We describe the use of cleated surfaces on parallel disk tools to quantitatively measure the theological properties of diverse slip-prone fluids and soft materials. Densely packed protrusions (0.45 mm X 0.45 mm cross section of 0.6 mm length, 0.9 mm apart) penetrate the slip layer, preventing significant flow between cleats. This creates a no-slip boundary similar to 0.16 mm below their tips, which serves as the sample gap boundary, in direct analogy to the parallel-plate geometry. This "cleat" geometry suppresses slip without application of significant normal force, imposes well-defined shear to enable absolute measurements and is compatible with small sample volumes. The geometry is validated in steady and oscillatory shear using a series of materials not prone to slip (Newtonian oils and an entangled polymer melt). The advantage of cleated tools over other slip-prevention methods is demonstrated using increasingly challenging materials-an emulsion (mayonnaise), a suspension (peanut butter), and a biological tissue (porcine vitreous humor). (C) 2005 The Society of Rheology.