Ferrule/Guard fluting (please look NickWheeler)

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byersj79

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Nov 17, 2007
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I’m curious to see how people are fluting their ferrules and guards. The only way I could think is files. I’ve seen some knives that look like the ferrules are machined on a lathe the fluting is so perfect but not being a machinist I don’t know how you can do something like this without the guard or ferrule being round. Here is an example of what I’m talking about.
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This is a picture of a knife NickWheeler made and posted to help explain how he finishes his hardware. However, he doesn't go into detail on how he fluted the hardware only made mention of a chainsaw file. If possible would you or anyone explain how you keep your lines so straight? Thanks
 
I use a dremmel tool with cutting wheels, then go back over it with cratex round wheels, on a dremmel router set up.
 
I start off by scribing the lines with the dial height gauge, then cut into them with a jeweler's saw.
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Then I get them deeper and more bold by cutting into them with a piece of hacksaw blade that I surface ground so it has a nice, narrow kerf.
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Here's what I was shooting for...
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Then I start in with a chainsaw file, working to bridge the two lines with a smooth, consistent groove. This is a fast way to f-up a knife. You can file it off, but you can't put it back on. I want the groove to just come to the lines. If you file too far, it WILL show.

I tape it off for protecting all the surrounding area. I took some of the tape off in this pic to make it more clear what I was doing.
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Now once you get it filed, you have to sand it smooth. I used to use pin stock or transfer punches on their own to do this. However, you can't pinch the paper very tight around the punches, and that causes the paper to bulge out and wash out your lines.

So I made a bunch of filing blocks with the pin stock spot welded to a piece of barstock. This allows you to pull the paper very tight around the pin, and hold it there so you can file the groove out and make everything sharp.
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Depending on what I'm going for, I might chase the lines even further with a needle file that I surface ground so one side is a "safe" side.
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This is what I was ultimately working for :)
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If you're thinking, "Man that looks like a pain in the ass and a great chance to really screw up my knife"..... Then you're right!!! It's hard to do, and it's time consuming.... but it's a little bit of detail that I think takes a knife to the next level. Whatever that means ;) :)
 
BTW- Obviously all those pics are fluting an integral bolster on a big knife, but doing a ferrule type spacer is the same (just easier to move around and a lot less tears if you f it up! :eek: ;)).
 
Before I get back to work I wanted to show that you can use these techniques for different effects. On this bowie, I filed the grooves in the ferrule just the same, but without the sharp lines, and with only a 1/8" chainsaw file.

I also did the same thing on the edge of the pommel with a 5/32" file.

Happy filing :)

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What I have done for years is use my drill press and a 3" or 4" abrasive wheel chucked up in the drill press. I'll stick a chunk of steel in my cross vise and use that as a table. Its just a matter of setting it to the height your wanting. I'll hold the fitting with my left hand while its setting on the table and the wheel is turning and just feed it to the wheel. Make sure while your doing this to be working on the left hand side of the abrasive wheel just in case it slings it out of your hand.
 
NickWheeler said:
Before I get back to work I wanted to show that you can use these techniques for different effects. On this bowie, I filed the grooves in the ferrule just the same, but without the sharp lines, and with only a 1/8" chainsaw file.

I also did the same thing on the edge of the pommel with a 5/32" file.

Happy filing :)

orig.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice looking bowie, Nick.
 
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Mike, I imagine there's some way to do it with a slitting saw, but that's MILES ahead of my machining knowledge. It's just done by hand in my shop.

Ultimately I want it to look as perfect as possible. I'm not in the camp that little flubs make something look handmade, I think they make things look home-made. Hand-made TO ME, means done with pride and I shoot for as refined as my hands/eyes allow. :)


Edited because I realize you were asking about the groove and not the lines. I usually will make my first cut down the center with a triangle file, then start with the chainsaw file. Sorry I forgot to post that! I didn't have a pic of it and it just slipped my little mind! :o
 
NickWheeler said:
Mike, I imagine there's some way to do it with a slitting saw, but that's MILES ahead of my machining knowledge. It's just done by hand in my shop.

Ultimately I want it to look as perfect as possible. I'm not in the camp that little flubs make something look handmade, I think they make things look home-made. Hand-made TO ME, means done with pride and I shoot for as refined as my hands/eyes allow. :)
Click to expand...

