Clockwork -grinding gears

Honestly guide seems really outdated. This was more relevant when I could almost play clock to carry through lower level mm. Now in VH I prefer to build clock to get phase boots to blademai. Then go either scpeter or drums. Then go necro/heart or ghost scepter as situation calls.

Hmmm I like soul ring as an early item so you can almost* always have enough mana for hookshot
Personal preference
Good guide +1

About 75% of the time I farm it by lvl 7. If your lane looks like its not going well, then I would put the rest into assault yes from 4 on instead. This build I guess is operating under the assumption of a solid ability of being able to last hit and farm well at early levels. It basis the build on an early blademail, which in turn then says why I prefer a quick radiance if possible too.
I don't even follow this all the time, he's pretty mold-able depending on the heros in the game.

Unless its Huskar with a hotd at level 9 no carry is going to be able to kill you when you are using blademail. The damage they have to kill you is just killing themselves. Majority of carries have less health than you at this early game also. It doesn't matter who you are fighting, if they attack you, you will win the fight (considering you landed a hook and a rocket). You are also fighting back. I don't get what you are trying to say. The whole point is you want them to attack you.

re Numeta: I have played a lot of Clock before and I used to max Battery Assault first. I just find that this skill requires a lot of space to be most effective in which normal early laning does not always yield to (especially if mid which I probably get about 40%). This build is designed to be able to almost instantly kill an non-str hero instantly as soon as you get your blademail. It works under the assumption you are able to confidently hit your ults and trap opposing heros asap, instead of awkwardly trying to run them down.
Of course if I'm laning with a dark seer or centaur or another early stun/damage hero I would go Battery Assault first.
I also really enjoy the gold and hero harassment you can accomplish from spamming rockets (of course timed to last hit creeps).

The vast majority of people will attack you when trapped in the Power Cogs, and not try to get out. If you are using Blademail, you will take damage, but your own attack, plus the 350+ from a Rocket Flare and Hook will allow you to win these fights. This is of course ignoring the additional mana and health most people lose from hitting the barriers. You still have them in the cogs for 8 seconds by level 9.
Also this means you are only without ministun until level 10 so when organized lanes break down and you are more likely to have multiple targets in your cogs- you will have the mini stun.
Why do you need the ministun then?

*If I am facing a stun heavy team I will often put one level into Battery Assault at 4

you're supposed to max battery assault first beeteedubs