I have posted pictures to ABPW to illustrate this question.

I have a quick acting woodworking vice that I inherited from my dad. The
front jaw is higher than the rear jaw by about 1/4". The vise doesn't have
one of the sliding dogs and I have previously mounted the vise so the
projecting front jaw sticks up higher than the surface of my workbench where
it acts like a dog. On the positive side, I can use it to clamp work on the
bench, however, on the negative side, as I slide work around on top of the
bench, it catches on the vise and gets dinged.

My bench top isn't as flat as I would like and, in the near future, I will
be installing a new top. I will, therefore, be remounting this vise. I'd
like to hear comments from the group as to whether people feel that it is
more important to have the dog-like clamping ability (install vise with the
lip proud) or the "clean top" (recess the vise lip).

Of course, I could be looking at this all wrong, and, in that case, I'd be
happy to have you straighten me out.

Thanks,

Bill Leonhardt