- Joined
- Sep 26, 1999
- Messages
- 4,486
I can tell some of you out there are curious of how I made the quillion guard on my last Bowie so here is how I hope it helps:
To forge a guard like this,take your metal and make it
approximately half the size of the finished guard.Then you start fullering
in on both ends making an oval but you will leave a wider part on both ends
for the ball,you need to keep the center section as flat as possible and
stretch out the ends,after you have them stretched you can give the forward
bends or leave it flat at this point you will twist just the pieces on each
end to form the ball's making sure that they are flat.Now you need to clean
the guard up and keep the area flat where your blade will be soldered
on...........The easiest way to do one of these guards(the way I am going to
do them now)was told to me by Alex Daniels and Ken Durham......Take a piece
of 3/16 inch by 1 inch flat bar( you can use anything for this ...Such as
Brass,Nickel Silver,Stainless,Steel,etc.) I will give you the measurements I
used on this bowie that is 1 1/2 inch wide......Measure out 3 1/2 inches for
the guard and add 1'2 inch on to both ends,so you have a piece totaling 4
1/2 inches.Know make a center line down the middle lengthwise,make marks
crossways at the half inch marks on each end,now you want to mark at the
intersection of the center mark and the cross mark,you want to mark 1/8 inch
on both sides of this intersection.Now take a hack saw and cut on the cross
line stopping at the two 1/8 inch marks this leaves 1/4 inch in the center
of the bar connecting the end and center.Now take two pieces of steel and
dome the edges make sure that these are 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch wide and at
least 1 inch long ( preferably 3 to 4 inches so you have some to hold onto )
now set these cross ways of the guard piece,set them off center (higher on
one side than the other) this will make the top of the guard shorter on the
top of the blade and longer on the bottom.Now take this and clamp it in a
vice,then take a torch and heat the guard above the domed cross pieces when
you have it hot enough bend this end to create the forward arch,do the same
to the other end.Now take this piece and take it out of the two domed pieces
and just clamp it in the vise with the curved ends pointing up.Now heat the
1/4 inch section you left after cutting.Heat this enough so you can twist
this piece so it lines up with the center line,do both ends.At this point
take it to the grinder and round off the ends and oval the guard,you will
have to clean up the twist so it looks like a solid piece of metal get all
the scratches out now that you can as it is harder after you solder the
blade on.now using the center line as a guide decide where to put your tang
hole and cut it in like you normally would solder in the blade and attach
the handle..........Good Luck,and if you have any questions email me
......and I will help any way I can......I know that there are other ways to do this but it is how I was told to do it....Bruce
------------------
Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society
To forge a guard like this,take your metal and make it
approximately half the size of the finished guard.Then you start fullering
in on both ends making an oval but you will leave a wider part on both ends
for the ball,you need to keep the center section as flat as possible and
stretch out the ends,after you have them stretched you can give the forward
bends or leave it flat at this point you will twist just the pieces on each
end to form the ball's making sure that they are flat.Now you need to clean
the guard up and keep the area flat where your blade will be soldered
on...........The easiest way to do one of these guards(the way I am going to
do them now)was told to me by Alex Daniels and Ken Durham......Take a piece
of 3/16 inch by 1 inch flat bar( you can use anything for this ...Such as
Brass,Nickel Silver,Stainless,Steel,etc.) I will give you the measurements I
used on this bowie that is 1 1/2 inch wide......Measure out 3 1/2 inches for
the guard and add 1'2 inch on to both ends,so you have a piece totaling 4
1/2 inches.Know make a center line down the middle lengthwise,make marks
crossways at the half inch marks on each end,now you want to mark at the
intersection of the center mark and the cross mark,you want to mark 1/8 inch
on both sides of this intersection.Now take a hack saw and cut on the cross
line stopping at the two 1/8 inch marks this leaves 1/4 inch in the center
of the bar connecting the end and center.Now take two pieces of steel and
dome the edges make sure that these are 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch wide and at
least 1 inch long ( preferably 3 to 4 inches so you have some to hold onto )
now set these cross ways of the guard piece,set them off center (higher on
one side than the other) this will make the top of the guard shorter on the
top of the blade and longer on the bottom.Now take this and clamp it in a
vice,then take a torch and heat the guard above the domed cross pieces when
you have it hot enough bend this end to create the forward arch,do the same
to the other end.Now take this piece and take it out of the two domed pieces
and just clamp it in the vise with the curved ends pointing up.Now heat the
1/4 inch section you left after cutting.Heat this enough so you can twist
this piece so it lines up with the center line,do both ends.At this point
take it to the grinder and round off the ends and oval the guard,you will
have to clean up the twist so it looks like a solid piece of metal get all
the scratches out now that you can as it is harder after you solder the
blade on.now using the center line as a guide decide where to put your tang
hole and cut it in like you normally would solder in the blade and attach
the handle..........Good Luck,and if you have any questions email me
......and I will help any way I can......I know that there are other ways to do this but it is how I was told to do it....Bruce
------------------
Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society
