Draw filing tang distal taper

[Alarion]

I'm making my first knife, and have encountered my first real problem.
I do not have a belt grinder, and I'm working with files.
I wanted to make the tang get thinner towards the pommel, so to get a better balance out of it.
I put the steel blank into the vise, holding it by the blade side horizontally, filed it and obtained good, flat surfaces, but near the ricasso, where the file went to stop against the vise jaws, there's a problem. Here, where the two planes of the knife blade and knife tang should meet at an angle, there is a sort of small bevel, not very deep, but enough to create a crappy bolster to knife junction... what can I do to solve the problem? What I did wrong?

 

[larry harley]

put the appropriate grit of sand paperon a piece of glass and progress throught the grits
harley
www.lonesomepineknives.com

 

[m l williams]

Alarion, this might help. Get a piece of flat stock,wood or metal whatever as long as its flat. Or a piece of i-beam. Anyway flat, no flex and no wider than your blade. Clamp your stock in the vise and glue your blade on it. Draw file and finish sand that side. Brush the blade with a torch and the glue will let go, don't burn it, just a little will do. Flip the blade reglue, file and sand. I use a piece of small I-beam with a thin piece of micarta on it. But a good straight board works fine. mw

 

[Alarion]

thank you.
I'll try this way.

 

[Don Cowles]

I think I understand your problem, having had it myself at one time. The answer that has worked for me is to file or grind the taper all the way from the tip of the tang through the ricasso. Then you will have a continuous flat plane on which to attach the bolsters. Hint- drill the pin holes before tapering!