contructing/attaching fancy guard plate deally-bob

D

Dana Hackney

Joined
Nov 1, 2005
Messages
174
Hi folks!

I don't know the correct terminology for what this deally-bob is called but I am curious as to how one goes about constructing and attaching such a thing to the guard/handle. I've seen one of these fancy (sometimes they have a hammered or stippled texture) little fellas on some bowies and thought I'd try my hand at one. It fits against the guard and encircles the back of the ricasso.

Hope I'm making enough sense for someone to interpret what I'm referring to:)

Many thanks,
Dana Hackney
ABS apprentice
 
In Japanese it is called a seppa. It is nothing more than a decorative washer or spacer to make the guard more sturdy. Often there is one on each side of the guard. They are usually fileworked and patterned to add some embellishment. They are often of a contrasting metal to the guard.
Stacy
 
Dana, the real name in english is "thingy plate" and is used to cover up a big old gap around the guard. ;)
 
How do you go about attaching the "thingie" :)? Does it have any special
way of attaching it to the guard?

I have to confess.:o I've got a nice blued S-guard that has a very slight gap (a 1000th or 2 maybe) at the ricasso/guard junction that cannot be filled with JB weld as it would contrast with the bluing.

Dana
 
It is just a very tight fit t the blade. Its so much easier to close the gap on the thin plate than on a thick guard. A couple of nicely peened bronze rivets into the guard would look cool but not needed.
Another purpose for the plate is that it helps support the guard.
 
While I'm at it, for how long do you leave your fixtures in the nitre bluing salts?

I'm finishing a couple of guards this way. One is simple low carbon steel and the other
is of O-1. The O-1, no matter how long (at 600-610 deg F - that's as high as I can get the
hot plate to take the salts to) I soak it, comes out kind of a bronzy color with a slight blue undertone. I'm guessing the chrome in the O-1 hinders the bluing process. It kind of looks
cool though - antique looking.

Almost forgot - I sent in my deposit for the Blade West Show - too late to back out now:eek:

Dana
 
I may not be much help on the 01 but I do know that temp has allot to do with nitre bluing. The blue color is from the temperature more than from the chemical reaction but try soaking it and bringing it out for air and back in again. The surface of the steel needs to oxydize to get penetration. The fact that you are getting some blue tells me the temp needs to go up some more also.

Congrats at the BladeWest table. I like that show. You going to Eugene?
 
I'll play with pulling the materials out and back in again to see what colors I can come up with. I'm looking at buying a labratory hot plate (700-1000 deg!) so I can get the temp of the nitre blue to its max of 650. Right now I can only manage 600 (at best).

Is the Eugene show the Oregon Knife Makers Show? I'm pretty sure I've only enogh vacation time for the MKA and Blade West. Doing this part-part-time limits me on the number of pieces I can have ready.

All the pieces that Daniel had on the Blade Gallery sold and I'm trying to get a couple more ready to send his way. I gotta get more efficient at making knives :confused:

Dana
 
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