Bronze Guard Material Choice?

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

I'm thinking of making a knife with a Bronze guard... what type of bronze would be a good choice?

I'm thinking Aluminum Bronze would look nice but wanted to ask you guys that have worked with Bronze before.

 

[TJ Smith]

Aluminum Bronze won't solder.So if you want to glue it on ,OK but not to solder.

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Thanks!

I'm likely going to fit the guard behind some filed in shoulders and use epoxy to seal it during final glue up.

This one will probably have a stacked leather handle... I'm doing this as a side project just for kicks. Randall and other Vietnam era fighters are a big inspiration for the build but this one will be totally over the top.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Just a word on a stacked leather handle. If you use epoxy between the leather washers you'll get black lines inbetween them.
Some people like that some don't.
I build a jig to glue up the washers with leather glue before I epoxy the block to the tang to not have the black epoxy lines.

 

[Darrin Sanders]

I prefer Silicon Bronze.

 

[Bob Ohlemann]

I prefer Silicon Bronze.

Where do you get your silicon bronze in pieces large enough to make a guard? I only ever see tube/pipe and thin sheet.

Bob

 

[Darrin Sanders]

Alpha Knife supply.

 

[Frank Niro]

I've found it to be a good material for bolsters on folders and expect to use more.
Frank

 

[SHostetler]

For silicon bronze, try Atlas Metal Sales in Denver. They only show large pieces on the web site, but ask the salesman about "drops". Much more affordable. And you can use silicon bronze welding rod for pins.

Steve Hostetler