This invention is for a wedge for bonding an elongated conductor, such as a wire, to a bond pad on a microelectronic device. A wire passes through an aperture in the wedge into a pocket or an open notch. A sidewall on each side of the pocket or open notch prevents the wire from moving sideways. The wire passes over a foot that extends below the sidewalls by an amount sufficient to prevent the sidewalls from contacting the surface of the microelectronic device during bonding. The wire is bonded to a bond pad on a microelectronic device by feeding the wire through the aperture of the wedge and over the foot, pressing said wire between the foot and the bond pad, and applying bonding energy, such as ultrasonic energy, to the wire.