Any ideas for slotting a guard?

M

max1224

Joined
Nov 9, 1999
Messages
15
I am making a hunter with a one piece guard. Does anyone have any tips on how to slot the guard to get a good fit?
 
Heres how I do it. Always cut the brass longer than the finished guard will be. I usually add an extra 1/2". First, grind a radius where the guard will fit onto the blade at the bottom. Now mark the slot you're going to cut. I use a sharpee black fine tip marker. Then drill a hole at the bottom end of the guard's slot to match the radius you ground on the blade. I usually use a drill bit thats just a hair smaller than the blade is thick. This lets the bottom of the guard slot fit the blade real tight. Then, either use a band saw, a wood saw will cut brass, just be careful and go slow, or cut the slot with a hacksaw. Cut it a little small and then file it to fit nice and tight. So you have to press it onto the blade. Then I drill it for pins and countersink the holes so when I peen the pins, there will be some room for the crowns to fill. Then put the pins in, but don't peen them now. Now you need to silver solder the guard onto the blade. I use Staybrite silver solder and liquid flux that I buy from Jantz Supply in Davis, Ok. They're number is 1-800-351-8900. Kit Carson shared his soldering method with the forums and it has worked fantastic for me. This is how to solder on a guard. With the pins in the holes to hold the guard in position, take a pair of vicegrips and clamp the guard near the top of the blade, at the opened end of the slot. Then clamp the blade in a vise, tang down. Now get the liquid flux and an acid brush and your solder ready. Start heating the tang about an inch and a half below the guard. After about 2 minutes, dip the new acid brush into the liquid flux and brush it on top of the guard on both sides. Oh yeah, I move the flame from one side of the tang to the other every 1-2 minutes to ensure even heating. Now get the solder in your other hand and touch it to the joint of the guard and blade till it starts to melt. When it starts melting, set the torch down on a flat firm surface and keep applying solder till it drips out the bottom. That way you're sure the joint is full. Now, while the solder is still liquid, take the brush and wipe the soldered joint towards the visegrips. This will remove alot of the excess solder and also remove any air bubbles from the solder. Now turn your torch off!!!!!Then just let it sit till it the solder is no longer liquid. Kit told me to make up a solution of baking soda and water to put the blade in after soldering to nuetralize the flux, so do that after the blade has cooled some. Now, sand the pins down till their about 3/32" above the guard. Then peen the pins. I peen one side a little, then flip it and peen the other side, and repeat this till the pins are completely peend and fill the countersink. The trick to getting the pins peened right, is to take your time and lightly hit the pins.If you hammer them too hard, you'll either bend them or smash them instead of filling in the countersink. To remove the excess solder on the handle side, I use a real sharp wood chisel. Clamp the tang in a vise and slowly work the chisel into the solder. It will slice it away till theres not much left. This you can remove with sand paper.The excess solder on the blade side, I simply buff off. Whewww!!!! Didn't mean to write a book! I sure hope this can help you! Take care!! Michael


P.S. If ya need any help, email me anytime!

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"

 
Cut a piece of brass slightylarger than the finished guard will be.Drill a series of holes in a row so that they overlap. Use a bit that is slighty smaller than the tang is thick.Clean up and enlarge the holes with a small needle file. Keep trying it to the tang so that you get a snug fit.Now profile and finish to finial shape and solder to tang.
 
Thanks for all the info guys. I've been trying different methods, but struggling all along. Your info should help.
 
I picked up a set of six files that had individual handles and blades of about four inches. The pack has a round, square, tiangle, flat, tapered and half-round. They are larger than needle files, but small enough to use on guard slots. They are distributed by Cooper Tools-Nicholson Division. I bought my set at Lowe's for $15.95.

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Travis Autry
My knives are just like rabbits---they keep multiplying!!
 
Originally posted by Rex:
Cut a piece of brass slightylarger than the finished guard will be.Drill a series of holes in a row so that they overlap. Use a bit that is slighty smaller than the tang is thick.Clean up and enlarge the holes with a small needle file. Keep trying it to the tang so that you get a snug fit.Now profile and finish to finial shape and solder to tang.
Click to expand...

 
Originally posted by L6STEEL:
Heres how I do it. Always cut the brass longer than the finished guard will be. I usually add an extra 1/2". First, grind a radius where the guard will fit onto the blade at the bottom. Now mark the slot you're going to cut. I use a sharpee black fine tip marker. Then drill a hole at the bottom end of the guard's slot to match the radius you ground on the blade. I usually use a drill bit thats just a hair smaller than the blade is thick. This lets the bottom of the guard slot fit the blade real tight. Then, either use a band saw, a wood saw will cut brass, just be careful and go slow, or cut the slot with a hacksaw. Cut it a little small and then file it to fit nice and tight. So you have to press it onto the blade. Then I drill it for pins and countersink the holes so when I peen the pins, there will be some room for the crowns to fill. Then put the pins in, but don't peen them now. Now you need to silver solder the guard onto the blade. I use Staybrite silver solder and liquid flux that I buy from Jantz Supply in Davis, Ok. They're number is 1-800-351-8900. Kit Carson shared his soldering method with the forums and it has worked fantastic for me. This is how to solder on a guard. With the pins in the holes to hold the guard in position, take a pair of vicegrips and clamp the guard near the top of the blade, at the opened end of the slot. Then clamp the blade in a vise, tang down. Now get the liquid flux and an acid brush and your solder ready. Start heating the tang about an inch and a half below the guard. After about 2 minutes, dip the new acid brush into the liquid flux and brush it on top of the guard on both sides. Oh yeah, I move the flame from one side of the tang to the other every 1-2 minutes to ensure even heating. Now get the solder in your other hand and touch it to the joint of the guard and blade till it starts to melt. When it starts melting, set the torch down on a flat firm surface and keep applying solder till it drips out the bottom. That way you're sure the joint is full. Now, while the solder is still liquid, take the brush and wipe the soldered joint towards the visegrips. This will remove alot of the excess solder and also remove any air bubbles from the solder. Now turn your torch off!!!!!Then just let it sit till it the solder is no longer liquid. Kit told me to make up a solution of baking soda and water to put the blade in after soldering to nuetralize the flux, so do that after the blade has cooled some. Now, sand the pins down till their about 3/32" above the guard. Then peen the pins. I peen one side a little, then flip it and peen the other side, and repeat this till the pins are completely peend and fill the countersink. The trick to getting the pins peened right, is to take your time and lightly hit the pins.If you hammer them too hard, you'll either bend them or smash them instead of filling in the countersink. To remove the excess solder on the handle side, I use a real sharp wood chisel. Clamp the tang in a vise and slowly work the chisel into the solder. It will slice it away till theres not much left. This you can remove with sand paper.The excess solder on the blade side, I simply buff off. Whewww!!!! Didn't mean to write a book! I sure hope this can help you! Take care!! Michael


P.S. If ya need any help, email me anytime!
Click to expand...

sorry but i`m new.but don`t you have to worry about heating the steel to much an losing your hardness


 
ok now i look real stupid,luckily i`m beter with steel than i am on computers.
sorry L6steel but don`t you have to worry about heating the blade too much and lose your harness .I don`t understand why it doesnt
 
ok now i look real stupid,luckily i`m beter with steel than i am on computers.
sorry L6steel but don`t you have to worry about heating the blade too much and lose your harness .I don`t understand why it doesnt
 
Thats why you put the flame on the tang 01. The solder melts at 410 or so, way lower than the even the tempering temp for most blade steels.

------------------
"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"



[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 01-11-2000).]
 
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