JB Weld and guards...quick question

[Bruce Bump]

I like to take it off just after its clamped on with a cotton gun cleaning patch soaked with WD40 and finish off with a tooth pick. I like the slow cure JB Weld because of its silver color but if the joint is very tight its almost invisible. I remember Terry Primos would let it dry somewhat first but I just know I will forget and I would have to chisel it off the next day.
I sometimes silver solder but there is so much clean up and sometimes resanding to do and on damascus this can be a real headache. The guard has flux trapped behind it that needs to be boiled out in baking soda and water for about 10 minutes or it can seep out months later and cause corrosion from the inside. I did solder the Jamaica sub hilt knife Mike and I just finished. It was a pain with two hilts but the only way to be traditional on that one.

 

[silver_pilate]

Thanks again for everyone's help. This is my first JBWeld seal and also my first ever file-fit guard . Here's how it turned out:

It's not perfect...there's a very small gap at the rear of the ricasso/guard junction, but it's filled with JBWeld and not too noticable unless you look close. I epoxied the handle on tonight and will shape it tomorrow. Oh, and thank you Bruce Bump for the idea for the handle clamp. Took all of 5 minutes to put it together from scrap I had laying around, and it seems to work very well.

Thanks again!

--nathan

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Very good fit!

 

[J. Doyle]

Looks great. Looking forward to seeing the finished product too.

 

[silver_pilate]

Thanks John and Bill. I had to adjust the guard a bit as I ended up getting the fit too loose. It was tight, but not a press fit, so I made some adjustments and got it to where it needed to be. I'm starting to get hooked on hidden tangs, I think.

John, this blade has been sitting in my shop for quite a while (on my anvil, actually, which is funny because it's a stock removal blade ). I'm glad it's finally about finished up!

--nathan

 

[PIndelicato]

Having had a few failed attempts at filing guard slots, that looks darn good to me Nathan. I'm looking forward to seeing that knife finished, it looks like it's going to be awesome!

 

[J. Doyle]

I'm starting to get hooked on hidden tangs, I think.

I love hidden tangs. I think they give a maker a ton of space to 'run wild' so to speak and get really creative.

Seeing all those high end bowie/fighters in blade magazine when I was a kid is what started me down the knifemaking road. I always thought, "Man, I'd love to make something like that someday."

 

[Will52100]

I use primarily the JB weld methoud, though I started with silver solder. I still solder loveless type gaurds on as I'm not getting as tight a fit as I'd like. To me to get a JB type fit it needs to be press fitted and nearly invisible. Also for mine the JB is more of a moister seal than anything, dry fitted they won't come off with out the use of a hammer. I like it because I don't have to clean up a solder joint, or cause any discoloration or fluxing of the blade or gaurd.