixes the problem. Once I had to use 15 layers of tape. (had I had know I would have used something thicker on that knife.)
Every time I attempt to clamp a full-flat-ground blade using a compressible media, I end up with a slightly different vertical angle. So I have had to rely on using angle-cube readings off the blade sides to estimate the actual vertical axis.
If I’m going to have to check it every time anyway, I decided to clamp the blades flat against the left jaw. I use a paper towel patch (Scot’s blue shop towels) as a pad to protect the blade’s finish. I kick the bottom of the right jaw out at an angle so that it falls flat against the right face of the blade. Pinch the jaws together against the blade sides at the top edge of the jaws. Snug the top screw only to take up the slack. Then tighten up the lower screw as you would normally. After measuring the angles of the sides, you add them together to find the total primary included angle - divide it by two to find the net vertical axis. Since the blade is leaning to the left, you subtract the net vertical axis angle from the left angle setting and you add it to the right angle setting. Now you can sharpen as you would normally.
The above procedure will give you an optimum clamping interface at the blade/jaw connection. No left/right rocking. No vertical movement. And repeatbility.
[quote quote=“jimbowfnx” post=17392]I’m trying to do a paramilitary 2 and no matter what I use to clamp the knife. I keep hitting the clamp on the right side. Can’t even come close to 15 degrees per side. Or 16. What gives? Very frustrating.
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you guys are all doing it wrong 
the easiest way (with no tape or anything) to get a consistent, quick bevel is this: place your blade in the vise ALL THE WAY FORWARD to where you at least have some of the flat part of your blade (near the handle) in the vise. Then all you have to do is tilt your knife’s tip downward about 30 degrees (I put the stone up to the blade and keep tilting it until my stone is perpendicular to the edge through the entire curve of the edge). This will yield a perfectly even, repeatable edge. Remember, the “finding the sweet spot” tutorial is just a beginning point and a guide for new guys - it’s not the end all be all when it comes to potitioning. You have to be willing to think outside the box on some blade shapes and grinds.
Hope this helps… let me know if you have any questions and i’ll try to get a pic/video.
[quote quote=“cbwx34” post=17400]http://www.wickededgeusa.com/forum/10-advanced-techniques-and-sharpening-strategies/11499-i-can-only-clamp-at-the-heel-now-tip-is-too-wide
;)[/quote]
exactly! Thanks curtis! i totally missed that post a while back… =)
Razoredgknives wrote " (I put the stone up to the blade and keep tilting it until my stone is perpendicular to the edge through the entire curve of the edge."
A picture of this would help clarify things for me.
Thanks
[quote quote=“Mikedoh” post=17409]Razoredgknives wrote " (I put the stone up to the blade and keep tilting it until my stone is perpendicular to the edge through the entire curve of the edge."
A picture of this would help clarify things for me.
Thanks[/quote]
Curtis posted a link to the thread a bit back… this is what his pic looked like
Thanks, Josh. I remember that thread and did look it over again. I was confused about the stone being perpendicular to the edge. I was visualizing stone placement something akin to destressing the edge, cutting directly into the stone. Couldn’t understand how that was to be accomplished.
Got it now.
Thanks
When I say perpendicular in this case it is on a different “axis” if you will… I am not meaning that you actually take your stones off of the rods and put it purpendicular into your edge. I am meaning that you leave it on the rod and then, wherever you move it you will want the edge to be as close to “parallel” with the top (short side of the rectangle of the stone). see attached pic… does it clear it up?
Thanks, I got it now.
Thanks a lot Josh. That worked perfect!!
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exactly! sweet… glad you figured it out! makes a nice even bevel =)
It sure does. 
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Just stumbled across this post and the one by cbwx34. Fantastic idea! Would have helped me a couple of times. 
One question that came to mind, though, is how do you measure the angle with the blade tilted like that? If you’re following an established bevel, it doesn’t seem like it’d be an issue, but if you’re trying for an exact angle (reprofiling) seem like it would be hard to measure.
this postAlso, per , I’m assuming the angle on the straight part will remain constant for the same reason it does if the straight part is mounted normally in the vice?
Thanks,
Dan