Guard shaping?

PIndelicato

PIndelicato

Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
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I've read some guard tutorials and tried searching, but I don't recall reading what is the easiest way to shape a guard if there is one. Specifically I am referring to the rounded/radiused area that would be adjacent to your index finger while grasping the knife (sorry I don't know the correct term, if there is one.)

I messed around with the one I'm working on (copper in this case) for a couple of hours this morning without much progress. (I had already put the curve into the guard, but was now trying to radius/round it) I tried a shoe shining motion with small strips of sandpaper with little progress. Next I tried a sanding drum on a dremel, and I couldn't really figure out how to make that work for me either. Finally, I tried on a section of slack belt on the grinder and it doesn't work there due to the size and shape of the guard and the curves already established earlier, seeming to lack control and make cuts instead of smooth flowing curves.

I hope that all makes sense, and I'd appreciate any tips or advice anyone can offer. I imagine I spent as much or more time trying to accomplish this single task as someone who knows what they are doing to finish the whole thing start to finish!

Paul
 
Makes sense to me.

What I do is use a small wheel to set the initial radius of the curve (which it sounds like you've already done). Then, I turn the knife 45 degrees and establish the same radius on the corner that was left. Basically adding a "facet". Then I repeat for the other side. Get them good and even (which is much easier to do with straight lines and flat surfaces) and then facet the points left down, etc, etc until it's mostly rounded. Then rock it across your small wheel (or whatever you set the initial radius with) to round things over. Finish with sandpaper.

Hope THAT made sense.

:D

-d
 
deker, thanks and I think I do understand! And if I do, it sounds somewhat analogous to forging square stock into round...square, octagon, sixteenagon(?), round.

Lon, I used the grinder, a dremel, and files to establish the main curve, but couldn't seem to get the hang of using them for the radius. I guess it would work the same way as deker describes above, just using a different tool.

Thanks for the help, guys!
 
I use the slack belt to rough shape with a heavy grit belt. I work my way up to finer grit until I get to 220. From 220 on up to 400 I use j flex belts to get the contouring on the guard and give a nice rounding to it. Then I shoe shin up to the finish grit.
The slack belt takes a little getting used to so I go slow.
Later,
Iz
 
Hey I started useing the scoloped 1"x72" belts they are great for that part of Your knives.Give it a try You will love them they allso come in 1'x42" and 1"x30" I get them at texasknifemakers.com
 
PJ I am working on a knife with a guard as we "speak". I used a round file and the used a dremel with those sanding wheels. It came out pretty good. I then used sand paper to finish it up.
 
Hey Paul,

As you can see there is usually more than one way around the fence when it comes to knife making operations. In my humble shop I don't make more than a handful of knives que per què year so I take my time and use files. When I worked for a well known manufacturer in Boise Idaho, we had a hand built belt grinder that used half inch or smaller belts that we trimmed from used 2 x 72 belts. If your having issues with the belt gouging your guard I' d' strongly suggest using used up belts for this kind of work as fresh ones will be less forgiving in it's cutting action as well as being less bendy, so to speak. This is especially true for softer metals like brass and nickle silver. In addition, for softer metals esecially, use the finest grit available and run your machine as slow as you can. It's a whole lot harder to put the metal back on than it is to take it off. :)

Hope this helps

Rick
 
Paul:
get one of these kits:
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=1268&cookietest=1

Chuck it up in your drill press and raise the table with a piece of wood on it so it fits snug under the drum. And away you go, well go slow and you should get the shape you want. It is easier to get the shape if the knife is not already sanded on the sides so it will lay flat on the piece of wood.
You can shape the metal and the wood of the handle this way, cheaper than a KMG. Cheers Ron.
 
Thanks to all for the helpful tips! I am unfortunately hamstrung with a Craftsman 2x42 which runs at Mach speed, so no slowing things down there. I guess I can try splitting some belts (?) or buy some 1x42's and see if that helps. I think I have a good idea how to go about it now.

panchO, have any pics of your guard yet? (I was going to email you about it, but it looks like you have email turned off.)
 
The 4 inch KMG wheel with the softer rubber that Mr. Mickley sells is a Godsend when shaping guards. I hope that he starts offering small wheels with that covering soon.
 
Once I have profiled the guard area so that the guard material and blade match I rough out the area with an eight inch long #2 cut pippen file. Then I cut some narrow (5/32") strips from a 100 micron film belt and haft the area into shape. I have yet to find anything that comes close to working as well as the 100 micron film. Even a used belt gives good stock removal with minimal undercutting if used properly. Finish up with some 30 micron strips and you are ready for 1,200 paper. Contact me if you have more questions.
 
I almost forgot; I live near Sedona so if you are heading into this area from Chandler let me know and I will show you how I do guards.
 
swampassking, thanks for your tips! I'm going to have to do some Googling of some of those terms to fully grasp your recommendation. I also appreciate your invitation, and if I make it up that way I will try to look you up.
 
I have glued the handles on and now I need to reshape it. I will post some pics of it tonight. It is not done and I don't think the dremel will work as well noe that the scales are attached. I need to sit and think about how I am going to approach it next.

-frank
 
Hats off to Mungo Park for the idea to use a drum sander in the drill press. I was wondering how I was going to shape the radius of the guard and this method worked great. I put the guard in my drill press vise, positioned the table to proper height, and worked the vised guard into the spinning drum while oscillating the drum up and down.

Milt
 
I slice a somewhat dull belt to a width of 1/2", sometimes 1/4". A thin belt at the slack portion of the grinder is the only thing I use for shaping small curves and rounding them. The edges of the belt can cut some lines at the workpiece but if you use a dull 220 or 400 grit belt these lines can be removed by hand rubbing...
 
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