I didnt mean machining it with a slitting saw. I meant with the jewelers saw before you start filing it. Would that keep the file straight and give you a channel to ride in or is that not needed? (Im not sure my hands are as steady as yours)
 
Um, "little bitty" is, I believe, the official size of that saw blade ;)

I don't know much about jewelry stuff. I knew this was how I wanted to try to do this, and so I ordered a cheap saw off of ebay a long while back. It came with some cheap blades, but they cut this stuff so I just kept using them. Have only gone through a few.

Somebody in the jewelry business like Stacy could probably help folks out with what's a good brand/style for cutting what type of material and such.

I also have done this much like my buddy Raymond pointed out, the hang up with that is I'm not sure how you'd do that on an integral... but it works just fine on spacers. :)
 
I haven't tried it, but another idea is to hold/clamp the file to a granite surface plate and move the spacer/ferrule against the file. That way you're assured a perfectly positioned groove/line around the spacer. Depending on the thickness of the spacer, different size round files could be used or the file could be spaced off of the surface plate on either end to adjust the position of the groove.

Great pics, Nick. Very easy to see what you're talking about.

The question I have is, after you do all that work to get the spacer/ferrule/guard just right, how the heck do you match it to the handle material without ruining your work on the spacer?

--nathan
 
Thanks Nathan.

Another option (while we're at it :D) is to take a flat piece of tool steel and bore out a hole for the spacer to fit down into. Then harden the tool steel.... clamp the spacer in the hole, and file against it. The hardened tool steel will guarantee a uniform depth.

That sounds like a PITA, but it's how I like to do those pommels, and it works very well.

I do the fluting last. The handle has been shaped already. But I final shape the spacer, then shape the handle anyway (even if it won't get fluted).

I take the spacer to it's final shape and make sure it's all symmetrical, then tape it off with two layers of 3M pin stripe tape. When I'm shaping the handle, I just make sure not to got "past the tape."
 
Pin stripe tape!! Why didn't I think of that! We can't all be geniuses, I guess :D. Great tip. Do you end up with any kind of step between the spacer and the handle material? Or is that just taken care of when you hand-finish it.

--nathan
 
NickWheeler said:
Um, "little bitty" is, I believe, the official size of that saw blade ;

I also have done this much like my buddy Raymond pointed out, the hang up with that is I'm not sure how you'd do that on an integral... but it works just fine on spacers. :)
Click to expand...

Nick, once I figure out how to do it with an intergral I'll be sure to lot you know. :D Here's a one piece half guard done the way I mentioned. After I've pretty much got the guard shaped I'll then heat up the finger area and give it a tweak or two. Every fitting I have made the last 5 or 6 years has been started with the abrasive wheel.

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I dug these pics up to help explain. In the knife that started this thread, the spacers are all screwed together, and pinned to the handle (all for alignment purposes).

I think the pics will help.

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This is the pieces fit to the tang, and fit to each other, but not yet shaped.
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The knife all put together (dry fit) BEFORE FLUTING
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And all put together after fluting and etching the wrought iron.
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Thanks Ray! I was hoping other people would add to this thread as I'm sure there's lot of ways to do this stuff (and I'd like to see 'em! :) ).

Nathan, it leaves me with a 0.010" step between the spacer and handle material, which is totally on purpose. I then buff the sharp edge with a hard buff and pink compound which puts a tiny radius on it.

This, to me, is signature to a very high end piece. It's easy (again, IMHO) to just sand everything flush. Another benefit to it, is if you have slight changes in handle material (like ivory moving on you) it's not as glaring as if they'd been flush.

But mostly, I just think it looks good. :)
 
One way that I know is similar to what you said Nathan. Take tool steel and cut a square cut out of one side ,just enough to lay the file in to have it stick out, then lock down your ferrule and move the tool steel with the file around it to cut at a known height. You may have to make up several of them for them to cut different heights up or down. Your file holder will look like a mini "L"
 
Nick thanks very much for your posts. I'm going to bookmark this thread. I have a blade picked out to try this with. So far I have the guard fitted and have the ferrule cut out. I'm using mild steel for this first one and I'm going to etch it in ferric chloride to match the 1080 blade. Nick if you don't mind I'm going to try to copy your design on the ferrule to match your directions. Thanks very much to all for replies.
 
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