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v-6

v-6

Joined
Nov 24, 2007
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952
Well i'm ready to move on ,so here is my ???
i see that some makers are cutting the steel right where the guard sets.
how do you work the rest of the blank to the but. Or how does this work?
pix's help me a lot<grin>
thanks vern


well it looks like i cant spell .
 
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Your question is a little vague. Can you give us a little more detail? Are you talking slotted guards, that slide up from the bottom of the knife (with a slot that is open on one end of the guard), instead of sliding over the tang from the butt end of the knife?
 
Its just like making a full tang knife and then cutting it off at the guard. or it is a hidden tang that they will have to weld on a tang.
 
All the hidden tang knives that I do are hand forged. The tang is forged as well and it is continous with the blade.
Eric Knight
 
Some smiths weld a mild steel tang to a cutlery-steel blade, is that what you mean? Stick tang or full tang... they do with this with premade damascus blanks to save $.
 
OK, gotcha. I believe hellgap intends to weld on a tang of cheaper material than the blade. You'll notice that since the blade is stainless steel, folks are advising against it.

With carbons steels it would probably work better, they are just easier to weld (Disclaimer: I haven't welded anythign since HS shop class so don't think I'm an expert ;) )

Bill Moran used to forge-weld mild steel tangs to his blades; Wayne Goddard describes silver brazing as the strongest type of joint for this purpose.

Personally, I haven't learned to do this because I don't see much point to it for what I do (stock removal). I start with flat stock the full size of the knife, even if it's going to be a stick tang. Yes, there's waste involved. But there's no joint to ever fail or corrode.

The cost of the steel itself is way overblown by a lot of folks. High-grade CPM154 is around $60 for a 3' bar of 3/16 x 1 1/2. That sounds like a lot, but it breaks down to $15 for a nine-inch piece, enough to make a typical full tang hunter. If you don't want to buy a whole bar, you may be able to find a knifemaker here who'll sell you a small piece for a nominal fee plus shipping.

Fifteen bucks is lunch for two, not a big investment :)
 
James_Terrio said:
Some smiths weld a mild steel tang to a cutlery-steel blade, is that what you mean? Stick tang or full tang... they do with this with premade damascus blanks to save $.
Click to expand...

I don't use mild steel additions to tangs, for one they wont harden so you can't choose what condition you want them. I like a tang that is spring hard or there about.
Also, most smiths try to use the same material that is being used in the blade. Like materials makes the welding process easier.
Key the tang at the ends being joined and TIG weld them together. If done well you cant see the joint.

Fred
 
When I do a hidden tang that needs more length, I lap join another piece to it, double pin it, then silver braze it.
 
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