a dissappointment on most custom and high priced knives

[t1mpani]

Nope, Deveraux just has a tight guard, and thin epoxy which was wiped on the tang before driving it on. I agree, if a maker is going to do solder, they better do it right, though that goes for all of the steps. To eisman's point, I know tangs are often left roughly finished to help adhesives take hold, but deep scoring lines absolutely will act as stress risers. A bead-blasted finish on the tang gives avoids this problem, and gives a superior adhesion base to boot, though if you're not going to be using an adhesive under the handle (a decision some makers reach which I will NEVER understand, whether they're using mechanical fasteners or not) then obviously you'd want to finish the tang to a much higher polish.

Beeswax IS pretty damned amazing---food safe, stays put, protects everything, damages nothing. Once a year I saturate all of my boots, and I've had the Redwing and Tony Llama folks both ask me how I keep them so nice for so long. Actually pretty good for your hands too, though you have to put up with the honey smell.

 

[Ed Fowler]

Butch Deveraux has earned the title of HEPK Mastersmith, he has been making knives in our shop for over 10 years, I have never known him to make a knife that did not include a silver soldered guard. I believe that he has made all of his knives in our shop.

Low temp silver solder will not influence the temper of a blade that is designed in such manner as to prevent the heat from ever reaching the cutting edge. This is one reason for the long ricasso on our knives, the area where the guard is silver soldered is not fully hardened, thus the joint will not be brittle. Hardened tangs are the cause of many blade failures.

Once a maker learns how to silver solder a guard to the blade you will rarely see flux bleeding onto the blade.

Personally I consider the knowledgeable use of silver solder as a mark of quality and dedication of the maker.

 

[sams]

Butch Deveraux has earned the title of HEPK Mastersmith, he has been making knives in our shop for over 10 years, I have never known him to make a knife that did not include a silver soldered guard. I believe that he has made all of his knives in our shop.

Low temp silver solder will not influence the temper of a blade that is designed in such manner as to prevent the heat from ever reaching the cutting edge. This is one reason for the long ricasso on our knives, the area where the guard is silver soldered is not fully hardened, thus the joint will not be brittle. Hardened tangs are the cause of many blade failures.

Once a maker learns how to silver solder a guard to the blade you will rarely see flux bleeding onto the blade.

Personally I consider the knowledgeable use of silver solder as a mark of quality and dedication of the maker.

Thank you for an informative & profressional comment.