First Guard

I get there Thursday at noon. No play time, I'm afraid. I do want to hang with you guys this time. Unless I get a sweet collector hook-up again... then screw you guys.

I will have the collab knives, buddy.


Rick
 
So where is the video of the hot fit? :confused:

You know the rule no pics it didn't happen!:eek::D

Hey that is coming along great, I can't wait to see the finish on this one!:thumbup:
 
Great idea hot fitting it. And fantastic results. You not only nailed the fit but it's perfectly in line with your style. Great stuff!!
 
Rick, that is a bang up job for a first try........or a tenth try for that matter!!! As for JB Weld, it is a good thing to use even with a close to perfect fit. The mortal enemy of carbon steel blades, moisture, can wriggle into some very tight spots, ya know.
 
What did you use to cut the hole before hot fitting?

I did the typical "drill holes along a centerline", then I used a 3/16" (.1875") round chainsaw file to open them up. I didn't bother to square anything up. The shoulder section on the tang was at .220" and it tapered to about .175". The guard slid onto the tang only about an inch and a half at that point. I heated the guard up in my forge, then using a pipe that was crushed down to fit over the tang, I began to hamer it down. It took about five heats and in between I would hammer it flat. I figured I would have some cleaning up to do on the flats but what you see is how it finished. Then I shaped the edges and put the jimping in with a checkering file. It didn't take much brain power or back and forth filing... but probably took just as long to do. From the time I cut the square off, it was just under 2hrs to get to what you see in the pictures.

What I like about this method is that I wouldn't have needed any measuring tools and if something didn't fit right, I would just hammer it back down and have a second go at it.

Rick
 
I get there Thursday at noon. No play time, I'm afraid. I do want to hang with you guys this time. Unless I get a sweet collector hook-up again... then screw you guys.

I will have the collab knives, buddy.


Rick

Next year, come a few days early.

Thats exciting on the Collab Knives.
 
I think you should throw it in a box as soon as it is finished and start over.....Oh you can send me that box btw....My address is.....

Haha, looks awesome! Now you have me thinking about doing hot fit guards.....Good idea.
 
Well I guess it's ok if you want to cheat and take the easy way out.:rolleyes:





:p
Just jealous that I didn't think of trying that myself. ;) Looks great! :thumbup:
 
I have seen abuse-isolated Nihonto and abuse-advertised "Japanese style(和式)" knives for many years in Japan.
Former needed 40$ per 3cm sharpening cost for dealing and latter has fallen into 10mm thick hypes.
Now I see the process of traditional lineage reconstruction based on practical interpretation, this is a pleasant time for me.
I hope the time will come to see totally disassemblable one that includes mekugi. Thanks for sharing.
 
I liked Stacy's suggestion of a seppa. There wasn't enough shoulder on the tang (IMO) to accomodate one, so I did the next best thing (I was capable of). Sam Salvati's decorative punch thread kicked in a little inspiration on this one... I made it out of 5160 cut-off

IMG_0041-5.jpg
 
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Rick you make me sick! those are great. I would suggest soldering it on but the solder would make your Dirty Boy knives look even more dirty! I really like the Sam stamping I am really Looking forward to seeing the new guard in place.
 
That looks great. Love that punch. Hmmm... ideas..

What's with the habakis in the background?
 
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